Windows 95 setup:"Device driver not found"

Hi Silverbrain,

thanks for your response.  Here is what is in my config.sys file:

DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS
BUFFERS=20
FILES=60
LASTDRIVE=Z
DEVICE=D011V110.SYS /D:OEMCDOO1

Now here are the contents of my autoexec.bat file:

MSCDEX.EXE /D:OEMCD001 /L:Z /M:10
@echo off

z:
cd \win95
oemsetup /k "a:drvcopy.inf"

It seems like the driver and reference you mentioned are there.  What do you think?

Doubletap

Doubletap,
In config.sys, change the capital "O"s in the name of the CDROM to "0"s. (zeros)
The name used for the CDROM can be any up-to-eight-character name of your choosing.  However, it MUST be exactly the same in each file.

Otherwise, the files look okay. (if you want the CDROM to be drive Z:)

Let me know if this solves the problem, or if you need more.
(You can reject the present proposed answer if it didn't solve your problem.)

Regards,
Ralph

Ralph,

sorry about that; my typo.  The last line in config.sys does read "OEMCD001".  Let me know what else you guys come up with.  If it's not config.sys or autoexec.bat, what else could it be?

Doubletap

Are you sure that's the correct driver for your CDROM?

If it's not, and it is an IDE drive, you might want to try a universal CDROM driver available for downlod here:

http://www.windrivers.com/tech/tips/feb98/download/uniide.exe

Just substitute it for the D011V110.SYS file.
Be certain the CDROM is jumpered and cabled correctly. (Ask if you need details)

Ralph

Ralph,

the setup boot disk with the driver in question was originally used to to install Win 95 by the retailer when I purchased the system.  This is the second time I am upgrading the HDD, and I am using the original CD ROM that came with the system.  I did however try your suggestion substituting the driver included with the CD ROM ( Cyberdrive 12X ) into config.sys, and adding this driver to the setup boot disk. I got the same results.

Both the HDD and CD ROM are on IDE channel 1, and the HDD is jumpered for Master, the CD ROM is jumpered for Slave.

Additionally, when the BIOS goes through POST, it correctly recognizes and identifies both the HDD and the CD ROM.  I don't think that is a problem.

Doubletap

Wait a minute!  In re-reading your question, I have to ask........

>>  "I then insert the "CD-Rom Setup Boot Disk", and then run autoexec.bat to launch the setup routine off of the CD Rom."

("....and then run autoexec.bat.....")

You ARE booting the computer with that floppy aren't you?
(Not simply "running" the autoexec.bat file)

Please reject the proposed "answer" if it hasn't solved your problem.  (It opens your question back up for more experts to participate.)

Ralph

Ralph,

yes, I am booting off of the floppy.

Doubletap

Try this to test the drive:

Rename autoexec.bat & config.sys to other names.  (For example, just change the extensions so they won't load.)

Edit the files to contain only the following statements:

          AUTOEXEC.BAT:
=====================================
     MSCDEX /D:CDROM


          CONFIG.SYS
=====================================
     DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS
     DEVICE=VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:CDROM

(Note:  VIDE-CDD.SYS is the driver that you downloaded.)

Be sure the following files exist on the startup floppy:

     MSCDEX.EXE
     HIMEM.SYS
     VIDE-CDD.SYS

Boot the computer with that floppy and post the exact errors (if any) if it won't load the CDROM.

Ralph

Ralph,

I did what you suggested and got the following error messages:

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

I copied the manufacturers driver to the startup disk, and it's called out in config.sys.  Also, all the necessary files you specified are on the startup disk ( HIMEM.SYS, MSCDEX.EXE ).

config.sys now reads:

DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=CD1200.SYS /D:CDROM

and autoexec.bat reads:

MSCDEX.EXE /D:CDROM

Question:  How critical is the name of the CD drive I am trying to access? I notice that when the BIOS goes through POST, it says:

CDROM found: CD-ROM TW 120D

Let me know if this is significant.

Doubletap

The BIOS sees the drive, so I'd say the data cable and jumpers are configured correctly.  Test for power by trying the eject button on the front of the drive to see if the tray operates and the LED flashes.

The real mode driver is not loading.

I'm not familiar with CD1200.SYS. (so I can't say whether or not it needs any additional switches or syntax for setting port address, etc.)  But, the reason I suggested using vide-cdd.sys is because it searches ALL ports.

Did you try it?

If so, go into CMOS setup to be sure the IDE ports are enabled.  I would set all parameters to defaults, or even reset the CMOS.

That's about all I can think of to force the driver to recognize that CDROM. (assuming the drive is not defective)

I feel like I'm wasting my time helping you if you're going to award your points to Silverbrain.

Why won't you reject that "answer"?

Ralph

Ralph,

I will go ahead and reject the answer.  I take it there is some significance to the awarding of points and so forth; I am not familiar with how that works.  Thanks for the effort anyways.

