fedagent
asked on
IBM TP755C wont run CD-ROM under Win95
I have an IBM Thinkpad 755C and also an IBM External PCMCIA CD-ROM Drive Model
#9545-FOE. The problem is that windows 95 will not recognize the CD-rom. The Rom
Drive works on the Notebook in DOS (Real DOS, not WIndows Dos) booted from a floppy.
I have been to IBM website and found that there are no drivers for this Rom. IT is supposed
to work with WIn95 drivers. I have tried re-installing Windows95 with the same result. The Rom
drive is always turned on before booting the notebook.
I have tried re-installing the CD-rom device in win95, but when the program recognizes the
New Hardware, the option to use "windows drivers" is greyed out. When I try to install a CD-rom
driver, there are only three option, Sony, and two others. There is no "default" driver available.
I hope this makes sense, I have been going nuts trying to get this Rom to work under win95.
Any suggestions??
Thanks! Mike
#9545-FOE. The problem is that windows 95 will not recognize the CD-rom. The Rom
Drive works on the Notebook in DOS (Real DOS, not WIndows Dos) booted from a floppy.
I have been to IBM website and found that there are no drivers for this Rom. IT is supposed
to work with WIn95 drivers. I have tried re-installing Windows95 with the same result. The Rom
drive is always turned on before booting the notebook.
I have tried re-installing the CD-rom device in win95, but when the program recognizes the
New Hardware, the option to use "windows drivers" is greyed out. When I try to install a CD-rom
driver, there are only three option, Sony, and two others. There is no "default" driver available.
I hope this makes sense, I have been going nuts trying to get this Rom to work under win95.
Any suggestions??
Thanks! Mike
Though there is no default driver available and it picks the Sony and two other drivers, have you tried to see if it functions with those drivers? If so and the CDROM drive shows up in Explorer, you're okay.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
A CDROM of that nature is quite generic and Win95 should not have any problem choosing a driver that will work. Sorry i keep adding comments, but I think of things a few minutes later : )
If none of the drivers will work after you try them, let know and I'll propose something else to do.
If none of the drivers will work after you try them, let know and I'll propose something else to do.
ASKER
I have now read that this cdrom drive may not work with win95 (per IBM) however, if it works fine in DOS (real dos) how come when I drop to dos in win95 it still will not work.
I have added the device statments as if it were a dos boot, but the message I get is " No PCMCIA card service available" Now if it works in DOS, how come it won't work in Win95 dos?
I realize that may be a little off point of the original question (I'll throw 50 more pts on the pile) :) Btw, when I try to install those other drivers (sony, etc) it aske me for an install disk which I do not have for them.
I have added the device statments as if it were a dos boot, but the message I get is " No PCMCIA card service available" Now if it works in DOS, how come it won't work in Win95 dos?
I realize that may be a little off point of the original question (I'll throw 50 more pts on the pile) :) Btw, when I try to install those other drivers (sony, etc) it aske me for an install disk which I do not have for them.
Ahhhhh. It will work in DOS because you are using a DOS realmode driver loaded when the autoexec and config.sys loads, but you want to avoid using real-mode drivers in win95 to avoid possible MSDOS Compatibility Mode errors in Win95. REM out the CDROM drivers in those files and reboot. Will Win95 pick it up?
Win95 Dos did not load the real mode drivers in your autoexec and config.sys when you hit the dos prompt shortbut, whereas in real DOS, those 2 files are executed allowing the driver to run, and activate the CDROM! You can add the driver commands to DOSSTART.BAT which is run by Win95 when you choose win95 DOS and that will make it work!
make sense?
i think we are getting somewhere now! : )
Win95 Dos did not load the real mode drivers in your autoexec and config.sys when you hit the dos prompt shortbut, whereas in real DOS, those 2 files are executed allowing the driver to run, and activate the CDROM! You can add the driver commands to DOSSTART.BAT which is run by Win95 when you choose win95 DOS and that will make it work!
make sense?
i think we are getting somewhere now! : )
Let me know if you need clarification....
1. CDROM drivers should load during autoexec.bat and config.sys for DOS purposes only.
2. Win95 does not need to run those 2 files and drivers in them can cause problems with win95 picking up devices on it's own and choosing the right drivers for them!
3. To run DOS while in Win95, you might need those CDROM drivers to load, and if so, add them to DOSSTART.BAT.
Now, if that CDROM truly will not work in win95, then you might have a problem. We can look for drivers on the net if you want, but there may not be any. Well, i hoope I'm helping you out.
1. CDROM drivers should load during autoexec.bat and config.sys for DOS purposes only.
2. Win95 does not need to run those 2 files and drivers in them can cause problems with win95 picking up devices on it's own and choosing the right drivers for them!
3. To run DOS while in Win95, you might need those CDROM drivers to load, and if so, add them to DOSSTART.BAT.
Now, if that CDROM truly will not work in win95, then you might have a problem. We can look for drivers on the net if you want, but there may not be any. Well, i hoope I'm helping you out.
