Setup floppies to CD

[Marek Kalisz]

I have many programs on floppies (some on up to 14) - older, of course.
Some of disks already are deteriorated (showing some errors). To avoid
further deterioration a I would like to archive them on CDs. Burning is not
a problem but how to do it to be able eventually to install/setup programs
from CD containing a few diskettes. Ususally then setup was a batch file or
so asking to switch diskettes in order and follow up. And now - from CD?
This is my problem...
Marek Kalisz

 

[JS]

One thing to note is that many programs that are on multiple floppy disks
look for the disk label during an install.
Examples: DISK_1, DISK_2, DISK_3

If you create a folder name that matches the disk label (for each disk
copied to a hard drive and then burned to a CD) this will help in at least
some cases if you need recreate the floppies or install from a CD. Look at
the contents of the batch file for verification of this.

JS

 

[Admiral Q]

One thing to note is that many programs that are on multiple floppy disks
look for the disk label during an install.
Examples: DISK_1, DISK_2, DISK_3

If you create a folder name that matches the disk label (for each disk
copied to a hard drive and then burned to a CD) this will help in at least
some cases if you need recreate the floppies or install from a CD. Look at
the contents of the batch file for verification of this.

JS

To add to what JS has said, I too have a few old time software packages that
came on Diskette - as JS said, the label names were DISK_01, DISK_02, etc up
to DISK_14, I created a folder on my harddrive called <WordStar> and then 14
sub folders, call DISK_01 thru DISK_14, copied the contents of each Diskette
to each appropriate sub folder, then burned to CD. When installing, I start
the setup under the DISK_01, when it asks for DISK_02, I point it to the CD
drive \WordStar\DISK_02 folder and it continues, then when it asks for
DISK_03 I point it to <CD drive>\WordStar\DISK_03 and so on. This works for
WordStar, but for dBase IV, I had to copy all the files from each Diskette
to one folder, starting with the last diskette going to the first diskette.
Then burning that directory to CD. Basically each are making what is call a
"network" install of the software, and most all software has a readme or
help doc on the install diskette telling you how to create a "network"
install folder.