Do not edit or modify anything on the hard drive and you will
stay out of trouble with the following...

If the computer is running and boots it is relatively easy.
Format a floppy with the system files on it (a check mark is
placed in the format options box when formatting.)

COPY the autoexec.bat and config.sys files to the floppy.
ONLY edit the files on the floppy or you can break the computer.

Then read both the autoexec.bat and config.sys files (on the floppy),
and identify any drivers or files referenced in commands in those files.

Copy all those files to the floppy, and edit path info in the autoexec.bat
and config.sys for when those files are referenced, so the files are found
on the floppy.

I do not know if it is harder with a laptop, but a desktop of that era would
generally need some drivers copied to the floppy in order to boot.
(Especially If you wanted to boot to a blank hard drive, or a "broken"
copy of Windows.)

The above may (or may not) get a CD-Rom drive running. That is another
"adventure" on a computer of that era, especially if starting from scratch.

Test, test test...  Hope this starts you out...       Rick Glazier

From: "the_ryans.de" <[log in to unmask]>
Hi there on the list I have a question regarding how to make a start disc for a laptop running Win 3.1.  I know that you have to
make a start disc for what ever DOS version is running. Format A:  /sys or \  ?  What other files have to be copied to A ?  with
witch comand ( Copy auto exe bat c/a) ? And finally how do you copy the drivers? I need to back everything up as I have absolutly
nothing.  And at the Acer website I couldn't find anything listed to download.  This is an old 486 with a whoping 4Mb RAM nothing to
brag about but good enough to take notes on at Parents night.

         PCBUILD maintains hundreds of useful files for download
                     visit our download web page at:
                  http://freepctech.com/downloads.shtml