Question

How and when to install dos drivers for an external cdrw on a laptop

Asked by: Juno_Hoo

I have an old dell laptop without cdrom drive and want to install windows 98 on it using a parallel external cdrw.

I found the dos drivers for this cdrw but I dont know how and when to install them.

Do I put the dos drivers on the windows startup disk?

What should I do for my pc to recognize this parallel writer and get my laptop up and running windows 98 again?

Please be as specific and detailed as possible, I am not very at ease with using DOS at all.

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Asked On
2002-11-07 at 20:08:19ID20393257
Tags

driver

,

dos

Topic

MS DOS

Participating Experts
3
Points
150
Comments
20

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Answers

 

by: dbruntonPosted on 2002-11-07 at 21:02:33ID: 7423329

Well, yes, the drivers go on the startup disk.

But it's a little more complicated than that.

The drivers have to be loaded so that DOS can use them.  Loading usually involves editing and changing the contents of two files that are on the startup disk using a text editor so that DOS knows these files exist and where to find them.  

The two files to be edited are CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT and may or may not exist on your startup disk.

Now we can't do anything else until you tell us the brand name of the external CDROM drive, it's model number and where we can get the drivers from.

Your drivers may have a documentation file with them.  It'll usually end in DOC or may be called README or some name which indicates how to install the drivers.  Can you see if such a file exists and if the contents are not too large post them here?

 

by: Juno_HooPosted on 2002-11-08 at 10:53:17ID: 7425991

hi dbrunton,

My cdrw is a philips cdd 3615. I found out that it's identical to an HP 7100e. It connects through a parallel cable, and using the HP 7100e and HP 7200e drivers, I could easily get it working on Windows ME.

However, HP doesn't offer any DOS drivers for download. For the XP drivers HP used to forward us to SCM, the manufacturers of the external parallel case. Sadly these XP drivers don't work.

On their following download page I found two DOS drivers under PP ATAPI.

http://www.scmmicro.com/downloads.html?PID[0]=3&PID[1]=4&PID[2]=17&PID[3]=36&PID[4]=35&PID[5]=16&s1=8&s2=13

I hope these drivers will do. Over time I have downloaded a few more DOS drivers which I can no longer find the URLs for. I could always send them by email or ftp. My email address is juno_hoo@hotmail.com

thanks in advance!

 

by: ellesdPosted on 2002-11-08 at 19:26:06ID: 7427505

You are most likely going to have to add these lines to your config.sys file on the startup disk:
DEVICE=EPATCD.SYS /r0 /w0
DEVICE=ASPICD.SYS /d:ASPI_CD

This line will have to go in your autoexec.bat file on the startup disk:
MSCDEX /d:ASPI_CD

I'm not sure if you have a memory manager loading or not, probably so, so you might want to use DEVICEHIGH instead of DEVICE in config.sys and put LOADHIGH in front of MSCDEX in autoexec.bat file.  Obviously you will have to copy these files to the startup disk also, or you can copy them to a folder on the hard drive and supply the path in the config.sys and autoexec.bat files; I prefer to have it all on the startup disk.

 

by: dbruntonPosted on 2002-11-08 at 21:48:17ID: 7427763

Interesting

I own a HP 7200e and I didn't know DOS drivers existed for it.  I've just been to the link you indicated and downloaded.  This should enable me to get it running on an old laptop I own.

Ownly in the last month have I been able to get it running under Windows 98 when I found an updated driver to permit it to do this.

I am not sure which driver you would uncompress, either the ATA or the ATAPI, to get the correct drivers.  I would suspect the ATA one should be the most generic and runnable.

If ellesd has specified the correct drivers to be found in the files then that is the correct syntax to do.

Try it out and report back to us, especially if there are error messages on the screen.

 

by: Juno_HooPosted on 2002-11-09 at 12:48:14ID: 7429119

Hi guys,

The stupid thing is that when I explore the contents of my windows 98 boot disk, I cannot find the files config.sys and autoexec.bat at all, so I cannot even try to edit them.

When I try to put files with the same names (which I found in the driver package from SCM) on the w98 boot disk, however, windows asks me if I want to replace the existing files with the same name that are already on the diskette. So they seem to be there already... but where?

I have my system configured to show hidden files and folders as well, so I dont understand.

Once I find the right autoexec.bat, and the config.sys, does it matter where I add the lines you gave me ellesd? I dont know whether there is a memory manager loading or not. I am sorry for being a beginner in this field ;)

Please be as specific as possible. I truly hope we can solve this problem successfully.

thanks in advance

juno_hoo@hotmail.com

 

by: dbruntonPosted on 2002-11-10 at 01:19:13ID: 7430082

It shouldn't matter where you put them in the files concerned.

Can you create a Windows boot disk and try to find the files again?

 

by: Juno_HooPosted on 2002-11-10 at 13:40:42ID: 7431396


I could find the files now.... apparently XP hides more stuff than I thought.
In both autoexec.bat and config.sys there are already some other references to the same devices. Should I replace them?