Mike,
What is the name of the driver file for the CDROM?
When Dos loads the file at bootup, there is usually some kind of blurb about the manufacturer on the screen. Who?
Regards,
Ralph
What is the name of the driver file for the CDROM?
When Dos loads the file at bootup, there is usually some kind of blurb about the manufacturer on the screen. Who?
Regards,
Ralph
For some reason, this note didn't request earlier, so I'll post it again--
Let me know if you need clarification....
1. CDROM drivers should load during autoexec.bat and config.sys for DOS purposes only.
2. Win95 does not need to run those 2 files and drivers in them can cause problems with win95 picking up
devices on it's own and choosing the right drivers for them!
3. To run DOS while in Win95, you might need those CDROM drivers to load, and if so, add them to
DOSSTART.BAT.
Now, if that CDROM truly will not work in win95, then you might have a problem. We can look for drivers on the
net if you want, but there may not be any. Well, i hoope I'm helping you out.
Let me know if you need clarification....
1. CDROM drivers should load during autoexec.bat and config.sys for DOS purposes only.
2. Win95 does not need to run those 2 files and drivers in them can cause problems with win95 picking up
devices on it's own and choosing the right drivers for them!
3. To run DOS while in Win95, you might need those CDROM drivers to load, and if so, add them to
DOSSTART.BAT.
Now, if that CDROM truly will not work in win95, then you might have a problem. We can look for drivers on the
net if you want, but there may not be any. Well, i hoope I'm helping you out.
ASKER
Yes, Jason, the slots are enabled and I have a 56K modem card that works fine. The problem, I believe, is that he cdrom drive is older and '95 is having a hard time dealing with it.
Stevemiller: I know '95 doesn't like drivers so the config and autoex do not have references to them. '95 still will not recognize the drive. I am beginning the think that this cdrom just cannot work with '95 at all. Now, that being said, if could just get the drive recognized when I drop to dos using the MSDOS icon I will call it even with Bill Gates :)
I tried your suggestion of the dosstart.bat The windows directory did not have that file so I created it. The only problem is I cannot load the .sys device using it. Is there another file or way to get windos to see the drive? I have also tried to configure the COmmand pif by putting all the drivers that are used to boot (and work) in real dos- but I get the message "No PCMCIA Card Service Available" . Now I know darn well that it is there and works under real dos!
I hope I am not confusing you.... another 50 on the fire! :)
Stevemiller: I know '95 doesn't like drivers so the config and autoex do not have references to them. '95 still will not recognize the drive. I am beginning the think that this cdrom just cannot work with '95 at all. Now, that being said, if could just get the drive recognized when I drop to dos using the MSDOS icon I will call it even with Bill Gates :)
I tried your suggestion of the dosstart.bat The windows directory did not have that file so I created it. The only problem is I cannot load the .sys device using it. Is there another file or way to get windos to see the drive? I have also tried to configure the COmmand pif by putting all the drivers that are used to boot (and work) in real dos- but I get the message "No PCMCIA Card Service Available" . Now I know darn well that it is there and works under real dos!
I hope I am not confusing you.... another 50 on the fire! :)
Mike,
Put the real-mode driver in the config.sys file so that windows will see it when it starts. Windows doesn't need or want the MSCDEX.EXE line in the autoexec.bat file though. (Put that in dosstart.bat)
If windows has a protected mode driver for the drive, the real mode driver will be replaced as windows loads up.
If not, windows will switch to dos compatibility mode for the device.
It's not that bad really.... at least it's better than not getting the use of the drive at all!
Regards,
Ralph
Put the real-mode driver in the config.sys file so that windows will see it when it starts. Windows doesn't need or want the MSCDEX.EXE line in the autoexec.bat file though. (Put that in dosstart.bat)
If windows has a protected mode driver for the drive, the real mode driver will be replaced as windows loads up.
If not, windows will switch to dos compatibility mode for the device.
It's not that bad really.... at least it's better than not getting the use of the drive at all!
Regards,
Ralph
Well, I don't think it's going to work, but if Rmotta get's it working-- all the credit should go to him. I did everything i could and really have nothing else to say about it--
ASKER
Thanks to all.. I finally give up. I'll give IBM support a shout, but if not, time to get a new cdrom!
Mike
Mike
Fed,
i wish you luck with it-- sometimes you just get to a point where you can't work it out. At least CDROM's are pretty cheap these days and you should be able to probably find a better one!
Later,
steve
i wish you luck with it-- sometimes you just get to a point where you can't work it out. At least CDROM's are pretty cheap these days and you should be able to probably find a better one!
Later,
steve
Mike,
Let me know if you later decide you want to try again.
I think it will work.
Windows will do ANYTHING that Dos can do!
Ralph
Let me know if you later decide you want to try again.
I think it will work.
Windows will do ANYTHING that Dos can do!
Ralph