Doubletap

I am rejecting the previous answers because the problem wasn't solved.  I would like the opinions of others.

Have you tried my last suggestions?
Please respond and we can solve your problem, or find out what causes it.
Ralph

Ohhhhh!
I just occurred to me that many hard drives require a different jumper setting for "Master" (alone) & "Master w/slave present".

Check the documentation that came with the drive for proper settings, or post the Maxtor model number and we can get it on the web.

Ralph

Ralph,

the Maxtor drive model is "90840D6"  ( 8.4 GB ).

Doubletap

Info on the drive is here:

ftp://ftp.maxtor.com/pub/ide/dm2880.txt

J50 is the only jumper that should be in place.  The "spare" jumper goes across J46 & J48.

Any progress?

Ralph,

I went to Maxtor's site again to doublecheck.  J50 is the only jumper in place.  Also, the BIOS is by AWARD, and the CMOS was set for auto detect for all IDE ports and they are all enabled.  The drive was recognized successfully.

Doubletap

Last shot before suspecting the drive:

Jumper the CDROM as master and connect it to the secondary IDE port.

If the original driver doesn't then work, try the vide-cdd.sys file.

Ralph

Ralph,

I had tried jumpering as Master and running the CDROM on the secondary IDE channel before.  I tried it again just now with no improvement.  Also, the CDROM is fine.   I am in the process of upgrading the HDD in my present system which runs just fine.  The only thing I am changing is swapping in the new 8.4GB HDD for the others.

I also tried using VIDE-CDD.sys as the driver. No change.  I would think that the manufacturer's driver supplied with the CDROM would work the best.

I still think there is a syntax problem with AUTOEXEC.BAT and/or CONFIG.SYS.  However, my experience and knowledge with programming and DOS is limited.  If you are out of ideas, could you get someone else to take a look?

Doubletap

Doubletap,

1)  You're right about the manufacturer's driver being the best one to use.  (I just thought it might have been corrupted somehow.)

2)  If you copied the statements to the files on the startup floppy exactly as I gave them to you, there is nothing wrong with the syntax. (One line in autoexec.bat & two in config.sys)

3)  I haven't run out of ideas.  I meant that based on the facts as I know them to be, the only conlusion is that the drive must be defective.  Perhaps the system is not what I know it to be, from what you have described.

I'm under the impression that we're working with one CDROM, and one new HDD, (blank & formatted) without any other IDE devices connected to the system.  And, that you have been booting the system with a floppy.

What I have suggested up to now is based on those facts.
Please advise me of any changes to that, as it could affect how the troubleshooting is done.

Ralph

Ralph,

let me give you more details on my system:

-You are correct, I am using one partitioned and formatted HDD (Maxtor 8.4) jumpered as Master on the Primary IDE channel.
-The CD ROM is a Cyberdrive 12X jumpered as Slave on the Primary IDE channel.
- There are no other IDE devices connected when I try to load the OS.  I have an LS-120 plugged into my sound card IDE port, and a Phillips CD-RW normally plugged into the Secondary IDE channel, both of which are disconnected when I have been trying to build this new HDD.
-I am booting off of the floppy (drive A).
-The HDD is partitioned as follows:
  C:  600MB
  D:  1000MB
  E:  1000MB
  F:  1000MB
  G:  1000MB
  H:  1000MB
  I:    1000MB
  J:   1000MB
  K:  remainder ( something like 760MB)

-I used the Maxtor Maxblast software to partition and format the HDD.
-System board is a FIC VA503+ w/AWARD BIOS
-64MB EDO RAM
-Processor: CYRIX PR200MX
-Windows 95 OSR/2 OEM

Doubletap

Put the LASTDRIVE=Z statement back in the config.sys file.

No, scratch that.........

Disconnect the data cable from the hard drive and jumper the CDROM as Master.

Reboot with the floppy.

Is the CDROM now recognized as drive C:?


Some questions:

1)  Why use Maxblast?
(Your BIOS is new enough to have LBA mode, therefore making use of the overlay un-necessary.)

2)  Are you aware that you can use OSR2's FAT32 to partition the entire drive as one drive letter?

Ralph

Ralph,

I did what you requested and got the following:

- In the CMOS System Configuration screen, it shows the Pri. Master Disk: CDROM Mode 3
- Message:  "Non-system disk error, Replace & strike key when ready"

It doesn't show the CDROM as drive C anywhere.

Answers to your other questions:

1) I thought I would try something different, it seems alot faster at completing the tasks.
2) Yes, I am aware of FAT32's capabilities.  Is there any advantage to doing it one way or another? ( 1 large partition as opposed to several smaller ones )

Also, don't I need to have the "LASTDRIVE=Z" statement in config.sys, otherwise DOS will think the last drive by default is "E"? Obviously, I have more drives than that.

