Multiple OS, CD-ROM problem

[ferris0804]

I currently run windows 98SE on my computer. I wanted to run mutiple operating systems by putting DOS and windows 3.1 on my computer. I have a dvd drive, and a cd-rw drive. I had windows and dos both on the computer but I cannot get dos or windows 3.1 to detect either cd-drive I would like to be able to use either cd-drive in dos or windows 3.1 because many of my older programs are on CD. How can I get them to detect my cd-drives???????
I tried going to the HP website to find "dos" drivers but can't find one. I don't know If I am not doing something right or what. any suggestions??????? PLEASE

[Reid]

Here is a link to Windows Q135174 (http://2fix.bvu.edu/help/apps/win95/faq/74.asp) which addresses your problem. It is not overly technical and should get you started on resolving the CD access problem. Let us know how it goes.

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reido@my-deja.com

Friends don't let friends install Windows ME

[This message has been edited by Reid (edited 02-17-2001).]

[Paleo Pete]

DOS or real mode drivers are not available for many newer CD ROM drives, but if youhaven't tried Windrivers (http://www.windrivers.com) or WinFiles (http://www.winfiles.com) you might find them. SimTel (http://www.simtel.net/simtel.net/) might also have something in the DOS/Win3.11 sections.

Another thing you might want to do is Search (http://search.microsoft.com/us/SearchMS25.asp) the MS Knowledge Database for information on Multiple boot machines. You'll have to set up a boot menu that allows you to choose which OS to use at start up, and avoid putting real mode drivers into win98 which can cause 98 to run in MS DOS Compatibility Mode. Translate: slooooww...

Take a look at my site posted below, you'll find a link there to MSKD articles near the bottom, one concerns multiple boot situations. That may save you from having to spend an hour searching the MS site for it...


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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines!
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Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

[ferris0804]

I have a HP cd writer plus. The link you gave me was for restarting the computer in MS-DOS mode. I have a boot manager so I can directly boot to windows 3.1 but when I do I can not use my cd-drive. I went to the HP website and could not find any drivers for dos or windows 3.1 When I boot to windows 98 and restart in MS-DOS mode I can use the cd-drive fine but then I can not run windows 3.1 from there. Any more ideas?? I hope so
thanks

[Reid]

I must have forgotten some things because I thought I always had to boot into DOS and then run Win 3.1, so autoexec.bat and config.sys loaded the files I needed. Maybe CTLoad (http://www.creativehelp.com/faqs/opsys/95-ctload.html) will help. I did have to use it to get CD drivers to run properly under 3.1.

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reido@my-deja.com

Friends don't let friends install Windows ME

[Paleo Pete]

Restart in DOS mode won't work, because you're still actually in Windows, but at a DOS prompt. Type ver at the command propmt, and it will say Windows 98. (That's the version command, tells you which version of DOS you're running.)

To use win3.x you have to have the true 16 bit version of DOS running, 3.3 or higher, up to 6.22. I prefer 6.22. The DOS7 version included with win98 runs on a 32 bit system, while any earlier version will not.

To run in true DOS mode you have to cold boot into DOS to start with, and to run win3.x you have to have a 16 bit version of DOS installed and already running before win3.x will run. Once you have that, the CD ROM drivers are loaded from autoexec.bat and config.sys, and usually have to be installed from DOS to work at all, true DOS and not the Windows version.

If you can't find DOS drivers that will work, about the only workaround I know of is a CD ROM that you can find DOS drivers for. From what I've heard, Mitsumi's drivers are supposed to work with most CD ROM's, you might try finding their generic DOS driver and see if it will work. Both the driver sites I posted above should have them.

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines!
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

[ferris0804]

I finally got this problem figured out. When I cold boot to dos 16 bit version 6.22 I now have full access to both cd drives. But, now for some reason, sometimes when I boot to the 32 bit windows98 partition, windows 98 will not detect them. Most of the time it does detect them, but sometimes it does not. I really appreciate your help so far and I hope you can help me again. Im fairly new to this stuff, so I don't know that much about it. Again, thanks