BenQ DVD-ROM drive not recognised by WIN98SE

I have replaced my CD-ROM Atapi drive with a BenQ DVD-ROM Atapi drive. I removed the old drive and fitted my new drive using the same slave position on the IDE 2 controller cable.

The new drive is recognised by my BIOS and works properly (plays CD's and DVD's) under WIN98SE. The problem is that under Device Manager in Control Panel, the drive is shown correctly, but under "Other Devices" and not under "CDROM". This makes it impossible to change the settings for the drive as I can't access the settings for it.

Fixes I have tried so far, are:
Changed the position on my IDE controller cables (changing the master/slave as necessary)
Updated my ASPI drivers

Any ideas?

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Originally Posted by Bazdi

I have replaced my CD-ROM Atapi drive with a BenQ DVD-ROM Atapi drive. I removed the old drive and fitted my new drive using the same slave position on the IDE 2 controller cable.

The new drive is recognised by my BIOS and works properly (plays CD's and DVD's) under WIN98SE. The problem is that under Device Manager in Control Panel, the drive is shown correctly, but under "Other Devices" and not under "CDROM". This makes it impossible to change the settings for the drive as I can't access the settings for it.

Fixes I have tried so far, are:
Changed the position on my IDE controller cables (changing the master/slave as necessary)
Updated my ASPI drivers

Any ideas?

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Hey Baz,
Welcome to Windrivers.
First, remove the listing under device mananger for the dvd and then, update the motherboard drivers: either Via 4in1 or Intel Intel Application Accelerator/Intel Inf update, whatever is applicable.
If you give us system specs it would help more.
After installing the drivers, reboot and check again.
Let us know.https://forums.windrivers.com/

Thanks for your welcome!
I have a Gigabyte GA-8IDML series motherboard with the Intel 845 AGPset (Award BIOS). I have a P4 1.6G processor, 256MB Ram, am running WIN98SE.
I tried to download the latest drivers for the motherboard but the latest is what I have already got. The Award BIOS I could not update as I couldn't find any on the net (even using the @BIOS Live Update Driver from Gigabyte). Anyway, I'll keep looking. Thanks for your help.

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Originally Posted by TripleRLtd

Hey Baz,
Welcome to Windrivers.
First, remove the listing under device mananger for the dvd and then, update the motherboard drivers: either Via 4in1 or Intel Intel Application Accelerator/Intel Inf update, whatever is applicable.
If you give us system specs it would help more.
After installing the drivers, reboot and check again.
Let us know.https://forums.windrivers.com/

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Try starting in safe mode, & delete any instances of your new drive (& any 'hanging about' of your old drive)- see if that does it.

I'd also try setting it either as master on a channel on its own or as slave to your hard drive & see if that make any difference, repeating the delete in safe mode business for each .... but this is a new one on me, especially as it appears to work, the only thing being no property pages for it as its mis-classified ... mmm !

Can you try it elsewhere & see if it does the same ? - most weird !!! :D

On top of confus-ed's suggestions I would also check the ide cable by replacing it with a known good one. Doesn't take much to put windows in a flat spin over hardware :D

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Originally Posted by confus-ed

..... but this is a new one on me, especially as it appears to work, the only thing being no property pages for it as its mis-classified ... mmm !

Can you try it elsewhere & see if it does the same ? - most weird !!! :D

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Yes it is "most weird". I have never seen anything like that either.
BTW, unless you meant IDE controller, he would not have to start in safe mode, right?
On a side note, my supplier has begun carrying BenQ and I haven't bought any yet: concerned about quality.
Any of you work with these Benq's?

Benq was formerly Acer.

I have an Acer lappie - so far so good - I know others have had a hell of a time with things like cdrws though.

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Originally Posted by NooNoo

Benq was formerly Acer.

I have an Acer lappie - so far so good - I know others have had a hell of a time with things like cdrws though.

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Thanks for the info.https://forums.windrivers.com/
Looks like I have made the right choice:
Ya_Know would be proud of me.https://forums.windrivers.com/
So:BenQ=Acer=AOpen?

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Originally Posted by TripleRLtd

..BTW, unless you meant IDE controller, he would not have to start in safe mode, right?..

