[Chandran]

I am unable to access the CD-R drive and install Win98 after reformatting the HDD!
“Device Driver, not found: ‘MSCD001’. No valid CD-ROM device driver selected”.


Computer specifications:
Compaq Presario4840 Pentium II 266 MHz. OS upgraded from Win 95>Win98> Win 98SE. HD 8GB FATS done after Win98. Smart and Friendly CD-R 2006plus. 3.5 floppy drive A and Imation Superdisk Floppy B. RAM upgraded to 128MB. Main programs IE5. 5 /Netscape4.77 InoculateItPE , Office 2000. Antivirus software updated weekly. No virus. Disk Cleanup Scan Disk, Disk Defragmenter done regularly without any problems. No idea about the type of Mother Board. BIOS has no advanced setting capability to change the drive sequence.


Because of repeated error messages while using Office 2000 software, decided to reinstall Win 98SE over itself since SFC did not identify any obvious corrupt files to replace. During install, Win 98 Installation CD, stopped many times and with repeated cleaning of the disk and the drive, managed to complete install with prompt to Restart. During hardware driver installation error messages started to appear and could not install any devices. So decided to reformat using Win 98 BootDisk previously made. Started with the BootDisk in floppy A: drive and did the Format C: command without /S!

On reboot got the 3 options and selected #1. “Start Compute with CD-ROM support.”
The long descriptive paragraph “Driver is provided by Oak Technologies OTI-91X ATAPI-CD-ROM Device Driver……..
Device Name: ‘MSCD001’..
No drives found, Aborting installation.

AIC 6260/6360/6370 ASPI Manager for DOS version 3.68S

ASPI2 DOS .sys installation failure.
AIC-78xx/AIC-75xxAPI manager for DOS version 1.32S
PCI Bus Scan complete
AHA-1540/1542/1640 ASPI Manager for DOS version 3,36S
AIC-7890/91 ASPI Manager for DOS version 1.005
PCI Bus scan complete
ASPI CD-ROM driver for DOS version 4.01S
MS RAMDRive version 3.06 Virtual Disk D;
Disk size, 2,048K
Sector size: 512 Bytes
Allocation Unit: 2 sectors
Directory entries: 64
Preparing to start the Computer. Takes a few loaded to Drive D.
Device Driver, not found: ‘MSCD001’
No valid CD-ROM device driver selected.
To get help, type HELP and Press Enter.
I get a blue screen with a lot of things. No specific steps.
Can anyone give me a stepwise troubleshoot

[brianF]

I think I would try another bootdisk, either make a new one or download one from here
http://www.bootdisk.com

If you make one make sure to use the utility in add remove section of control panel.

[Chandran]

Brian,
Thank you for your prompt reply. I tried a boot disk downloaded from the site given, but no joy.
1. I downloaded the Boot Disk for Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition [For Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition. With generic CDROM drivers ]

and also

2. Boot Disk Essentials
This is a standard DOS boot floppy based on a Windows98 SE disk. It has a generic IDE cdrom driver and a variety of DOS utilities which aren't found on the standard boot disk - making this a great supplementary diskette to have around. It does not have support for scsi boot devices. If you need that, use this diskette in conjunction with the appropriate bootdisk for your OS from the list above.
Contents: attrib.exe, deltree.exe, doskey.exe, edit.com, emm386.exe, extract.exe, fdisk.exe, format.com, himem.sys, mem.exe, more.com, mouse.com, move.exe, mscdex.exe, reboot.com, scandisk.exe, scanreg.exe, smartdrv.exe, sys.com and xcopy.exe

Tried both with no luck.
In the first one I got the following:
Starting Windows 98.
CD-ROM Device Driver for IDE (4 channel supported) (C) Oak Technology ...
Driver Version v340
Device Name 'Banana'
No drives found.
Aborting installation.

In the second it was the same except Device name 'MSCD 001'

Is it because my CD-ROM drive itself is gone south?
If so, with no Operating system and a formatted HDD , No floppies with Win98 OS, how can I reinstall the Win 98SE? Is it possible to install a new CD-ROM without OS? Are there DOS drivers that can install the new CD from a floppy drive? I have never built a new PC from scratch. How is CD installed in a new PC without an OS installed?
Please give me some ideas.
Thanks.



and

[brianF]

Help me out here, do you have a cdrom or cd-r(cd writer) or both.
Do you see the drive recognized when you boot the machine.

[Chandran]

Brian,
I have a CD-R ie writable CD-drive not Re-writable CD drive
Smart and Friendly 2006plus. I don't know if this company exists any more. My call to their 1-800 number was getting disconnected after 3 rings. My attempts to send an email support will not go to the website when I click the completed form .

My PC came with a CD-ROM and DVD. when writable CDs came out I paied a bunch and got this one. It never really woked as a writable CD to backup the Documents! Due to software glitches, I guess. I was using it essentially as a CD-ROM drive until it failed me during the Win 98 SE reinstallation with repeated error message asking to "clean the disk". (see Original post)In retrospect I guess that was its last gasps before it gave out!
At no time during the bootup after reformatting the HDD, did the CD-R dive ever recognized by the machine. The boot floppy gave me the option to Start the computer with CD-ROM support but on selecting it , it says driver not installed as device not seen (paraphrasing the error message previously quoted)
I hope I have given enough information.
Is there anything I can do besides cannibalizing the machine!!
Thanks

[Edited by Chandran on 07-17-2001 at 10:11 PM]

[brianF]

Maybe some else has an idea but I think I would try another cd drive first, all you need to do is plug it in, no software install needed. If it works you know the answer.

