Out of ideas... Cd-Rom problem, help? =)

[Guest]

Last night my system worked perfectly, my Cd-R and DVD-Rom worked ok.

Today, the CD-R and DVD-ROM are detected in BIOS and in windows. But when I click on the CD-R or the DVD-ROM I get a "device not ready" error. I have given the cd's a whle minute, waited for it to stop blinking before clicking on windows to open it and both cd's have a disc in them.

Checked the cables, they are ok. No new programs installed, virus check (manual and Norton), none found. Removed CD drivers from Device Manager, restarted, no luck. Restored registry, no luck. SAFE MODE Device manager showed like 12 CD-Rom drivers, of which all but the 2 that should be there were garbage (aka #$@#$@#%$%# is the name of the driver). Removed all, nothing else looked fishy, restart. No luck. System File Checker, nothing to repair... DOS Scanreg /fix.. no luck.

Fdisk /MBR, no luck. Reset BIOS, no luck (yeah im trying anythign at this point). Hit the PC.. no luck.

Windows detects the CD, but it wont open it.

Im about to format... and I loathe to reinstall all my stuff and loose most of the neat stuff ive installed. So, if any of you have any idea or fix I could use, itd be most welcome.

System:

P2 300 mhz

Voodoo 3 2000 16 megs ram

Win98

96M ram

2 gigs free HD space

Cable Modem

1 Cd-R burner (Memorex)

1 DVD-ROM (Raite)

(both worked perfectly for the past year).

I fear a virus

[Guest]

Are they on the same IDE, I have noticed that if I am sharing one of my IDE's, usually the secondary with both my CD Roms, my computer will sometimes not see one, I would say share the primary with your main hard drive and your DVD and then your secondary either the CDR by itself or with your secondary Hard drive. If both show up on the BIOS, but not in Windows, you may have a bad IDE controller. Also, switch them around a bit, just make sure you keep your primary hard drive on your primary IDE.The best way to fix a bad IDE, get an IDE daughterboard, or a new motherboard.

If you need a decent Virus scanner, let me know. I would check for virus' thoroughly before buying anything. Also, do you have a firewall? If not, I would get one, especially since your on cable. Let me know, and I'll try and help you out. I have caught 3 hackers so far going for my startup files, go into run in the start menu and run MSCONFIG.exe, look at your startup files and see if there is anything that should not be there, or if there is something turned off that shouldn't be. also, look at your C:/ (and D: if you have a secondary, that's a hacker favorite) and do a search for anything that was added in the last 24 hours, and see if there is anything there that you didn't install, and if so, DELETE it.

I hope that all helps, I would check for the virus' and added files first and then start moving the cables around.

Good Luck.

------------------

CMDR Jaguar

GCV Excelsior

This is not just a game, It's a life unto itself!!

[This message has been edited by Jaguar (edited 02-18-2001).]

[Wold]

I've been running a DVD and CD burner on the same secondary cable and have never had win9x mess up like that.

Make a win 98 boot floppy. Boot off that floppy and enable CD rom support. You may want to F8 and step through the boot process and make sure that the CD rom drivers are loading.

From dos see if you can copy files from Both CD ROMs to your hard drive.

If you can't copy files from either CD rom under dos then your motherboard IDE secondary controller may be bad OR 1 of your CD roms is bad. Discconnect the Slave drive and try the primary... if that doesn't work, make the slave drive the master and make your current master the slave. Reconnect just the master and see if it works.

IF you get a drive to work under dos then reboot to windows and see if it is working. IF windows still wont run the drives correctly there is a step to reload ALL device drivers w/out reloading windows.

It involves the registry so if you, or someone else wants that info say so and I'll post the steps.

------------------

Commodore Wold

ICV-Drakr, Spectre HQ (Antis)

Commanding Officer, Spectre HQ

Spectre Fleet

ICQ 4669033

"You can only love or hate something you truly understand"

[This message has been edited by Wold (edited 02-18-2001).]

[Guest]

I never claim to be an expert, but my P5A and my Nero burner hates it when my CDRoms use the same IDE.

Wold, want to go into business? I am thinking about a new online forum for troubleshooting and your expertise would certainly be helpful, anyway, I hope Tac can get it working, any other ideas out there?

------------------

CMDR Jaguar

GCV Excelsior

This is not just a game, It's a life unto itself!!

ICQ# 24007233

[Gordon]

Tac, did you try uninstalling one of the drives from your system to try to isolate a drive failure ? If not I would try that and see if your system will recognise at least one drive, if it does then uninstall and try it with the other drive. Since it was already working on your system I'm sure you had the cable connected it the proper sequence. Beyond that I would check all pins in the back of the drives a make sure none of them are bent, I don't think you would have this problem unless you have recently worked on your system and removed that cable.

[Guest]

Oh yes, Ive got BLACKICE running on Paranoid mode and I block every bastige that even passes through my system. Antivirus (Norton 2001) always on.

I've even switched the IDE cable (used a new one I keep as a spare), even put both cd's into another computer (they both worked).

Thanks for the advice folks, I think I have an idea.

*lights dynamite stick inside the Win98 box*

muaahaha...

