Q My windows 95 Media folder contains a long list of classical music MIDI files, all of which can be played through Media Player. Is there a method to play them one after another? It would be nice to be able to play this music in the background while I'm working.

A First, let's review how to find these MIDI files. If your C:\Windows\Media folder isn't already stocked with files like Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy.rmi, and you want it to be, put your Windows 95 CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. When the blue CD-ROM window appears, click Add/Remove Software. On the Windows Setup tab, select Multimedia, click Details, and check Sample Sounds. Then click OK twice and close the CD-ROM window.

Now that you have the files, you need to create a batch file to play them one after the other. First, use Windows Explorer to go to C:\Windows\Media. Then open a DOS window by clicking the Start button and selecting ProgramsûMS-DOS Prompt. Next, at the DOS prompt, type copy con c:\windows\media\music.bat and press <Enter>.

With both windows visible, drag the first piece you want to play to the DOS window and press <Enter>. Repeat this step for each of the other pieces you want to play. When you've finished, your batch file will resemble the one shown. Then press <Ctrl>-Z and <Enter>. Close the DOS window.

Caption: The Windows 95 CD-ROM comes with lots of MIDI files. Copy them to your hard disk, then play them one after another with this simple batch file

Right-click the newly created music.bat file icon in the Explorer window and select Edit. At the start of the first line, before C:\WINDOWS, enter start /w /m mplayer /play /close and be sure to include a space after the word close.

Next, position your cursor immediately after the space, and press <Shift>-<Home> and then <Ctrl>-C to put that text in the Clipboard. Then move to the start of the next line and press <Ctrl>-V. Repeat this last step until the same words appear at the beginning of every line. Close Notepad and save the file.

Now right-click the icon once again and select Properties. On the Program tab, click the Run drop-down box and select Minimized. Check Close on exit, and then click OK. This creates a Shortcut to the batch file that will automatically minimise the ugly DOS window that accompanies the beautiful music. Drag that icon to the desktop or the Start button or anywhere else that's convenient for you.