Doubletap

Doubletap

If you keep all the partitions you will need the lastdrive statement in the config.sys file.

1)  Faster?  No way!
Use of Maxblast is totaly un-necessary on your system and will cause trouble when you try to boot from a floppy without the overlay. (That's because the operating system can't recognize the hard drive properly)

2)  It takes overhead to manage all those drives.  One of the advantages of FAT32 is that it minimizes the "slack space" on your drive, giving you much more free drive capacity to work with.

==============================================================

Now back to the problem.......

We're finally getting somewhere.  The CDROM driver loaded!

It recognized drive C: as "CDROM". (Remember?  That's what we named it.)

The reason for the error, ("Non-system disk error, Replace & strike key when ready") is because the CD is not bootable.

I forgot to tell you that if you had the drive boot order arranged in BIOS as "A:, then C:", you wouldn't have received that error.
(The computer would simply stop at an A:\> prompt after configuring the CDROM.)

As a test, you should be able to insert a disc in the CDROM and read a directory from it using DIR C:/S from a command prompt.

If that's okay, let me know what you want to do with the hard drive:

Re-partition? (Recommended)
FAT32? (Also recommended)
Other?

Ralph

Ralph,

this is the situation.  I have only the CDROM (jumpered as Master) connected to the Primary IDE channel.  No other devices are connected except the floppy drive.

The BIOS boot sequence is A,C,SCSI.  When the system tries to boot off the floppy, it yields the error message "Non-system disk error, Replace & strike key when ready" .  I put a CD into the drive and hit a key.  It gives me the same message, and will not yield a DOS prompt of any kind.  No where does the system identify the CDROM as drive letter C:. Are you sure the system will run without a system drive installed?

Doubletap

Yes!  The system will run if you have a bootable floppy disk and your floppy drive is correctly configured in CMOS.
Double check it's settings.

As a matter of fact, let's get down to basics.  Remove the data cable from the CDROM and the zip or LS-120, or whatever else is installed until you establish that you have a working floppy drive.

Let me know what you find........
Ralph

Ralph,

what do I need to set in the CMOS to ensure that my floppy drive is bootable?

Doubletap

Drive type.
(i.e.  3.5", 1.44Mb or 5.25", 1.2Mb)
Also, do not set "drive swap" option, but do set "floppy seek", if present.
Ralph

Is there a possibility that, since you have many partitions, that you are not trying to access the correct drive letter (which should be L:)?  If you also have a zip drive installed, that cdrom letter will actually be M:  I don't know if the LS-120 takes a drive letter to run, but if it does, then your cdrom could actually be N:

Toni

Toni,
It hasn't run MSCDEX to assign any drive letter yet.........



Any progress with it, Doubletap?

Ralph

When he formatted his C: drive did he SYS C: it and has he formatted the rest of the partitions also?  Something else that I am wondering about is doesn't W95 OSR2 come with its own setup disk that already has ATAPI CDROM drivers on it?

Toni

Guess what Ralph?!

You touched upon it earlier. It was the boot sequence, THAT'S ALL!!!  You see, when I first attempted to load Windows on the new drive, I went through the CMOS settings and noticed that the boot sequence was set at "C,A,SCSI".  I figured that if I had a bare drive in there, it would just ignore the drive and go to the floppy to boot.  I guessed wrong!  That's why I would get a "C" prompt when I booted up.  I would then change to the "A" drive and launch autoexec.bat, not realizing that the system never really booted off the floppy.  Am I right?

So after you told me to check the boot sequence to make sure it is set to "A,C,...", it still didn't work with the modified config.sys and autoexec.bat files ( I guess they may have needed a few additional instructions, right? )

I then tried the ORIGINAL setup boot disk with the boot sequence re-arranged, and sure enough, the system booted to the floppy, recognized the CDROM and launched the installation routine.

I always knew it was something simple and stupid!  It always is.  Anyways, I know how difficult it  is for you to diagnose a problem with SO many variables without actually being present.  You were very patient, and I just want you to know how much I appreciate your assistance!!!  I am going to give you a real good review.

I also want to thank you for providing me with this learning experience; these kind of situations are extremely valuable to someone like me who is still learning about computers.

Thanks again, Ralph!

Doubletap

P.S. How do I get back to the screen where I can accept and grade the solution?

There has to be an "answer" proposed in order to grade the question.  I'll do that when you're satisfied with everything.

Now I'm glad you got it figured out, but I still wonder about a few things.

1)  Please take my advice and re-partition the new drive.  Remove the Maxblast software to eliminate future problems.  As I told you earlier, it isn't needed on your system.

2)  Did you think about using FAT32?  Unless you have a reason for doing so, breaking that drive up into so many partitions is going to cost you a lot of wasted disk space.

Let me know what you want to do and I'll step you through it if you need help.

Ralph