[Wold]

quote:

---

I've even switched the IDE cable (used a new one I keep as a spare), even put both cd's into another computer (they both worked).

---

Uh oh.

What's your other idea? (the one that doesn't involve the KABOOM)

Thankyou for the offer Jaguar, but right now I have my fingers in too many pots and I think my biscuits are begining to burn.

------------------

Commodore Wold

ICV-Drakr, Spectre HQ (Antis)

Commanding Officer, Spectre HQ

Spectre Fleet

ICQ 4669033

"You can only love or hate something you truly understand"

[Steve Schacher]

You said you removed the CD-Rom drivers from device manager. Do you mean that you removed the entire device or just drivers? You should be able to remove the device, then click refresh and let the system find it again. This might cause it to re-install the drivers as well.

Are you running with a config.sys and autoexec.bat? If so, try removing them (renaming them) and let windows run with the defaults.

[Guest]

Aye steve, I removed the drivers, restarted and let windows reinstall them.

Im quite sure its a virus now.

The only thing that comes close to this that ive seen was a registry fek up.. when I was a pc tech support rep on the phone we had a registry edit fix for it... too complicated to remember

[Akira]

Hehe, this is funny (for me, not you I'm sure).

Tac, you need to go into device manager and remove ALL cdroms. Shutdown.

Crack open the case and remove the two drives. Check the jumpers. Make sure you aren't using a "cable select" cable.

Set the DVD as master and the CD as slave. The DVD should be on the inside connector, and the CD on the end connector. This usually means your CD is atop your DVD in your case. Attach the IDE cable to your secondary IDE channel.

Go into your BIOS at bootup and make sure your secondary IDE channel is set to auto-detect. Also, be sure and set your primary boot device to CD-Rom, second boot to Floppy and third to HD (remove the floppy if you only have two options).

Place your win98 cd in the DVD drive (hopefully before your computer chooses the available boot) If your system asks if you want to boot from CD answer YES. Choose the option to boot to DOS with CD support. Place ANY cd in your cd-rom. You should see the both devices and be able to "dir" bot cd's.

If this works, then the problem is with Win98 alone.

If it doesn't then you have a hardware problem, either with one or both the drives; the secondary IDE channel; or a BIOS virus (highly unlikely... but you never know).

If it's hardware, then you need to remove one device at a time starting with the CD. Try each device alone. Swap cables if necessary, also try setting up one as slave to the HD, BUT NEVER hook up more than ONE at a time. Once you've ruled out the drives and the cables then the problem lies squarely on the MOBO and you're basically hosed

You can try ordering a new bios from the manufacturer; try flashing the bios with the same version or the next version (backup the current bios just in case); or buy a new MOBO.

Hopefully you won't get to this point or it will be something as simple as a bad cable (the smallest of scratches exposing copper can cause so many odd things as can a failing power supply... hint, hint..)

If you were able to stop at the win98 as the culprit WOOHOO... your job is easy. Backup up your important data (documents, favorites lists, email, address books, etc.) on a sepperate drive or partition or to cd or other suitable device.

Once you've backed up everything (ICQ Db as well) put the Win98 cd back in the DVD drive boot to dos with cd support, navigate to your cd's win98 dir (usually d:win98) and type the following: format c: ONLY DO THIS IF YOU"VE BACKED UP... it's your fault if you lose ANYTHING.

Continue to reinstall OS and software as necessary.

Now, there is an easier way, if you're sure there is no virues, etc. I seem to remember that you can simply edit your registry by deleting the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEEnum branch and rebooting. Win98 should take you through the process of reinstalling all your systems devices... be sure to backup your registry before trying this (user.dat & system.dat)

Anyway, this is just the begining of the fun You and you alone are responsible for following these or any directions so swim at your own risk, there is NO lifegaurd on duty.

Good luck

P.S., should anyone wish to comment or suggest changes to this plan, feel free. It's late and I'm sure I forgot something

------------------

Insurgent Two, Akira

ICV Nevermore, Spectre HQ (Antis)

Minister of War,

Insurgency

Official Tester, Battlecruiser Series

ICQ 13379858

[This message has been edited by Akira (edited 02-19-2001).]

[Guest]

Hehe thanks Akira, ive done all that except the format and the registry (which is what I was hoping someone here knew heehee).

Ill try that. Thanks.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, down the format lane we go.. lalallaalaa

[Wold]

quote:

---

Now, there is an easier way, if you're sure there is no virues, etc. I seem to remember that you can simply edit your registry by deleting the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEEnum branch and rebooting. Win98 should take you through the process of reinstalling all your systems devices... be sure to backup your registry before trying this (user.dat & system.dat

---

Thy memory is correct Akira!

BTW, IF you can, copy the whole win98 cd to the hard drive, as well as any other drivers, 'cause you won't have access to the cdrom when windows goes to reload the drivers. First thing you'll see is windows trying to find your video card... Hit Next/OK and hang on!

------------------

Commodore Wold

ICV-Drakr, Spectre HQ (Antis)

Commanding Officer, Spectre HQ

Spectre Fleet

ICQ 4669033

"You can only love or hate something you truly understand"