Win98 installation problems

[technossomy]

This is actually a more general question, but the issue arose last when trying to install Win98 on a PI-64MB machine. I have unplugged and replugged the CD-ROM drives and the HDD so often and nothing seems to work. I continue to get ATAPI CD-ROM failure messages when the computer starts up. The BIOS seems to be fine, all devices set to auto detection and have tried all manner of combinations of master/slave/cable-select jumper settings as well as primary/secondary IDE cable. The motherboard is a Diamond Flower P5BTX/L (layout (http://www.resoo.org/docs/_hardware/th99/m/C-D/34646.htm)).

There is probably something else wrong. Where do I start?

Thanks in advance


Tech

[saphalline]

Try a different CD drive. Some drives just aren't any good at modern copy-protection (Win98 qualifies as "modern" for that hardware :p) or the drive could just be failing.

Another thing you could try for testing is to burn another bootable CD like Linux or Ultimate Boot CD or Bart PE or something. See if that works.

[technossomy]

The truth of the matter is that all of Ubuntu 5.10, DamnSmallLinux, FreeBSD 6.0 and Gentoo have been tried. There is certainly merit in trying a different CD-drive as there is in replacing the motherboard and BIOS.

[saphalline]

Yep, sounds like the drive is having issues. For future reference, I almost always replace a CD/DVD drive after 5 years. They really aren't meant to last any longer than that, and they're cheap enough that you should be able to buy one every 5 years. ;)

[technossomy]

I have now placed another a CD-ROM onto secondary master and the HDD onto primary master. I used PuppyLinux to make the machine think it has no more boot load sequence to go through and restarted after that with FreeBSD 6.0.

Seems to work fine for the moment, but I am not sure things will last very long for a machine with these specs. Thanks for the help anyways.

Tech