New Win98SE install only recognizes audio, not data CDs

[Bill_from_LA]

I just installed a recycled SFAF CD-RW2224 CD-R in a new machine (P4, Intel mobo D845BG) using Win98SE.

The SAF drive (which worked perfectly in another personal 98SE/P3 Intel mobo machine) now recognizes EVERY inserted CD as an AUDIO CD... I cannot get data CDs to be recognized as data CDs...

Windows File Explorer shows ONE audio track when a data CD is inserted. It shows EVERY audio track when a true audio CD is inserted.My CD-R still ALWAYS shows an AUDIO disc is inserted. even if it's a game, application or daTa.... It does, HOWEVER, recognize and play audio CDs fine...

I can also use the SAF CD-R to copy from another CD using Roxio 5...so both CDs are cabled correctly and talking.

Bottom line: The SAF CD-R will record when controlled by appropriate software, but it will not read data in the Windows environment. Hmmm....

I’ve checked jumping, IDE positions, installing the Microsoft SCSI1HLP fix, etc. Is this a Windows tweak or what? Ideas?

[NooNoo]

Have you installed the correct motherboard drivers?

Have you checked that your aspi layer is functioning correctly?

Even in a clean install of 98 the aspi layer can be corrupted.

[kato]

I see you mentioned that the drive functioned perfectly in a different machine. that's at least one half of the equation. the second part is can you replicate this with another optical drive in the suspicious machine.

if yes, that would point you towards possible software issues like noo noo mentioned above as well as just a plain old bad win98se installation. It could also indicate a bad controller on the mother board.

If you place another optical drive in and it works fine, then either the drive died somewhere along the way or it is incompatible with the specific hardware/software config. Tracking down the source of these type of woes can be very time consuming.

I've seen optical drives exhibit some weird behavior in the past.

[confus-ed]

I think something has set your CD view to just see the tracks, not what's inside them, usually this is caused by writer s/w.

When you copy a CD you create one big track with all the files inside it, CD file systems don't work like HD you need to stop just seeing the track view.

BTW when you open a CD inside your burning s/w does that see what's inside the track...?