I do believe that smart and friendly went out of business about 6 months ago along with many others.

[Chandran]

Brain,

Thanks again for your thoughts.
I had bought a backpack Cd-reWriter 4Xcd-writer,4Xcd-rewriter,24X cd-reader (Microsolutions). It is connected via Printer port. But on bootup using the 98 Bootdisk that was not recognized! It has both a floppy and CD installlation disk for Windows!! It is like a hungry woulf finding a giant tortoise lying on its belly!
I was wondering whether a new CD connected to the mother board through the IDE connecter would be recognized? I can remove and install one for $50, if it will work and bootup.
By the way the original DVD was removed and I went for a Imation Super disk. ( so the OEM placed CD-ROM and DVD-ROM were replaced about 18 months of original purchase with these two storage devices)
Thanks for a direction to my next step.

[Bryan]

You're not getting support from the generic CDRom drivers on the W98 CD. That happens every so often. I'd try downloading <a href=http://www.tweakfiles.com/misc/cdromgod.html> CDGod</a>.

Once it's downloaded, insert a formatted floppy disk in the drive and key in this command at a DOS prompt

cdgod55.exe a:

It will create a bootable floppy. Insert it in the bad PC and boot to it. Then keep trying the different drivers til you get support. Once you do, run setup to install Windows from your CD. That's assuming you already fdisked and formatted the drive.

[Edited by Bryan on 07-17-2001 at 10:37 PM]

[brianF]

If Bryans post doesn't work there's no reason and ide drive connected to the motherboard won't. I have no experience with external drives so I am not sure if they work or not, apparently Bryan thinks it will so give it a try.

[Bryan]

Not really since I didn't see that post. You've got a real mess. Do you have any CDRom installed Inside the PC that works? You need to get to the point where you see at least one CDRom drive listed on the screen at bootup or your not going to be able to install from the CD. Actually, let me rephrase that, I don't have any experience installing from an external CDRom drive but I assume it's possible. Maybe someone else will come along that does.

[Edited by Bryan on 07-17-2001 at 10:57 PM]

[Chandran]

Brian and Bryan,

I am sorry for the delay in posting back. I am still in square one!
To summarize in staccato style: Old compaq Presario 4840 (1998)original CD-ROM and DVD drives replaced with Smart & Friendly CD-R 2006plus and Imation Superdisk L 120 MB( Internal) as Floppy B: (1999),Original 3½ Floppy A:,8GB HDD, RAM increased from 32>128 MB (2000) OS Win 95>98>98SE (1998>1999. Recently developed error messages in Word 2000 (of office 2000)and Windows Media player. Office 2000 repair did not work. Uninstalled Office 2000. Attempted Reinstall using Office 2000 CD in CD-R marred by CD error message> "clean the disk and re-insert". SFC did not help. Reinstallation of Win 98SE over itself complicated by error message in CD-R "clean Disk and reinsert" several times multiple Disk cleaning (super wipes) and Disk drive cleaning (Endust CD Lens cleaner Disk)eventually instaled . But during reboot device detected but drivers would not be installed... error message "clean the CD and reinsert".
'Ignoring' the possibility of a problem with the CD-R itself,went along the spiralling down disasterous path of software solution ... Fatigue and frustration clouded the judgement. Reformat C: dive was the next choice made at the fork on the perilous road already on! Decided to use a previously made win98 Bootdisk in the same machine (via Start>settings> CPL>Add/Remove Programs >Startup Disk>Create Disk) a few months ago . Restarted in Command prompt only option "Format C:" done!! Used the 'untested' Win98 BootDisk> On choosing Start Computer with CD -ROM support,,,, No Device. !!!
Tried BootDisk from Boot Disk .com. tried Universal Boot Disk. No luck. Can't make CDGod disk using the only PC I have with WinME! Bill Gates' curse. No DOS to create the Boot disk from a command prompt!! Downloaded it to a folder in my working PC. Will create a disk from friend's PC . That will be the last Software troubleshoot before removing the case and swapping a new CD-ROM drive for the ailing or dead CD-R! I will post back the result for your data base on the cause of the error: "No drives found" after reformat.

Thank you both for sharing your experience and expertise with me.Requesting readers to forgive me for typos.

[Chandran]

Hi Brian and Bryan,

I fixed the problem by replacing the CD-R with a new CD-ROM drive ( Hi-VAL CD-ROM 52X)connected to the Secondary IDE controller as Master.

I tried to use the CD-GOD555.exe. It could not load the device driver..Error: "Device not found! I tried the External CD-ROM drive attached to a Parallel port to run the Windows98SE installation CD, but that drive was not detected. I bought a new Internal CD-ROM and connected. On reboot, it was detected as a generic CD-ROM driv and I could insatall Windows.
Now I have to reinstall other devices and programs. But I managed to escape from the slippery slope I was on with that strange error message, all due to a failed SCSI CD-R by Smart and friendly. I have not determined whether it is the drive, the cable, the connector or the SCSI board which failed.

Thank you Brian and Bryan for for your helpful suggestions in the troubleshoot. I have not found a failed CD-ROM or CD-R causing the error message "Device Driver, not found: ‘MSCD001’" until this one in any of my search using Google.com