My autoexec.bat looks like this now:

@ECHO OFF
set EXPAND=YES
SET DIRCMD=/O:N
set LglDrv=27 * 26 Z 25 Y 24 X 23 W 22 V 21 U 20 T 19 S 18 R 17 Q 16 P 15
set LglDrv=%LglDrv% O 14 N 13 M 12 L 11 K 10 J 9 I 8 H 7 G 6 F 5 E 4 D 3 C
cls
call setramd.bat %LglDrv%
set temp=c:\
set tmp=c:\
path=%RAMD%:\;a:\;%CDROM%:\
copy command.com %RAMD%:\ > NUL
set comspec=%RAMD%:\command.com
copy extract.exe %RAMD%:\ > NUL
copy readme.txt %RAMD%:\ > NUL

:ERROR
IF EXIST ebd.cab GOTO EXT
echo Please insert Windows 98 Startup Disk 2
echo.
pause
GOTO ERROR

:EXT
%RAMD%:\extract /y /e /l %RAMD%: ebd.cab > NUL
echo The diagnostic tools were successfully loaded to drive %RAMD%.
echo.

IF "%config%"=="NOCD" GOTO QUIT
IF "%config%"=="HELP" GOTO HELP
LH %ramd%:\MSCDEX.EXE /D:mscd001 /L:%CDROM%
echo.
GOTO QUIT

:HELP
cls
call help.bat
echo Your computer will now restart and the startup menu will appear.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
restart.com
GOTO QUIT

:QUIT
echo To get help, type HELP and press ENTER.
echo.
rem clean up environment variables
set CDROM=
set LglDrv=




And my config.sys looks like this:

[menu]
menuitem=CD, Start computer with CD-ROM support.
menuitem=NOCD, Start computer without CD-ROM support.
menuitem=HELP, View the Help file.
menudefault=CD,30
menucolor=7,0

[CD]
device=himem.sys /testmem:off
device=oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
device=btdosm.sys
device=flashpt.sys
device=btcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
device=aspi2dos.sys
device=aspi8dos.sys
device=aspi4dos.sys
device=aspi8u2.sys
device=aspicd.sys /D:mscd001

[NOCD]
device=himem.sys /testmem:off

[HELP]
device=himem.sys /testmem:off

[COMMON]
files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
devicehigh=ramdrive.sys /E 2048
lastdrive=z



I already added the drivers to the startup disk, but am still in doubt how best to edit these two files. could you send me the edited files back?


I am sorry for the trouble so far... and I will increase the points :)

 

by: Juno_HooPosted on 2002-11-10 at 19:41:47ID: 7432145

I edited the files to the best of my knowledge...... and it didnt work.

For some reason windows setup keeps looking for the oakcdrom, and the session concludes with the message that the driver can't be found. (ASPI_CD) it ends in a dos a prompt.

After that I ran install.exe under dos (found in the scm atapi dos driver package). This worked... the shuttle drivers were successfully installed to c:\shuttle.

Sadly this doesnt help for the windows setup.

I am afraid my editing of autoexec.bat and config.sys was not very successful.

 

by: ellesdPosted on 2002-11-11 at 06:00:06ID: 7433548

Make sure you have copied the EPATCD.SYS and ASPICD.SYS to your startup disk and then add the two uppercase lines to your config.sys file [CD] section as shown below.  Your autoexec.bat file already has the mscdexe line in it.  Let me know.

[CD]
DEVICE=EPATCD.SYS /r0 /w0
DEVICE=ASPICD.SYS /d:ASPI_CD
device=himem.sys /testmem:off
device=oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
device=btdosm.sys
device=flashpt.sys
device=btcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
device=aspi2dos.sys
device=aspi8dos.sys
device=aspi4dos.sys
device=aspi8u2.sys
device=aspicd.sys /D:mscd001

DEVICE=EPATCD.SYS /r0 /w0
DEVICE=ASPICD.SYS /d:ASPI_CD

 

by: Juno_HooPosted on 2002-11-11 at 07:40:57ID: 7433979

I have copied both files to the boot disk, just like I did yesterday.

Today I tried it again. I replaced the CD section in config.sys with the one you gave me in your previous message.

No luck either. From the rolling text on my screen I could write down the following three lines:

Error initializing adapter
driver not installed

Aspi manager not found

Device driver not found 'MSCSD001'
No valid CDROM device drivers selected


I fear the worst

 

by: dbruntonPosted on 2002-11-11 at 10:29:52ID: 7434822

The file above needs to be changed to as below.  Edit and put rem in front of the lines indicated.

[CD]
            DEVICE=EPATCD.SYS /r0 /w0
            DEVICE=ASPICD.SYS /d:ASPI_CD
            device=himem.sys /testmem:off
rem            device=oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
rem           device=btdosm.sys
rem            device=flashpt.sys
rem            device=btcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
            device=aspi2dos.sys
            device=aspi8dos.sys
            device=aspi4dos.sys
            device=aspi8u2.sys
rem            device=aspicd.sys /D:mscd001

rem            DEVICE=EPATCD.SYS /r0 /w0
rem            DEVICE=ASPICD.SYS /d:ASPI_CD

This cuts out a lot of garbage that is trying to load.

