cd-rom

[felix kk]

Please help me solve this problem.My Goldstar CD-ROM drive CRD-8240b plays all my audio cd , but lately is unable to play or read any data from my windows98 full version cd installation disk,this same drive reads data on the upgrade version of windows 98 with no proplem.I am in a process of installing the full version of windows98, and since the cd-rom drive (primary master) for some reasons doesn't work with my windows98 full version,can i use my cd-rewriter drive (primary slave)which has no audio connection on the MB because the cd-rom drive is connected to the only audio connection on the MB to install windows98 full version?The cd re-writer drive reads data from both versions of windows98.Any idea why the cd-rom drive is unable to read my windows98 disk but the cd re-writer is able?I really appreciate your help.Thanks in advance.

[Platypus]

I've done the trick of using a writer to read difficult installation disks several times. It's probably due to either the writer having a more powerful laser, or better error correction.

If you only want one CD on the system to simplify the process, just temporarily disconnect the CD-ROM drive, boot into the installation, then shut down & re-connect the CD-ROM before going on installing drivers & software. The writer being a slave & having no audio connection won't cause any problems. Although depending on the speed, you may find the writer more reliable as master, with the CD-ROM as slave.

If you haven't already tried it, carefully clean the problem CD, a badly placed fingerprint or similar may be the cause.

[felix kk]

Please explain a little more into details regarding booting into the installation,you mean the diskette or the cd-rom?And shut down and reconnect the cd-rom?Install the os in which drive with this process?If the rewriter were the master,would it be okay to install with it ?I'm going to clean the cd-rom right now to see the result.The last time i tried to intall the os before the cd-rom problem,i got stucked at the A:/ prompt when i typed "SETUP",it said: cdr 101:Not ready reading drive h,(I had 4 patitions)Abort,Retry,Fail?What does that mean?Your help is very much appreciate.Thank you very much.

[shamus]

Set the cd-writer as the master and run the install from it. You'll be fine.

[Platypus]

felix, you may have got this all sorted out by now, but just in case not, my idea was that by disconnecting the problem CD-ROM drive, when you boot from the floppy disk & type SETUP, it would be forced to use your writer, as it would be the only CD there. It wouldn't matter whether it is set as master or slave for this purpose.

Since the other drive seems to work OK on other disks, once Windows is installed you might prefer to connect it up again to use for installing software, as it's probably faster than the writer.

The 101: Not Ready error you were getting is the message DOS throws up when it can't get the drive to read the disk.

[freddy]

felix kk , youve had some good replies already but can i add one more

if you are reformating and loading win on your machine then , do as suggested BUT also do the following
boot from the cd-r and in the option menu go for "start machine with cd-rom access"

then go to a C: prompt and type MD XX (or whatever) , then go to d: and type cd\xx (where your widows is ie: win95/win98) and type copy *.* c:\xx ,,,,then c: cd\xx and setup ,

this way it will load win a lot quicker and you will not need your 9x disk again!!!

ps: take the cd out of the drive before u reboot

cheers freddy

[felix kk]

First of all, i really do appreciate all the help you've been giving me.I've already installed windows98 by making the cd-writer the master,however my main problem remains,that is registry checker continue to find error in the system files with this newly installed windows also during my next cold boot,windows restored a recent backup of the file,i Press Enter to restar,restart encountered the same regitry error four times,everyday,am stuck in this registry error loop,i did "scanreg /fix two times,this has been going on since four days ago,in the end, windows cannot find my modem,tho the modem drivers are fond in the "drvers file details" and "device manager".With all these problems,i disconnected the ide cable from this 30gb drive and connected the cable to the backup HD in the same computer(3.2gb having windows98)installed from the same disk nine months ago.For two days with this drive,i have not encountered any registry error except this morning startup.So am waitting to see if the registry errors will continue on this windows98 os also to rule out bad memory,even though,i've used memory test utility to check my memory for more than five hours and pass the test.By the way the same modem which windows had problem detecting earlier on the 30GB HD i discounnected,is working on this small HD with the same drivers .I really would like to know the cause of this registry error loop so i can get help fixing the problem. Thanks again.Felix.

[felix kk]

Hello everybody,update,for three days now windows registry errors have continued during every cold boot,though after a good files restored,windows goes to the desktop okay ,unlike the other drive which kept restoring files over and over.So it seems i have the same problem on both of my disk.Yesterday, i did "HIMEM.SYS" in safe mode to see if a bad memory would be detected, like an error message saying something like"himem.sys has detected unreliable xms memory"or something similar but i did not get any message like that,all i did was went to safe mode and safe mode ran "himem.sys"automatically with no messages and took me to the desktop.I have two spare memory sticks(16&8mb that came with my system),presently in the system (two sticks,64mb each=128mb dimms, limitup).I'll use the 16&8mb sticks for a few days to see if the above symptoms will go away.My system's memory is proprietory memory,or something like that, hence expensive,about $200.00 each 64mb dimm from pc factory outlet.Any help on the memory pricewise?Thanks to all.

[Platypus]

A process of elimination is the only way to track down things like this. If the corruption only happens on a cold boot-up (as in cold temperature) I would try another power supply.

If changing the memory cures it, try cleaning the edge connectors with a soft pencil eraser before condemning the memory.

[felix kk]

Update:Waitting for my system PS to arrive to continue,next week.

[felix kk]

Hello everybody,new ps is installed,system boots first time with no registry error yet,but can't get on the internet,says "could not detect modem.It may be in use ,turned off,or not installed properly".Device Manager shows no problems with modem or any Device.I installed the modem drivers from a floppy.Modem working fine on the backup HD in the same machine but not on this bigger HD,probably am doing some wrong?Please help.Thanks.Felix.

[freddy]

seems like you are "havening" a lot of probs with this machine, firstly cd/h.disk and now modem.

as u seem to have got the data side sorted , now your probs are modem.

what type of modem is it internal/external?

if its internal it,s pointless sayin "rockwell" etc ,,,,they only make the chips.

ASSUMING its an internal,

is it shown twice in control panel,once as a modem , and secondly as a pci controller,?

you have to load the pci controller first , in order to get the modem to appear on port 3-5 etc,

when you go to modem settings , what port is it on?

make sure you have the correct driver.

try going into BIOS and dissable com ports (unless you are using serial mouse), reboot in safe mode and remove modem and try rebooting to find pci serial controller.


this is not an absolute , but a good stab in the dark , without seeing the machine.

freddy

[felix kk]

Thanks for responding,it's 33.6k internal(sound/modem combo),fcc id k4sf1128hvr16 model:sf1133hv/r16 made by GVC.I have the drivers on a floppy,already intalled but windows does not detect it,dial up doesn't detect it after hours of reinstaling.It shows only once in control panel as modem on port(COM2)The drivers were downloaded from driverguide.com and have been working fine on both HHD since last May untill windows98 was reinsalled,the other HDD is doing fine with the same drivers.How do i reboot to find pci serial controller?

[freddy]

quote:,it's 33.6k internal(sound/modem combo),fcc id k4sf1128hvr16 model:sf1133hv/r16 made by GVC


sorry pal i,m not a historian!

why not ditch it and buy a "new" 56k model ,,,,i usually pay about £14.00 so i recon about $18.00 maybe?

within 3 months of using a 56k , u will have recouped your costs ,in phone charges.

sorry mate , but its a fact.

[felix kk]

Do you have any suggestion for an appropriate modem and sound card?Would i still need these when am preparing this machine to networking with another machine?The kids love this machine and already spent enough on it,so a new modem won't hurt.