Problem with CDROM in Win2k

[Mayan]

Hi,
I have just installed Win2k (dual boot with WinME - WinME on 1st partition, Win2k on second partition). The problem is that my CDROM drive doesn't appear in Win2k. I never experienced any problems with my cdrom in WinME. I even tried using a different cdrom drive, but still nothing (I used Ricoh mp7083a CDRW and a Pioneer 36x slot drive - not sure what model number)
I've installed service pack 2 as well, but still the same problem.
System:
ASUS A7V motherboard
Duron 650 @ 800
Ricoh mp7083a CDRW

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Mayan.

[netnic30]

Windows ME shipped with a few more drivers for CD drives burners and things of that sort. I would sugggest going to the web site for the maker of your drives and looking for a w2k driver kit

[Mayan]

No that doesn't work. Ricoh (for my CD-RW) provides firmware, but the drive needs to be recognised under Win2k (which it is no - it's as if the drive isn't there, Win2k doesn't appear to acknowledge it's presence).
The other weird thing, which I just noticed, is that the drive completely stops responding (I can't eject the tray). It works ok until about halfway through the 'Win2k is starting' loading status screen at startup.
I think I need to edit the autoexec.bat and config.sys files (or their equivalent under Win2k) and manually put in the drivers text. Anyone know how I can do this?

[[Oc]acaridans]

Some drives are not compatiable with W2k, id sudgest you check there HCL (hardware compatibility list) to see if your drive is on there

[Mayan]

Yes, I checked it earlier today, and it is on the HCL list.
Like I said in my last post, my cdrom drive (both the Pioneer cdrom and my Ricoh mp7083a CDRW - I've been testing one at a time, not both at once) seems to stop responding about halfway through the Win2k bootup.

I read on a troubleshooting website that some Creative soundcards can cause this problem if the drive is connected to the soundcards ide interface. I have a Creative Soundblaster Live Value, but the CD drive is connected directly to the ide interface on my motherboard and not the soundcard. So this is not the problem. There has to be some sort of conflict but I can't seem to find the source.

If someone has a Ricoh mp7083a CDRW and is using Win2k, could you let me know what text I should put in the sysedit files (win.ini, system.ini, config.sys and autoexec.bat) to manually install the drive? Thakns.

[Kingslayer]

You shouldn't have to enter any text to get a Ricoh CDRW to work. I just replaced my Ricoh 4x CDRW and I had no problems with it being recognized. You should be able to slap just about any CDROM in there also.

Have you tried replacing the cable? Have you tried putting a volt meter on the power plugs to ensure that your getting the correct voltage to the device. It makes me wonder when you said that the eject button doesn't work. That button should work wether the device is being recognized in Win2K or not. The eject button has nothing to do with windows.

[lonewolf1983]

im running win2k and both my pioneer dvd and ricoh cdrw are recognised.
i would try getting a new ide cable.
if that doesnt work you may be having power supply problems
not enough juice for your components can seriously make hardware act funny.
:)

[Mayan]

I've tried replacing the ide cable. I've used 2 different ones.
Anyway, they are not the problem as both the Pioneer cdrom and the Ricoh CDRW work perfectly under WinME.
It could be a power supply problem but I doubt it unless Win2k somehow uses up more voltage than WinME :)
A strange thing did happen during installation: towards the end of the install for Win2k, the installation suddenly asked me to put my Win2k CD into the drive (even though it had been in there the whole time and the install had copied most of the files at the beginning). When I went to browse for the files, the E: (cdrom) had disappeared. Eventually I completed the install without installing the 2 files it couldn't find.
I then reinstalled the system by copying the cd to my harddrive and pointing to the files there.
At the end of the install, it asks to remove any cds in the cd drive, so I tried to remove the cd but the eject button wasn't working.
I have installed WinME on my first partition and Win2k on my second. Could that be a problem?
Here is what I have:
ASUS A7V motherboard
384mb PC133 ram (1x 256, 2x 64)
Duron 650 @ 800 cpu
WD 30gig 7200rpm harddrive
Creative Soundblaster Live Value
ASUS TNT 3400 16mb AGP TV-in/out (I know it's old but I use it to watch TV via a VCR)
1.44mb floppy drive
Ricoh mp7083a CDRW (or Pioneer 36x slot CDROM out of my brothers 266 pentium2)

I have a 250w power supply, so it should be adequate.
BTW, thanks for the help guys.

[Mayan]

YYYYYYEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

I figured it out!!!!
I knew it was going to be something %$#@@$%& simple!
What happened was that my hard drive was my Primary Master (no slave) and I had my CDRW hooked up as my Secondary Master (no slave). When I hooked up my CDRW as Primary slave, Win2k automatically recognised it!
The original setup was (HD = Primary Master with no slave, CDRW = Secondary Master with no slave) because the the ide cable couldn't reach both the CDRW and the HD (I put a bit of space between them so that their heat wouldn't transfer from one to the other). Funny that this was fine under WinME, but wasn't acceptable under Win2k.
I'm happy now.