Windows 98SE.....cd rom problem

[Heidi719]

For some reason my cd rom will not work, it opens up but when I put a disk in it doesn't load it. I looked in "my computer" and it does not even show the "D" drive on there and when I run D:/setup it says that it's not there?? Does anyone know how I can fix this as I can't put the disk in it to load it.....

Thanks,
Heidi

[Thong_Ispector]

Some older systems cannot boot from the CD-Rom.

Check this by going into your BIOS/CMOS setup and see if it will let you select the CDRom as the first boot device.

If not...

You can boot from a floppy with the cd rom drivers that will get you going.

[Heidi719]

Some older systems cannot boot from the CD-Rom.

Check this by going into your BIOS/CMOS setup and see if it will let you select the CDRom as the first boot device.

If not...

You can boot from a floppy with the cd rom drivers that will get you going.

I have no idea how to do either of these, can you expain how??....I'm somewhat computer lit but not a master.....lol. Thanks for your help!!!

Heidi

[kc0arf]

Hello,

She is not trying to boot from the CD-ROM, so that is not the issue.

I hope you tried multiple CD's, and this is not just one failing... in other words, you tried 5 CD-ROMS, some made at the store, and determined a failure...

Heidi, first thing you will need to do is reboot your system. Depending on your BIOS settings, you may or may not see the system configuration printed out. This will appear as white text on a black screen. You may see memory counting up as the system checks your memory.

Now, if you have a newer computer that has the damn company logo "Dell, Compaq, Intel" on it instead, you will need to go into your BIOS and inspect it. WIthout knowing your exact machine details, I cannot say too much more here.

What are you looking for?

You need to see if the BIOS detects your CD-ROM drive first. It will either show up as some IDE device, or unlikely, yet possibly, a SCSI device. You need to ensure that the BIOS sees something else besides the hard drive.

If the BIOS detects a CD-ROM, then the next thing to do is load Windows. Look in the Device Manager and see if the CD-ROM driver has a problem.

Also, listen to the CD-ROM drive. Does it sound any differently than when you used it before?

Christian

[Thong_Ispector]

You are quite right...

Serves me right for posting at 5am...

:)

[Heidi719]

Hello,

She is not trying to boot from the CD-ROM, so that is not the issue.

I hope you tried multiple CD's, and this is not just one failing... in other words, you tried 5 CD-ROMS, some made at the store, and determined a failure...

Heidi, first thing you will need to do is reboot your system. Depending on your BIOS settings, you may or may not see the system configuration printed out. This will appear as white text on a black screen. You may see memory counting up as the system checks your memory.

Now, if you have a newer computer that has the damn company logo "Dell, Compaq, Intel" on it instead, you will need to go into your BIOS and inspect it. WIthout knowing your exact machine details, I cannot say too much more here.

What are you looking for?

You need to see if the BIOS detects your CD-ROM drive first. It will either show up as some IDE device, or unlikely, yet possibly, a SCSI device. You need to ensure that the BIOS sees something else besides the hard drive.

If the BIOS detects a CD-ROM, then the next thing to do is load Windows. Look in the Device Manager and see if the CD-ROM driver has a problem.

Also, listen to the CD-ROM drive. Does it sound any differently than when you used it before?

Christian

Under device manager it shows yellow exclamation marks on:

standard floppy disk controller
primary IDE controller {dual info}
secondary IDE controller{dual info}

Also I dont quite understand what you mean about my system being a Dell, Compaq, Intel?? Also the CD rom sounds fine and YES I have tried quite a few cd's and none work. Thanks for your help and if you need anything else let me know, like I said I'm not the smartest person on computers!!!

[Heidi719]

I'm sorry it is {dual fifo} not info on those, my apologies!!

Heidi

[kc0arf]

Hello,

With the system giving you yellow marks on the devices, that means that the drivers are not in place properly, and the devices will not work. Your CD-ROM is likely an IDE device, and since the drivers are not properly working, the devices won't either.

Think of it like a telephone. If the telephone company does not setup your house line properly, your phone will not ring.

You are going to need to track down the drivers on your system. This means tracking down makes and models of your internal hardware and chipset, and going to the internet to find them. I cannot easily point you directions at this point without the hardware here in front of me. If you are not comfortable trying this on your own, it might be a better investment to take the computer into a shop to have it done by a tech.

What I meant by the Dell / Compaq / Intel splash screen is this: when your computers first turn on, there usually is an option for a company logo to display (which hides the useful information) or for that information to be displayed on the screen. I was trying to have you look at the BIOS information and see if the devices are detected. Because you have yellow ! marks within your Windows device manager, the BIOS does detect them. THis is a Windows problem, not a hardware or BIOS issue. Had the devices not been present, then I would be stearing you in another direction.

Your next step is to get the drivers properly installed on your computer.

Christian