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Err no I meant do it in safe mode (remove the cd entry) ... safe mode properties of my computer is effectively the hardware list that 'proper' windoze uses as a 'base' for itself, quite often stuff gets 'stuck' in here affecting future installs - first point of call of hardware 'weirdness' is safe mode & judicious deletion ;)

Oh my own BTW :D - BenQ = POS - not point of sale, but pile of shi .... :grin:


... none of the Benq units I've seen (all writers), seem to run at their rated speeds & they are very picky with media, so unless you want just straight data disks at less than rated speeds, I'd stay clear ;) .... looks like 'ROMs' are subject to their own 'annomolies' too ...

I haven't worked with many Benq's myself but the ones I have definately fit confus-ed's description of Benq= POS

Thanks to all for replying to my problem wilth this drive.
I tried everything that was suggested but the problem still existed. I even updated my motherboard drivers but still could not fix it.
I eventually returned the new DVD-ROM to the place of purchase and bought a LiteOn DVD-ROM instead. Wouldn't you know it, it also has the same problem.
Anyway, I'll just have to put up with it! Thanks to all once again for your helpful suggestions!

ok, now that just aint right....
You said it was on the secondary ide - as master or slave?

What happens if you change it from one to the other

Also, you could try it as a slave on your primary ide.

It was originally a slave on the secondary IDE.

I've tried it as the master as well as by itself on the secondary IDE.
Have also tried the same on the primary IDE. Still no luck!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NooNoo

ok, now that just aint right....
You said it was on the secondary ide - as master or slave?

What happens if you change it from one to the other

Also, you could try it as a slave on your primary ide.

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What type of ide cable are you using? A 40 or an 80?

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Originally Posted by NooNoo

What type of ide cable are you using? A 40 or an 80?

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If the cable is 'good' for the hard disk, then most likely its good full stop ... however some ATAPI units don't like 80 sense cables, 40 sense is 'most likely' to be fully compatiable.

Since we've tried two units now & got the same symptoms, it would appear to be either windows weirdness (just what I can't think ... as I said earlier this is a 'new one on me') or perhaps the IDE controller is either faulty or the motherboard bios isn't 'doing its stuff' & identifying ATAPI devices ... we said earlier try a motherboard bios flash ... did we ever find one? - If not, that looks the 'best' plan of attack from here.

I don't know what the "40 & 80 type" IDE cables are but I have a grey ribbon cable with black connectors (40 pin).

I plugged the DVD-ROM into the same plug that my old faulty Atapi CD-ROM drive (it was recognised properly) came from, so I don't think its the cable.

The IDE controller correctly identifies the other devices; the hard drive, zip drive and the Samsung CD-RW drive.

I did find the updated motherboard driver and installed it but with the same result. In fact, after I installed the new driver, on boot up, Win98SE found another "unknown device" as well as the unrecognised DVD-ROM drive on my system. What that device is I don't know. Tsk! Tsk!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by confus-ed

If the cable is 'good' for the hard disk, then most likely its good full stop ... however some ATAPI units don't like 80 sense cables, 40 sense is 'most likely' to be fully compatiable.

Since we've tried two units now & got the same symptoms, it would appear to be either windows weirdness (just what I can't think ... as I said earlier this is a 'new one on me') or perhaps the IDE controller is either faulty or the motherboard bios isn't 'doing its stuff' & identifying ATAPI devices ... we said earlier try a motherboard bios flash ... did we ever find one? - If not, that looks the 'best' plan of attack from here.

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I'm still 'shooting in the dark' with this [sigh] :rolleyes: ... nevertheless I shall persist ;)

Firstly can I ask whether this is 'all patched up' so we've been to windows update & this beastie has all the appropriate 98se patches ? If not, do so ;)

Second, I too, can't find your board on the Gigabyte website, I can find a series of motherboards grouped as 'GA-8ID 2003' which I suspect is it ... Lookee here & confirm please ... - IF that's the right one apply the chipset patches (& the IAA as well I suppose - IAA=Intel Accelerator Application = 'Enhanced' IDE drivers).

& again IF its the right board apply the bios update too (Make sure it is 'right' or you may stuff up your motherboard 'most bodaciously', you might gather I'm a fan of Bill & Ted!).

