cd-rom headache

[fishboy]

I had to format one of my machines using fdisk as well as format.com and now the system does not recognize the Acer cd rom. I usually boot up with a 98 boot disk and use cd support but this time it tells me there are no cd drives present. I checked the cables and they are solid on the board and the power is on. No bent\broken pins eithier.
Even installed the latest DOS drivers from ACER. I was thinking about taking the HD from this machine and putting it into another machine where I know everything works. Will Windows see the CD Drive even though DOS does not? I figure even if it does not at least I will have a better OS to work with then just DOS. Let me know if anyone has any other ideas.

[Jin Vitas]

I seen this prob before. But to fix it was to clear NVRAM for some odd reason..

[fishboy]

do you mean I should clear the bios?

[MR COMPUTER]

Take a system disk,Add "mscdex.exe"to it. Boot up the dead system to the A: prompt.Format c:/q/s . At the C: prompt - Copy A:mscdex.exe . Reboot.Install your cd driver,If it asks for the location of "mscdex.exe",tell it C: .Reboot. If you now have a "D:" drive,insert the Win cd and type "setup".If this doesn't work,I would consider clearing the bios.. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

[fishboy]

what does the /q parameter really do. I know its for a quick format but what is the difference from doing just format c:?

[Blade Runner]

Why does everyone keep forgeting about My boot disk? http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

http://welcome.to/Blade_Runners_Boot_Disk

Blade Runner :-Þ®

[MR COMPUTER]

I use it because I don't like to wait for a drive to format!!! (Only works on drives that are formatted) http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

[Blade Runner]

What do you mean "works only on drives that are formatted?"

Blade Runner :-Þ®

[MR COMPUTER]

If you fdisk a drive-The "Q" switch will not work,and you have to do a full format.(If you forget-Dos will remind you!) On a drive you want to wipe (Format) and not Fdisk,the "Q" switch will perform a quick format. Hard drive utilities also provide a quick format feature. Who wants to wait all night for a 13.2gig hd to format??? http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

[Blade Runner]

Then again who wants a half assed format on a 13 gig drive? (or any HD) Not me. I also Usually use wddiag(I use nothing but wd drives) to write 0's to my drive before I fdisk and format, so I can be sure the drive is clean. If you are quick formating you just are asking for problems.
My 2¢


Blade Runner :-Þ®

[Jin Vitas]

I am not suggesting you should.. but you could if you run out of ideas...

[Gentle Giant]

Sorry - don't understand the connection between the
original post and the "clearing the bios". http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[Jin Vitas]

You see the BIOS is not recognizing fishboy's cdrom drive.. therefore the posts from MR. Computer and Blade Runner is not gonna work..

[fishboy]

Problem resolved. Im ashamed to admit it but while trying to figure out my HD problem, I disabled the seconary IDE controller and forgot to enable it again. Did this and the cd rom came back like it was never gone. Thanks for all the responses.

[fishboy]

I did not clear anything. Simply re-enabled the 2nd IDE controller and all was fixed. This particular machine does not even reference NVRAM (at least the bios does not show it) Thanks.

[800XL]

Clearing the CMOS would set everything to defaults, which should include enabling the secondary controller.

On the format/fdisk/zerofill thing: The only reasons to do anything other than a quick format is privacy and bad sector verification. Zero fill will kill all the data on the drive, and a full format will check for sectors that are going bad. A quick format just clears the file allocation table. If your drive is in good working order then clearing the FAT is enough for most folks.

[Jin Vitas]

Clearing NVRAM does fix it then.