Dead CD and mouse

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August 16th, 2004, 03:23 PM
whistle

Dead CD and mouse

My 1st post----
I just got a "pre-owned" Toshiba notebook-- Win98 OS-with an InterVideo WinDVD--- CD/ DVD combo drive. The CD icon is in the system tray but does nothing if clicked. When a CD is inserted, it "whirrs" like it is trying to read it, but -nothing else happens. In Windows Explorer-"D:\is not accessible".....It also had an "add-on" mouse with it and it says there is a mouse on the ps/2 port, but it also doesn't work. I tried another "known to be good" mouse and it won't work either. The other symptom is that when booting up-- the win 98 pic comes up for about 2 minutes and then the prompt C:\> stays for another 2 minutes (yes I have timed this). Then it will load Windows quickly from there on. Something tells me that all 3 problems are tied together, but I am lost......Thanks in advance for any help/advice.
August 16th, 2004, 03:43 PM
Archer

Format,reinstall and work from there as you dont know what inbuilt software problems its got at the moment.If the CDRom is broken then you might pick up a replacement on ebay.Do you have USB ports on the laptop?
August 16th, 2004, 03:57 PM
whistle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archer

Format,reinstall and work from there as you dont know what inbuilt software problems its got at the moment.If the CDRom is broken then you might pick up a replacement on ebay.Do you have USB ports on the laptop?

Yes I have USB ports.. I am so green, but how do I go about reinstalling if I have no CD drive to install from??
August 16th, 2004, 03:59 PM
whistle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archer

Format,reinstall and work from there as you dont know what inbuilt software problems its got at the moment.If the CDRom is broken then you might pick up a replacement on ebay.Do you have USB ports on the laptop?

Sorry, what I was meaning is --will formatting it allow the CD to operate if it is a software problem?
August 16th, 2004, 04:01 PM
Archer

If youve got a network card you can perform a network install if not remove the drive and slave it to a desktop with a 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 adaptor [couple of dollars] copy all windows files,drivers bootable system files and slap it back in to install from the drive.
August 16th, 2004, 04:02 PM
Archer

Quote:

Originally Posted by whistle

Sorry, what I was meaning is --will formatting it allow the CD to operate if it is a software problem?

Easiest way of finding out if the system has inbulit floppy and CDRom is to boot up with a windows start up disk and try and access the cdrom from dos.

IF you install windows 98SE or above you will also be able to use a USB mouse.
August 16th, 2004, 04:28 PM
whistle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archer

Easiest way of finding out if the system has inbulit floppy and CDRom is to boot up with a windows start up disk and try and access the cdrom from dos.

IF you install windows 98SE or above you will also be able to use a USB mouse.

Thanks so much-- I will see what I can do with this thing!
August 17th, 2004, 11:31 AM
NooNoo

Was it supplied with any sort of warranty?
August 17th, 2004, 01:29 PM
whistle

Quote:

Originally Posted by NooNoo

Was it supplied with any sort of warranty?

No warranty-- I got it too cheaply to worry about that. I knew it had a problem or 2 but thought I would attack it as a challenge. I have never formatted before, so am doing further research before the "attack" starts. Any suggestions are certainly welcome.
August 18th, 2004, 04:33 PM
whistle

Quote:

Originally Posted by whistle

No warranty-- I got it too cheaply to worry about that. I knew it had a problem or 2 but thought I would attack it as a challenge. I have never formatted before, so am doing further research before the "attack" starts. Any suggestions are certainly welcome.

