A common problem as I've discovered. Win98 refuses to recognise my IDE CD-ROM. I've trawled t'internet and tried every solution I've come across. I've checked the registry, scanned for viruses, changed the cable, switched from slave to secondary master and many more besides. It just stopped recognising it one day. So far I've been using a standard driver in the config.sys whish works, but only uses short filenames which brings about many problems. It works in DOS and is recognised in the BIOS. I'm all out of tricks and it's really bugging me. Help...please.

Have you tried...

1. Go to Device Manager

Click first entry in Hard Disk Controllers, which will be for PCI BUS Master IDE Controller
Click Properties and then Settings

In Dual IDE Channel Settings, choose "BOTH IDE Channels enabled"

then try

2. Run REGEDIT and go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\VXD\IOS

Delete NOIDE from right hand screen

Krystyna

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Hey Krystyna, here we go again!

Tinyrick, go to performance in system in control panel and see if anything is running in msdos compatibility mode.

Run msconfig, click the advanced tab and make sure 'force compatibiltiy mode disk access' is not checked.

Post back contents of config.sys.

Hi DAVEINCAPS

LOL...yep !
Do you think there is a Nobel Prize for CDROMs ??

Krystyna

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Maybe there should be. I think we'd be co-winners.

Just what I was thinking !
I'd be happy to share !

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Thanks for the suggestions, but it does appear that I'm running in MS-DOS mode. I've tried every answer to that and so far no joy. I hope I've not got a virus :(

In Device Manager, on the Performance tab, where it syas you are running in MSDOS Compatibility Mode, click the Details button.
Does it mention a virus ?

It is possible you have a boot-sector virus.
This produces similar symptoms to what you are experiencing.

You could try replacing the boot sector.
Start from a known virus-free and write-protected Win98 boot floppy disk, and at
A:\ prompt, type FDISK /MBR

Krystyna

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I've checked for boot sector viruses and I don't appear to have any. I've also replaced it anyway. Now my floppy's running in MS-DOS compatibility. I checked in system and there are no duplications.
I think I'm just going to get grumpy and reformat the drive.

I guess the 'force compatibility mode disk access' wasn't checked?

You may need to install/reinstall the chipset drivers for your motherboard.

If all else fail then short of reformatting you can run regedit and open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and delete the entire Enum folder. This will remove all the hardware references in the registry. When you reboot the OS will set everything up again.

One problem with doing this is the OS won't have recognized the cdrom but will ask you to insert the 98 cd in order for it to copy the necessary drivers. When you put the cd in it'll come back with a 'file not found' error because it can't access the cdrom.

The way around this is BEFORE removing the Enum key in regedit create a win98 folder on your hard drive and copy the cab files from the win98 folder on the 98 cd to that folder on the hard drive. Then when you get the 'file not found' error it'll ask where else to search for the files. Direct it to search the win98 folder on the hard drive and it will find what it needs.

Since you can access the drive in dos you can copy the files that way. If you're not familiar with the necessary dos commands, post back and we can get you going.

Once the OS has found the necessary drivers from the 98 disk then install the chipset drivers and then video, modem and sound.

But before doing all that first see if installing the chipset drivers by themselves will work.