Window ME not seeing CD-ROM Drive

[kretean 0]

I need some help in getting my old laptop to function properly.

 

I recently purchased a 40gig HD for my Hitachi Visionbook Plus Model #4350 with a P150mhz processer and 80mb RAM. (It originally came with win95 and a 2gig HD). WHen I installed Windows ME (installed from the bootable CD) the CD-ROM would not mount, and does not show in windows. I have searched for drivers on the net and Toshiba's site, but I have been unsuccessful in locating drivers. Toshiba also states that this CD-ROM drive does not require Drivers to run.

 

I have also seached for firmware updates, but that hasnt yielded an positive results either.

 

When I checked the Device Manager under System Properties, I have no CD-ROM Disk Controller. Lastly, under my Hard Disk Controllers, Primary and Secondary IDE Controllers have a "yellow" exclamation points. When I click on properties the message in Device Status says "This device is either not present, not working properly or does not have all the drivers installed. (Code 10) Try upgrading the device drivers for this device.

 

Its a Hitachi 40gig HD.

 

Windows ME seems to work great on this machine, asides from these two issues. Any input/help is greatly appreciated. THanks

 

 

[Sampson 0]

The problem is probably in the BIOS. Go to Hitachi's webpage and see if there is an updated BIOS for your machine. The BIOS is not recognizing your drives probably because those devices did not exist when you bought it. You don't need any software drivers as with sound cards and video for CD's and hard drives if the BIOS recognizes that they are there.

[kretean 0]

Thanks for responding to my help request.

 

I've checked Hitachi's website and didnt find any updates for the BIOS system on this Laptop. The CD-ROM drive came with the Laptop, and works just fine with my 2gig HD installed (running win95). Once I swap the 2gig HD with the 40gig HD (running winME) the CD-ROM drive is not registering. Now the WinME was installed on the 40gig HD with the CD, but from the DOS prompt. The O/S system seems to be working fine, and all I need it for is to run one application, but I cant install it since the CD-ROM is not registering.

 

Any other ideas/suggestions are welcome. Thanks

[Sampson 0]

To have windows recognize the CD there are several files it needs:

The four files needed for Win95/98/Me are the following:

(example: WIN95 is the Windows95 home directory)

WIN95\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\APIX.VXD

WIN95\SYSTEM\WINASPI.DLL

WIN95\SYSTEM\WNASPI32.DLL

and ONE of the following two files

WIN95\SYSTEM\ASPIENUM.VXD (this is the file that comes from Adaptec)

WIN95\ASPI2HLP.SYS (this is the file that comes with Win95)

 

This is like Catch22; these are on the Install CD for WindowsME in the cab files. Since the CD doesn't work, you can download the Adaptec version of these files from: ftp://ftp.adaptec.com/software_pc/aspi/aspi_v472.exe

and install them.

 

[kretean 0]

Sampson

 

Armed with this info, I turned my laptop on and when WinMe finished loading I performed a search and typed in the file names that you gave me:

 

aspi2hlp.sys thats in the c:\windows folder

apix.vxd thats in the c:\windows\iosubsy folder

winaspi.dll thats in the c:\windows\system folder

wnaspi32.dll thats in the c:\windows\system folder

 

All of the files you mentioned are there. What do you propose I should do next? I have already tried "add/remove hardware" and it couldnt find any hardware that wasnt already installed. I have also tried to "update drivers" for the hard disk controllers that have the yellow exclaimation mark, but it couldnt find a better driver than the one that was already installed.

[Sampson 0]

Ok. Have you actually gone into the BIOS and looked to see if the BIOS recognizes that 40 gig hard disk? If it isn't then it is probably bumping the CD off the chain of devices.

[kretean 0]

Sampson,

 

Your probably right. The bios sees at max, an 8gig HD, yet WinME see's the HD at 40gig's. Hitcahi has no updated BIOS to correct this.

 

The CD-ROM drive and the Floppy Diskette Drive are swappable (mounting internally to the Laptop) and can also be connected at the same time with the CD-ROM being mounted internally and the Floppy drive connected externally by a cable.

 

When I installed WinME, i didnt even have the Floppy Drive connected because it wasnt needed. THe strange thing is that windows loaded (mounted) the Floppy drive (A:), but not the CD-ROM Drive (D:).

 

On a side note, since the CD-ROM Drive wasnt mounting in WinME, I decided to format the HD, and install Win98, with all the cab files from 95 & 98 just too see what would happen. Same thing. No CD-ROM. I went to Microsoft's Knowledge Base, and found a "patch" to load the DOS drivers for the CD-ROM drive (oakcdrom.sys). Basically I had to edit the "Config.sys file" with like 15 lines, and then rebooted. Once win98 rebooted, the CD-ROM drive appeared, and temporarily worked. Then it couldnt be accessed. So I reinstalled winME.

 

Do you think that this is something that can be fixed? Can I manually go in and remove the Floppy Disk Drive, and load the CD-ROM Drive??

[Sampson 0]

Until you can get the Bios to see a hard drive greater than 8 meg, don't believe so. Seagate and Maxtor have programs that enable older computers to do this.

 

It is possible (and there is often a lot of luck involved) if you know the parameters of the 40 gig hard drive, to slave it to the 2 gig drive, go into the BIOS and configure it with the magical 46, set your own parameters option for the secondary drive. (It has been so long that I have done this forgive me if this seems foggy.) If the machine sees the drive after it boots, shut it down. Make the 40 gig the Master and see if it recognizes it.

[spyderr911 0]

I am having the exact same problem. Mine doesn't involve a laptop, however, but a desktop. I have built many computers from the ground up before, but lately I have been running into this problem. I haven't been able to figure it out either. Here is the scenerio:

 

The computer is a AMD 1400+ cpu, plenty of RAM, high-end video card, with a Maxtor 40 GB hard drive and a CD-Rom drive. The HD is set to Primary Master, and the CD-Rom is set to Secondary Master; both on completely different IDE cables. When the computer boots up, the BIOS recognizes everything perfectly, and appears to run smoothly with no complications. I then install Windows Me ( and have also tried it with Windows 98, 98SE, 2000) and again it goes smoothly. Once the OS is completely installed, of course by using the CD-Rom drive and everything, Windows no longer recognizes the CD-Rom drive. And like the previous posts there is a 'yellow exclamation mark next to the hard disk controllers', stating there is a problem with the master and slave controllers. I have tried to update these controllers using the Windows CD and the manufacturers website, but neither work.

 

Trouble Shooting Techniques Taken:

 

1. Have switched out the CD rom drives with spare ones that work, but still isn't recognized.

2. Have taken out the hard drive and put into other working computers in the house, but still problem exists.

3. Have tried using different motherboards and hard drive combinations, but still receive the same results.

 

There is, however, something I have noticed that may be insignificant but will post it here anyways: I have always used Maxtor drives when building my systems. Lately Maxtor has been putting there format utilities on CD. Of course since the cd rom drives are noticed in the bios and startup, there is no problem with formating and partitioning the drive. However, if I try to format the drive with the older versions of the Maxtor floppy format disk, all I get is an "up arrow key" icon and the computer basically stops running (no keystrokes seem to respond). I don't know if the old format disks dont recognize the newer drives, or if this has anything to do with the problem or not. Just thought I would post it in case it rings a bell with someone else.

 

I have put many man hours into attempting to solve this problem, but have come up empty-handed. If anyone knows how to solve this problem, please post here or email me: Spyderr911@aol.com Subject line: "Cd Rom not found in Windows solved"

 

Thanks to all that post and try and help.