So that's the general advice out of the way, just to make sure you are where we expect you to be 'at' ... saves complications later, since this looks like being a saga !

Now a little missive on IDE cables, they are all 40 pin, but the new ones are 80 sense as opposed to the 'old' ones which are 40 sense, very quickly described newer IDE devices work so fast that signals get garbled just using the 'old' arrangements, by allowing some of the cables to be used as a ground, interferance is dramatically reduced & everything can go full whack, sadly though because of the method used some IDE units don't react well, which is what all the 'stuuuuuuupid' questions are about with the cabling ;) - generally all ATAPI units (so cd rom etc) like 40 sense 'bestest' :) (almost always 'new' cables are labelled as such, & either have a red or blue connectors or some other distinguishing feature, like ata 100 compatible written on them ..)

That's a lot of explanation with no real suggestions ...

So my best 'shot' is that your IDE zip drive is the culprit ! & this is your windows 'weirdness' - I have a particular dislike of internal zip drives, as does windows ! I guess I'm gonna have to say pull that for now (& most especially any associated s/w) & try again ...

BTW your 'unknown device' will be as a result of your chipset patches ... windows will have 'discovered' something which it either thinks it has already or is some 'child device' - one which is 'really' part of another. This wants investigating, most definately ;) - what shows up in device manager ?

Another chance to do a pun ! :D ... windows is just confus-ed on what hardware its supposed to be on & running, & that's your problem ! ... once we sort this out I'm fairly confident all will be well ....

Yes zip drives cause lots of upsets - uninstall your zip drive then shut down and remove it. What happens to the cdwriter now?

I've just gone ahead and reformatted my C: drive partition and re-installed Win98SE.

Guess what; the problem is gone!! The DVD-ROM drive is now correctly recognised under "CDROM Drives". All I can say is that it must have been some weirdness between my Intel 845 chipset motherboard and Win98SE.

Thanks once again for everyone's helpful comments/suggestions. Bye for now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by confus-ed

I'm still 'shooting in the dark' with this [sigh] :rolleyes: ... nevertheless I shall persist ;)

Firstly can I ask whether this is 'all patched up' so we've been to windows update & this beastie has all the appropriate 98se patches ? If not, do so ;)

Second, I too, can't find your board on the Gigabyte website, I can find a series of motherboards grouped as 'GA-8ID 2003' which I suspect is it ... Lookee here & confirm please ... - IF that's the right one apply the chipset patches (& the IAA as well I suppose - IAA=Intel Accelerator Application = 'Enhanced' IDE drivers).

& again IF its the right board apply the bios update too (Make sure it is 'right' or you may stuff up your motherboard 'most bodaciously', you might gather I'm a fan of Bill & Ted!).

So that's the general advice out of the way, just to make sure you are where we expect you to be 'at' ... saves complications later, since this looks like being a saga !

Now a little missive on IDE cables, they are all 40 pin, but the new ones are 80 sense as opposed to the 'old' ones which are 40 sense, very quickly described newer IDE devices work so fast that signals get garbled just using the 'old' arrangements, by allowing some of the cables to be used as a ground, interferance is dramatically reduced & everything can go full whack, sadly though because of the method used some IDE units don't react well, which is what all the 'stuuuuuuupid' questions are about with the cabling ;) - generally all ATAPI units (so cd rom etc) like 40 sense 'bestest' :) (almost always 'new' cables are labelled as such, & either have a red or blue connectors or some other distinguishing feature, like ata 100 compatible written on them ..)

That's a lot of explanation with no real suggestions ...

So my best 'shot' is that your IDE zip drive is the culprit ! & this is your windows 'weirdness' - I have a particular dislike of internal zip drives, as does windows ! I guess I'm gonna have to say pull that for now (& most especially any associated s/w) & try again ...

BTW your 'unknown device' will be as a result of your chipset patches ... windows will have 'discovered' something which it either thinks it has already or is some 'child device' - one which is 'really' part of another. This wants investigating, most definately ;) - what shows up in device manager ?

Another chance to do a pun ! :D ... windows is just confus-ed on what hardware its supposed to be on & running, & that's your problem ! ... once we sort this out I'm fairly confident all will be well ....

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