Upgrade 2 Win ME lost cd-rom & DOS Compatibility problem etc

[Rob&theBoys]

OK I know it's another missing cd-rom problem but I think I have tried the other fixes, both here and from "other" places. The story so far:-[list=a]
Updated from Win 95 OSR 2 to Win ME.
No cd-rom in My Computer + Yellow "!" marks in Device Manager under IDE Controller etc.
Tried removing IDE under Safe mode = refinds hardware and gets same problem.
Looked for NOIDE in Registry but not there.
Went through Microsofts Knowledge base and almost know their solutions off by heart but there are a few clues (keep reading and I promise we will get there, I just want to prove, hopefully, that I am thorough and not time wasting).
[/list=a]Some More INFO
I have added, about 18 months ago, a second hard drive while under Win 95. As it was a 10Mb I used the supplied ONTRACK Disk Manager to set up the "mapping".
[list=1]
So I went to the Seagate site and upgraded Disk Manager to latest version which is 9.xx = still same problem.
Contacted Microsoft. Went back to Win 95 and the hard drives and cd-rom drive worked again so it's not a clapped out cd-rom reader. They suggested upgrading the drivers.
Getting simple information from Gateways (PC supplier) web site was too difficult for me so I opted to go to INTEL instead.
Got a nice update utility and changed the INF files to get new drivers.
Upgraded to Win ME again. Same problem but with INTEL drivers.
Started to think about the ONTRACKs elements. Could it be there is something wrong between Win ME and ONTRACK Disk Manager?
Only way I can think of checking is to disable the troubled device so took out the cd-rom in Bios and also in Device Manager.
Now Device Manager says only primary IDE device and still "!".
[/list=1]

Case proven - well it is to me at the moment.
So, can I get rid on Disk Manager without losing data at least to try my theory?


So everyone out there do you think I am on the right track?
Can you save my sanity and give me my life back again as I seem to be eating, drinking and sleeping this problem!

Many thanks for your contribution (well I least I hope I get some).

Regards from Rob, The Boys (;)& :p )want to get back on the PC and start playing Gangsters 2, the software that wouldn't run under Win ME

[Jenni]

I know from recent experience that not having the correct IDE controller drivers can cause the symptoms you are describing. I know that there were some major compatibility problems with bus mastering and Win95. Does that board support bus mastering? If so then you need bus mastering drivers. The board I was having so many problems with was using a VIA chipset, but I don't think Gateway used any VIA boards. You might want to check to be sure though. If you try using the "standard dual PCI IDE controller" with the VIA chipset it just won't work.

[Rob&theBoys]

Many thanks Jenni.
I don't recall ever coming across VIA chipsets before on my Gateway PC. I know from the days I ordered it that it was an Intel based motherboard but thanks for the interest.
I have someone else replying via another source that they think the CD-ROM is too old for Win ME. I am investigating this for now.
Regards,
Rob

[morriswindgate]

If you were able to load Windows ME on the machine then chancea are the CD-ROm drive is OK.
Go to this thread and see my last post at the bottom of the page for some things to try.

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?threadid=16603

[Rob&theBoys]

Hi morriswindgate,

I have had a look through your suggested post and I found http://216.167.71.32/techfiles/msdos-compatibility.html.. It applies to Win 95 but I guess it could also apply to Win ME.

Although I don't have the noIDE setting I do have the Bad_IDE line which is interesting. This report says delete it but what is "it"? Is it the line in "InfSection" or do I delete the complete thing [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Class\hdc\0000] please?

Should I take a copy of the registry beforehand and if so how?

Thanks,