Well, I did get the formatting done! Thanks! I got Win98 loaded. *At least my CD ROM is OK* It showed that a few of the files were not found on the CD...
One of those files may have been for the screen area settings-- I have it now at 640X480 and it can't be changed ?? Is there a solution to my latest problem?? Thanks
August 19th, 2004, 01:23 AM
Archer

You'll need the Toshiba drivers for that model including the graphics card hence the screen resolution problem as windows has just installed a vanilla driver.
August 19th, 2004, 06:06 AM
NooNoo

toshiba drivers are here
August 19th, 2004, 10:35 AM
whistle

Quote:

Originally Posted by NooNoo

toshiba drivers are here

I think I have most of the screen issues resolved (hope) for now-- Thanks! I am getting the message that I have files missing-- secur32.dll *** ndis.vxd *** ndis2sup.vxd *** ndiswmi.sys ** vnetbios.vxd and it is trying to copy these files from windows\options\cabs
also, I guess this used to have an infrared communications device and is wanting drivers for it which I can't find. Is this a necessary device? I never heard of that one.
Thanks for the patience !
August 20th, 2004, 04:44 AM
NooNoo

Nope, not necessary - you can disable the device in device manager

If you don't have the cab files on the hard drive, then put in your windows cd and browse to the win98 directory on it - the cab files are there. You can copy them to the options\cabs directory using explorer.
August 20th, 2004, 11:24 AM
whistle

Quote:

Originally Posted by NooNoo

Nope, not necessary - you can disable the device in device manager

If you don't have the cab files on the hard drive, then put in your windows cd and browse to the win98 directory on it - the cab files are there. You can copy them to the options\cabs directory using explorer.

Well, I went thru the directory folder by folder and if there are cab files or any file like the ones I listed that I am missing, I can't find them. ???
August 20th, 2004, 11:36 AM
Archer

Is this a Toshiba restore CD and rather than a Microsoft Windows CD as the cab files are relatively easy to find on the later?
August 20th, 2004, 01:06 PM
whistle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archer

Is this a Toshiba restore CD and rather than a Microsoft Windows CD as the cab files are relatively easy to find on the later?

this is a Windows98 SE, for PCs without Windows -- not a restore.
August 20th, 2004, 02:04 PM
Archer

About .Cab Files and .Cab Files Index

Page one contains a list of the cab files.
August 21st, 2004, 10:23 PM
whistle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archer

About .Cab Files and .Cab Files Index

Page one contains a list of the cab files.

Sorry I have been unable to get back to this until now. Thanks your for the cab file info-- simple once you know how. I am getting this error message when I start windows: Cannot find a device file that may be needed to run Windows or a Windows application. The windows registry or SYSTEM.INI file refers to this device file, but the device file no longer exists. If you deleted this file on purpose, try reinstalling the associated application using its uninstall or setup program. If you still want to use the application associated with this device file, try reinstalling that application to replace the missing file. vnetbios.vxd
press any key to continue
When I continue, I get the very same message, with the ndiswan.vxd file named.
I have both of these files now in Windows\options\cabs in a folder named "net9" --I tried to extract them seperately from the Windows98SE CD, and put into the cabs file and was unsuccessful
August 22nd, 2004, 05:12 AM
NooNoo

ok, boot to safe mode

start, settings, control panel, add/remove programs, windows setup
uncheck communications
apply
Now go to network in control panel and remove any and all items in there

Reboot to normal mode

Any network stuff will be redetected and installed - if it asks you to use the current file or the older file, choose the older one because it looks like the current ones have corrupted.

When the network components are back, go back to control panel add/remove progs, windows setup and check the communications box again. Same as before, choose the older file when asked.

Reboot - should be fine now.
August 22nd, 2004, 08:25 AM
whistle

Quote:

Originally Posted by NooNoo

ok, boot to safe mode

start, settings, control panel, add/remove programs, windows setup
uncheck communications
apply
Now go to network in control panel and remove any and all items in there

Reboot to normal mode

Any network stuff will be redetected and installed - if it asks you to use the current file or the older file, choose the older one because it looks like the current ones have corrupted.

When the network components are back, go back to control panel add/remove progs, windows setup and check the communications box again. Same as before, choose the older file when asked.

Reboot - should be fine now.

Got it-- thanks so much for all the help!!

Got it-- thanks for the extreme help !!
August 22nd, 2004, 08:26 AM
whistle

Quote:

Originally Posted by whistle

Got it-- thanks so much for all the help!!

Got it-- thanks for the extreme help !!

I didn't mean to relpy twice-- just am happy!!