Mscdex is a “redirector” that enables CD-ROM access from the MS-DOS.

Availability

Mscdex or mscdexnt are external commands that are available for the following versions of Microsoft operating systems as mscdex.exe or mscdexnt.exe.

  • Availability

  • Mscdex syntax

  • Mscdex examples

  • Errors and issues

  • Download

  • All Versions of MS-DOS

  • Windows 95

  • Windows 98

  • Windows ME

  • Windows NT

  • Windows 2000

  • Windows XP

Mscdex syntax

MSCDEX.EXE /D:x /M:n /E /V /L:x /S /K

Extra notes

When loading the MSCDEX line in Windows 3.x, make sure to define the LASTDRIVE= statement with a line similar to “LASTDRIVE=Z” line.

Mscdex examples

Below is an example of how the MSCDEX line should look in your autoexec.bat:

LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001

Remember that if you use the example above must have the same device driver name as the CD-ROM driver in the config.sys.

  • Information and help with the autoexec.bat and config.sys.
  • Information on loading CD-ROM drivers in MS-DOS.

Errors and issues

When booting, I receive the message “MSCDEX is already running,” and if I continue, all programs stop running.

It’s likely you have more than one MSCDEX statement in your autoexec.bat. Edit the autoexec.bat and place a REM in front of one of the MSCDEX lines in the autoexec.bat.