[SOLVED] CD-ROM is not accessible

I cannot install any programs using my CD-ROM. It will not even play music...the message is..."no data or disc loaded".
I have tried to install a program by selecting Run...etc..the message is ..."D:\is not accessible..etc.." The auto insert function is checked. There are no yellow exclamation marks in front of the CD drive in the device manager. The green light goes on then stops. The disc appears to be moving from the sound I hear and the disc is in a different position when I check it after.
This is the first time that I have used the CD-ROM since I tried to 'clean my computer' by deleting some files as suggested by the program I downloaded. ( I think that was a big mistake in retrospect!!!!!!)
My computer is about a little over 2 years old.
I have a gut feeling that maybe I unknowingly deleted some files that have created this problem.
Please advise!!!

 

Try the easiest first, go to start/settings/control panel/system/device manager/ cdrom tab, expand it, select your cdrom, hit the remove button. Reboot, let windows reinstall the cdrom and see if that clears if up.

If not boot up with a win98 start up disk, choose with cdrom support from the menu. Once at the a prompt go to the drive letter of your cdrom which will now be E do to the startup disk loading a ram disk and moving the cdrom one drive letter back. With a disc in the drive type dir. Do you see the directory list of the cd??

 

Brian, unfortunately Plan A didn't work...the cdrom makes the same sound, the disc moves but doesn't get into high gear.
I'm not too sure what you mean for me to do for Plan B. I have a floppy .."Emergency startup disk". Is this the one I use? What is the ' loading the ram disk' part that you mentioned? It appears to me that you have more to tell me and were cut off??? Sorry to be a nuisance.

 

BA, Brian's advice was correct except that you have to do that removal in SafeMode. As it is you didn't force Windows to redetect the CDROM. This will determine if your CDROM is good or bad. First you have to make sure AutoPlay is enabled

To make CDs play automatically when inserted in the CD-ROM drive

Open System properties in Control Panel.
Click the Device Manager tab.
Click the plus sign next to CDROM, click the device you want to use, and then click Properties.
Click the Settings tab, and then select the Auto insert notification check box.
Notes

Another way to open Control Panel is to click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. If you don't see the item you want, click view all Control Panel options.
This setting applies to all CDs, including games, multimedia, and audio CDs.
To prevent CDs from playing automatically, clear the Auto insert notification check box, or press and hold down the SHIFT key while inserting a CD.


Now here's how to further troubleshoot your CDROM malfunction:

Put your computer into SafeMode (tap F8 twice per second during a restart; Choose option number three (3) in the Windows Startup dialog box using the arrow keys below the Delete key, and strike the Enter key; Click Ok when prompted). In SafeMode right-click My Computer; Point to Properties; Click the Device Manager tab; Click the plus sign beside the CDROM entry; Highlight each entry inside CDROM and click the Remove button, each in turn until there is no CDROM entry there. Click Ok to exit Device Manager then restart using the Start button method - Start;Shutdown; Restart.

Upon restart, Windows will re-detect the CDROM on your system working or not it, will usually be re-detected. However, since we've used SafeMode to eliminate all CDROM entries and, we've ensured Autoplay is enabled before beginning it's fairly well assured if your CDROM does now Not play a music CD (commercial, not home generated with a CD Burner) that your CDROM is bad and needs replaced. All duplicate entries will not be eliminated if you're not in SafeMode rendering the process done in Noirmal Mode ineffective at troubleshooting this siruation.

For further questions or concerns feel free to contact me at [email protected]

I hope your CDROM works.

 

Hi Styxx, I'm afraid I'm getting nowhere...I tried your suggestion and got the same results as before. Shall I continue with Brian's Plan B after I get some further clarification or am I putting off the inevitable... buy a new cdrom???

 

Plan B will tell you whether the CD-ROM drive itself is working independent of Windows. Definitely worth knowing.

Make sure you have a boot disc. Insert a fresh formatted floppy into the drive. Start>Settings>Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs. The Startup disc tab will make a startup disc for you.

With the disc in the drive reboot. Type a:\ (enter) to get to an A prompt. Follow BrianF’s instructions.

 

Hi Slipe, tried to make a start up disc and got a message to insert win98 cd...which I did.. the cdrom kicked into high gear(yippee!!!) and after a short time things stopped and I got an error message saying that if the CD was still in the drive ( which it was) it may need cleaning. I pressed enter and the startup disc (in A) was apparently made( I could see its progress).
With the win98 cd still in the drive and the startup disc still inserted in A, I got the win 98 content page and I clicked on the Interactive sampler topic just for 'fun' and the cdrom light began flashing rapidly but I didn't get anywhere...then the same error message came up as before, with regards to cleaning the cdrom. I removed the win98 cd.
I proceeded to reboot with the startup disc in A drive, as you suggested, and I got my usual homepage with the Internet connnections etc. This time, I got more action from the cdrom, but it stopped. I still need help!!!! Thanks.

 

Go here and download a bootdisc for your OS. Copy it to a floppy and boot with it. The disc you made is NFG.

http://www.user-friendly.net/download/download.htm

 

I downloaded a new startup disc as suggested and rebooted as suggested...(I left startup disc in A but I got my normal homepage again etc.
Where am I supposed to type in A:\ (enter) to get an A prompt ???

 

First confirm you downloaded the file to your hard drive. You put a blank formatted floppy in the drive and clicked on the .EXE file you downloaded and it wrote the boot disc to the floppy. If so you have to set your BIOS to look for the A drive first – it should normally be set that way.

When the computer first starts to boots there is a message of what key to select to enter setup. It is often the Delete key but varies. Start hitting this key until you get to BIOS. Every BIOS is different. Look around for a boot sequence. Set it to A, C, CD-ROM. Now when you boot with the floppy you will get the A:\> prompt when you select the option to start with CD-ROM support. At this prompt type E:\ (enter) You will now see E:\> At this prompt type dir (enter). You should see the directory for what is on the CD loaded in your CD-ROM drive. If you do the drive is working.

I’m not a DOS whiz and too lazy to boot with a boot disc to check. If you happen to start out with C:\> you have probably figured out by now you would type A:\ to get to the A:\> prompt

 

Hi, you must think that I'm really dense, but I cannot get the computer to get to setting the BIOS.
I've downloaded boot98se.exe (the icon is on my desktop)
I clicked it and wrote the boot disc in A:
When I reboot my computer, it says that the DEL key is to be used for setup....the boot disc is still in the A: drive.
I start hitting the DEL key and the computer loads itself in the normal fashion...
I'm very frustrated at myself and no doubt you must be the same with me...I'm really lost with this...and it's not your fault.. Can we still keep trying, please???

 

For what it's worth...I put a musical CD in this morning and I got the normal response from the player...I was able to choose a track!!! and when I pressed play, it started and music filled my room!!!! BUT after about 30 secs. it 'crackled' for a few seconds, and faded and stopped!!! Does this tell us something new??

 

And what happens when you try to play it again??????

 

Hi, I tried it again and the player looked like it was ready to play and then it stopped...no music...nothing!! If you try it again immediately afterwards, nothing happens other thatn some CDROM turning noise and flashing green lights......

 

And then it stops again? or keeps going? If it stops again, I think you've got a problem with the drive itself....have you been inside the case lately?

If it keeps going like it's still playing, try plugging a headset into the front jack and see if you can hear music.