Installing a CD-ROM on the hard drive.

Clarifications

... will have the drive it is run FROM hard coded into the RUN sequence. It probably doesn't have an 'install' feature.

You could create a partition on any hard drive and copy the entire contents of the CD to that drive, then run it from there and it should run fine. But, it has to be copied to the root of a partition/drive to work.

Are you sure it will run on the OS you're currently running though?

I would think that it doesn't have to be "installed" as a program on your current version of Windows. Have you tried just copying all the files on the CD to a folder on your hard drive (ie. open My Computer - Click Edit - Select All & just copy them to a folder in My Documents or somewhere) & running the program from that location by clicking the executable file that starts Grolier?

hi
do you mean make a .iso from the disc e.g. with Imgburn -

http://www.imgburn.com/

and mount with virtual drive e.g. Daemon Tools -

http://forum.daemon-tools.cc/download.php

all good and all free!
cheers!

I don't use it a lot, but it fits the bill in many circumstances. I particularly like the range of image types it handles.

I hpe it is of some use to you, especially if you can get the Enyclopedia working.

I gather you already have the Grolier program installed, so we'll work from there.

If not, get the CD in the drive, then access it in Explorer (or your file manager of choice). Double-click Setup.exe to begin installation. Once installed, check to ensure the encyclopedia works with the CD in the drive if you have not done so.
It works? Good!

Now, download and install MagicDisc. http://www.magiciso.com/download.htm
Note that when you start the program, it lives in the system tray.
Also note, it will want to autostart with Windows. I don't like autostarting programs that I do not use constantly, so I used MS Sysinternals Autoruns to disable the autostart entry. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx
Just look for the MagicDisc name and icon in the Everything tab, and clear the check box.

Now, you want to start MagicDisc, right-click the systray icon, and select Make CD/DVD Image. (You want the Grolier CD in the drive for this.) Select the drive with the CD if you have more than one. Choose the output format as ISO to be safe, but I'd think that the default UIF would work as well. For the output file, click the folder and browse to the directory of your choice, default is My Documents. Name the file NGMECL. Click OK. (This will take a few minutes.)

Now, you want to check the virtual drive letter. Mouse-over the top entry in the menu (Virtual CD/DVD ROM) to determine this. Got it?

Now, open your file manager, and navigate to the install directory for the Encyclopedia (C:\NGMECL) and open the file NGME.INI in a text editor. Change the entry Disk=X to reflect your virtual drive letter. Save and exit.

Running the Encyclopedia:
Start MagicDisc, mouse over Virtual CD/DVD ROM, the ensuing X: No Media menu item, and click Mount. Navigate to the NGMECL.iso image and select it.
Now, simply start the Encyclopedia from the Start Menu.

-------

Actually, I now notice that mine is the 1994 edition release 6 (it said copyright 1993 on the disc). If your INI file is slightly different, edit accordingly or post back.

Cheers!

No. I am not sure than any programs had autorun back in those days. The encyclopedia, being circa 1993, was obviously designed to run on Windows 3.1

When you install one of their Creative Suites, it always puts a bunch of items in the Start Menu, I always create an Adobe folder & put everything in it. Many other programs do that also.
That's a good suggestion ThumbsUp2 has given as it covers "groups" of similar programs as well.

No it's a big irritation.

Because I have so much software (I have always been a software junkie) wherever possible when installing a new program, I will direct the shortcuts to be installed in an existing start menu group. As you would know, some installatins allow you to specify a directory for the short cuts.

I have made the following group start menu directories (which will give you some idea of my priorities)

Assorted Games

Biblical Reference

General Reference

I have already deleted a number of directories which were redundant or duplicated. However it is rather difficult to also lump together various uninstall shortcuts, readme files and the like, as they will become dissociated from their exe files.

full of wet corn starch should do it. (Use a small pool for the 5 year-old.)

Only other thing is elephant tranquilizers. ;)

Only a relatively small proportion of programs can be removed via add/remove programs. Apart from that, the uninstall feature which comes with a program is often more thorough than add/remove.

And yes I do uninstall programs sometimes. I got rid of a few recently to clear up space on the start menu.

Here's the deal. I will keep your young 'un entertained while you sort into categories my collection of 100s of CD-ROMS. ]:)

Actually, sorting through such things is my cup of tea. :D

Strange, though, as Add/Remove should call the related program's uninstaller. I suppose not all programs do that so well, particularly older ones that don't write the required registry entries. If, however, you install the program via Add/Remove, you should also be able to uninstall via Add/Remove. (But really, who ever does that? No one I've ever seen. There used to be programs that would do that (track installation), before add/remove was around, or before it was any good.) It does imply "Floppy or CD", but if you choose one without a floppy or cd in a drive, you can then Browse.