Now report back what is happening.

 

by: Juno_HooPosted on 2002-11-11 at 10:58:27ID: 7434957

exactly the same error

Aspi manager for DOS
Error initializing ada[pter
Driver not installed

and

Aspi manager not found
Device driver not installed

 

by: ellesdPosted on 2002-11-11 at 14:48:00ID: 7435696

What model Dell laptop do you have?

 

by: Juno_HooPosted on 2002-11-11 at 15:25:59ID: 7435790

Dell Latitude XPi P133ST

 

by: dbruntonPosted on 2002-11-12 at 10:55:19ID: 7439478

Try this after the bootdisk has finished with a CDROM disk in the drive.

DIR   D:

DIR E:

and report back.

I'll try and test it on my own home machine within the next two or three days.  Slightly busy at the moment.

Apologies for delay.

 

by: Juno_HooPosted on 2002-11-12 at 17:38:27ID: 7441090

Ok thanks.

I will try that tomorrow, because I am quite busy as well... weekend's over again huh!

I can also borrow an HP 7200e from a friend, so that means we can use the same material from that moment on.

 

by: dbruntonPosted on 2002-11-17 at 00:31:16ID: 7459223

OK

Have tested and got it working properly.  

The file you need is the dosepatc.exe file which you probably downloaded from SMC.

Double click it and it will ask to install in c:\shuttle.  Let it do this.  This needs to be done on a working Windows machine.  Find the file mscdex.exe which is probably in the c:\windows\command folder.  Copy it to the c:\shuttle folder.

You now have all the files required.

You now need to make a Windows startup disk.  Do this on a Windows machine.  The startup disk needs to be bootable.  Don't download any bootdisks from the Internet for this purpose.  They have too many files on them.

Make a folder on the startup disk and call it shuttle.  Copy all the files from c:\shuttle to a:\shuttle.

Now using a text editor like Notepad create a file called config.sys that is in the root folder of the startup disk.  It must have the following lines.

DEVICE=A:\SHUTTLE\EPATCD.SYS
DEVICE=A:\SHUTTLE\ASPICD.SYS

Now using Notepad again create a file called autoexec.bat that is in the root folder of the startup disk.  It must have the following line.

A:\SHUTTLE\MSCDEX.EXE /D:ASPI_CD

Use File Manager to ensure that config.sys and autoexec.bat exist in the root folder of the startup disk.

If they do then that is all that is needed.

Ensure that CD writer is connected to laptop and has power.  Insert floppy disk and boot.  It should give you a few messages and you should be able to see that a CDROM drive has been found.

Go D: and type setup.exe and press Enter.

 

by: pbarrettePosted on 2003-03-01 at 19:06:29ID: 8050244

No comment has been added lately, so it's time to clean up this TA.
I will leave a recommendation in the Cleanup topic area that this question is:
- Points to dbrunton
Please leave any comments here within the
next seven days.

PLEASE DO NOT ACCEPT THIS COMMENT AS AN ANSWER !
pbarrette

 

by: Juno_HooPosted on 2003-03-01 at 19:59:18ID: 8050447

Dear DBrunton,

I am very grateful for the time you put into my question. However, so far I still haven't been able to fix the problem.

Probably I have done something wrong several times. Getting tired of the to and fro writing I gave up for a while. I will try it once more soon, and hopefully with the help of a DOS expert by my side.

He may be able to tell me where I go wrong trying to do as you suggested.

Since I got a message today that your answer would get the advice to be given the pooints, I had better make sure you get them.

Thanks

juno_hoo@hotmail.com

 

by: pbarrettePosted on 2003-03-01 at 20:36:00ID: 8050599

Hi Juno_Hoo,

Perhaps my cleanup message wasn't too clear. You didn't have to accept an answer if it didn't work for you. Since this is an old question, and you hadn't responded in a while, I made a recommendation based on the knowledge contained in the posts.

If you need any more help with this problem, I'm sure that the experts here would be happy to help you in any way we can.

Based on the information in the question so far and the research done by dbrunton, I think I can give you some pointers to help out.

You should have a bootdisk with the following files only:
IO.SYS (All DOS bootdisks have this file)
MSDOS.SYS (All DOS bootdisks have this file)
COMMAND.COM (All DOS bootdisks have this file)
MSCDEX.EXE (From the DOSEPATC.EXE files)
EPATCD.SYS (From the DOSEPATC.EXE files)
ASPICD.SYS (From the DOSEPATC.EXE files)
AUTOEXEC.BAT
CONFIG.SYS

Your CONFIG.SYS file should contain the following lines only:
DEVICE=A:\EPATCD.SYS /R0 /W0
DEVICE=A:\ASPICD.SYS /D:ASPI_CD

Your AUTOEXEC.BAT file should contain the following lines only:
@ECHO OFF
LASTDRIVE=Z
MSCDEX.EXE /D:ASPI_CD

If that configuration works for you, then you can add other files as needed to your bootdisk.

Hope this helps, and sorry for the confusion.
pb

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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