Problem loading external CDROM device drivers on laptop windows installation

**Loul** · April 2nd, 2004, 06:16 AM

Hi guys

I have a TOSHIBA Portege 3440CT

I have reformatted the HD as it was full of junk but the laptop only has an external CDROM (NO FLOPPY). When I load the recovery CD I get the 'emergency multiboot cd' menu but when I choose the option to install WINME it starts loading files but DOES NOT load the device driver for the CDROM (as its external) I have the driver on disc for the CDROM included on the multiboot recovery disc BUT when I choose to install it, it fails to find CDROM drivers AGAIN! So ultimately there is no E drive, and no windows installation recognition...

I am told that my option will be to copy the driver files from CD to the HDD and install the driver this way. But it wont recognise the drive?? I am not experienced in this area and would appreciate some guidance, ideas, suggestions & solutions!!

Thanks very much

**confus-ed** · April 2nd, 2004, 06:35 AM

So welcome to windrivers Loul

Mmm no internal cd & no floppy drive either ? .. rock & a hard place springs to mind !

But hang on a minute where's it copying from ? It can see something !

So are you 'really' saying you can load windows with this external drive, but once that's 'up' you don't have a cd drive showing up inside that ? - despite the fact it just 'recovered' it for you from a cd, there's no appropriate drive letter for it in windoze ?

How is the CD drive connected ? usb ?

**Loul** · April 2nd, 2004, 06:43 AM

Thanks for the reply and the welcome!!

No, the drive is formatted and ready to have a OS put back on. The problem is (I think!!) that the CDROM drivers wont load as its an external FREECOM cdrom. It connects via PCMCIA. Heres' a thread I was using on syspot that got a little bit long winded and out of hand. But if you have a look at the early posts you will get a better idea because basically we have ruled out everything as it is definately something to do with the external drive.

http://www.sysopt.com/forum/showthre...5&pagenumber=1

Thanks for help!

**corturbra** · April 2nd, 2004, 06:59 AM

Hi Loul

Not got time to read through 4 pages of posts, so can you summarise here exactly what you've tried.

Also whether the CD is actually a recovery CD or an O/S CD. More importantly if a recovery CD, that it is the original one for that laptop.

**confus-ed** · April 2nd, 2004, 07:12 AM

Originally Posted by corturbra

..Not got time to read through 4 pages of posts, so can you summarise here exactly what you've tried...

Oh crikey I just skimmed through all that & I'm none the wiser !

Where the hell are we installing from ? The cd ? or is the hard disk in the laptop partitioned ? so without any cd ! do we have drives C & D ?? (& we are installing from d ? what's on d ?)

Tell me/us EXACTLY what you are doing .. I just can't get this straight at all ..

**Loul** · April 2nd, 2004, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by corturbra

Hi Loul

Not got time to read through 4 pages of posts, so can you summarise here exactly what you've tried.

Also whether the CD is actually a recovery CD or an O/S CD. More importantly if a recovery CD, that it is the original one for that laptop.

Hi

Yes its a recovery CD but no its not an original, it looks as if it was made up by someone.

Basically I have tried everything with the bootdisk but it is not loading the FREECOM CDROM DRIVER because its not reading the disc

**corturbra** · April 2nd, 2004, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by confus-ed

Oh crikey I just skimmed through all that & I'm none the wiser !

Where the hell are we installing from ? The cd ? or is the hard disk in the laptop partitioned ? so without any cd ! do we have drives C & D ?? (& we are installing from d ? what's on d ?)

Tell me/us EXACTLY what you are doing .. I just can't get this straight at all ..

Cool, can I join you in the confused camp today?

**confus-ed** · April 2nd, 2004, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by corturbra

Cool, can I join you in the confused camp today?

This one is doing my head in ! .. I keep asking & I keep getting told the same contradictory answers ...grrrrrrr ! .. yeah sure you can be confus-ed too today, as I sure am

Loul : Just humour me for a bit .. I think nobody on this thread or the one you had over at syopt can figure out just whats happening - once we get that straight, I at least will feel much better ! & we might make some actual progress, its your description of whats happening thats confusing us !

What's on C now ? currently I'm thinking this is blank, just formatted..

What's on D ?

& if you unplug the cd unit what happens when you turn it on ?

**corturbra** · April 2nd, 2004, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by confus-ed

This one is doing my head in ! .. I keep asking & I keep getting told the same contradictory answers ...grrrrrrr ! .. yeah sure you can be confus-ed too today, as I sure am

Loul : Just humour me for a bit .. I think nobody on this thread or the one you had over at syopt can figure out just whats happening - once we get that straight, I at least will feel much better ! & we might make some actual progress, its your description of whats happening thats confusing us !

What's on C now ? currently I'm thinking this is blank, just formatted..

What's on D ?

& if you unplug the cd unit what happens when you turn it on ?

Agreed, more info is needed than 'tried everything', not meaning to be rude but definition of tried everything is wide ranging. My wife's idea of trying everything to get a car with a flat battery started is turning the key in the ignition a couple of times and swearing at it.....

What I'm looking at is the fact that you say the CD is not an original, are you therefore sure that it's designed to work with your laptop and it's hardware setup?

And if it is not an original CD, should we really be helping?