MSCDEX
Encyclopedia
MSCDEX or Microsoft MS-DOS CD-ROM Extensions is a software program
produced by Microsoft
and included with MS-DOS
6.x and certain versions of Microsoft Windows
. Earlier versions of MSCDEX were installable add-ons beginning with MSDOS 3.1
It is a driver executable which allows DOS programs to recognize, read, and control CD-ROM
s. This requires the previous loading of an appropriate CD-ROM device driver
(example: oakcdrom.sys), usually from CONFIG.SYS
. The program was used up until Windows 95
when it was replaced by the 32-bit version CDFS
.
The final version of the MSCDEX program was 2.23.
The driver uses the Microsoft Networks interface in MS-DOS. Which is the reason that at least v3.1 of MS-DOS is required. The driver essentially looks like a network drive from the system perspective. It's implemented as a TSR
program.
There's a free alternative called SHSUCDX that is used with the IDE/ATA driver UIDE.SYS first released in 2005 that is often used with FreeDOS
and works with MS-DOS
as well.
Computer program
A computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...
produced by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
and included with MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
6.x and certain versions of Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. Earlier versions of MSCDEX were installable add-ons beginning with MSDOS 3.1
It is a driver executable which allows DOS programs to recognize, read, and control CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
s. This requires the previous loading of an appropriate CD-ROM device driver
Device driver
In computing, a device driver or software driver is a computer program allowing higher-level computer programs to interact with a hardware device....
(example: oakcdrom.sys), usually from CONFIG.SYS
CONFIG.SYS
CONFIG.SYS is the primary configuration file for the DOS, OS/2 as well as similar operating systems. It is a special file that contains setup or configuration instructions for the computer system.- Usage :...
. The program was used up until Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
when it was replaced by the 32-bit version CDFS
ISO 9660
ISO 9660, also referred to as CDFS by some hardware and software providers, is a file system standard published by the International Organization for Standardization for optical disc media....
.
The final version of the MSCDEX program was 2.23.
The driver uses the Microsoft Networks interface in MS-DOS. Which is the reason that at least v3.1 of MS-DOS is required. The driver essentially looks like a network drive from the system perspective. It's implemented as a TSR
Terminate and Stay Resident
Terminate and Stay Resident is a computer system call in DOS computer operating systems that returns control to the system as if the program has quit, but keeps the program in memory...
program.
There's a free alternative called SHSUCDX that is used with the IDE/ATA driver UIDE.SYS first released in 2005 that is often used with FreeDOS
FreeDOS
FreeDOS is an operating system for IBM PC compatible computers. FreeDOS is made up of many different, separate programs that act as "packages" to the overall FreeDOS Project...
and works with MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
as well.
External links
- Command-Line Switches for MSCDEX.EXE
- [ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Softlib/MSLFILES/DR0498.EXE MS-DOS CD-ROM Extensions 2.2 Information Pack] (self-extracting archive, includes Microsoft MS-DOS CD-ROM Extensions Hardware-Dependent Device Driver Specification)
- Examples of use in CONFIG.SYS