But it sounds like your method works for you. If it ain't broken, why change?

Cheers!

You will just have to take my word for it then, because over the years I have installed 100s of programs. Add/remove has only ever listed a portion of them.

Currently I have close to 60 items on my Start Menu, many of which point to several programs.

I can't get Add/Remove started right now (too much happening in memory as I am connected concurrently to several websites) but later I will count them and report back.

and I recognize the multiple bad behaviors of software installers. They do strange things all the time.

And I do not wish to try and change your habits, but merely suggest other methods in the event that the Start Menu becomes problematic rather than useful.

So, I do agree with you on both points. I just mention these things in the interest of clarity.
Cheers!

I have put 7 applications from Microsoft Office XP which were listed separately, into one group.

Now I will do some more thinning out. I am more than a little mystified by the fact that only SOME of the items showing in Start Menu are listed in Start Menu as accessed via Open All Users.

Could I please have Windows 95 back, or even better Windows 3.1 which had a fixed maximum number of groups in Program Manager, but a seemingly limitless (probably there was a limit) number of short cuts in each Program Manager Group.

Let's say it was 24 groups with 24 short cuts in each: that makes a total of 576. It would keep me busy using up all those shortcuts. :)

I'm not sure if you're referring to all the Windows Updates being listed in Add/Remove programs (I suspect you're referring to the service packs etc)if it is, they're easily hidden by unchecking the "show updates" box at the top of the window....it doesn't hide service packs or hot fixes though.

Yes I can see the box to check to "show updates" and it is unchecked.

There are other Windows items which I won't bother to list.

Thanks one and all.

Thank you. A new toy to play with. I am far more interested in experimenting with software (as if that wasn't obvious already) than in using it. :)

Now my imagination is fired up. Would it be possible to install DOS and Windows 3.1 on a flash drive?

If my floppies are dead, Col has all the old software on CD.

I seem to recall that DOS (6.2) will only install on C drive. In think it also requires a reboot during installation.

I guess there is no harm in trying.

For whatever reason, they just don't want to install sensibly.

What you can do, if you like, is to drag and drop copy Start Menu items from All Users profile to your Julian profile.

The Start Menus are in the paths
/Documents and Settings/user profile/Start Menu

You can probably use a different file manager for this, but I don't think that the Win3.1 file manager can see that directory, unfortunately. The 2xExplorer that Old(er) Mycroft has mentioned will.

It's hiding in the left hand column under the TOOLS icon.

You'll find heaps of programs listed there that don't appear in the Windows Add/Remove Programs utility. :)

where to download it from? I have it on all my four XP computers but have lost the download link.

http://www.free-downloads.net/programs/2xExplorer

Or if you're feeling adventurous, you can try Explorer2 (Explorer [i]squared[/i]) which is the newer version of the same File Manager.

As I think I've said before, the newer one doesn't have an in-built Search Facility - it opts for whatever host system it is installed with and uses the host's search function.

For that reason I always opt for the older version because I don't like the M$ Search capabilities. However having stood my ground for so long, now that I'm running with Windows 7, I'm using the newer Explorer2 because the search function capabilities inside Windows 7 are far superior to what was in XP or Vista.

[i]If that makes sense.[/i] ;)

This is the link for the new one without its own search engine:
http://netez.com/2xExplorer/

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/WINFILE.EXE
(Direct download link.) (From win NT.)

That isn't where I originally found it, but Doug Knox has one there on his site.

Edit: The original site, I believe, was Winhistory.de. Unless you read German, you may want the Google Translator for this.

http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=/language_tools&u=http://downloads.winhistory.de/updates.htm

See the headings in the page for
Windows 3.1x in 2000 Update. Or never mind, the Winfile is in German also! But the site is pretty cool, if you like the old stuff.

Now I have to wonder where I originally found Winfile in English.

That link is now safely stored in Sidekick 2.0 for Windows 3.1

BTW I recalled the kellys korner bit and did a search, but I spelt it kellys corner and so of course I could not locate it.

But be careful when putting links in a post title. :D

I've found it's just easier to search for Doug Knox than Kellys Korner. I've gotten some bum results in the past looking for Kellys as well. (One had me thinking that the site was gone, and when I did get a good link, the site design had changed and almost fooled me again. :^0 )