98se Install - no CD rom drivers?

[Panama Red]

Need some help for an old time piece. Trying to install 98se on a Packard Bell Legend 20CD (don't laugh!). It had Win3.1 and I still have that hard drive intact to put back in if this upgrade doesn't work. I've installed a different hard drive, fdisk'ed and formatted but on start up the 98se startup disk doesn't have a driver for this CD rom. The CD rom is connected to the sound card rather than an IDE connector. I've located the driver for this configuration. It's from Win 3.1. I have it on a floppy but don't know how to install it.

Also, I can't get into setup (bios) because it is password protected and no one knows the password. Will removing the battery and reinstalling it remove the password requirement? Or is there some jumper configuration that can be set?

[Redo40]

I'm not sure on the cdrom problem, sounds like it would be as easy to install the hard drive on another computer, install 98 and do the enum trick.

If the battery is removable on that system then yes it should set it back to defaults. You could also do a google search and download Killcmos. HTH

[Panama Red]

Thanx for the suggestions, Roger. I'll do a little more research and see how it goes.

[Redo40]

I found this on the web, you can put the cdrom driver on the boot floppy and edit config.sys

1) You can use notepad to open the config.sys. There are lines as following.

[CD]
device=himem.sys /testmem:off
device=oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001

You can change the oakcdrom.sys to your cdrom driver e.g. CDROM.SYS as
[CD]
device=himem.sys /testmem:off
device=cdrom.sys /D:mscd001

or by adding
[CD]
device=himem.sys /testmem:off
device=oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
device=cdrom.sys /D:mscd001

Save the file.

Use notepad to open the autoexec.bat. There is a line to call for the cdrom.

LH %ramd%:\MSCDEX.EXE /D:mscd001 /L:%CDROM%

If you want to assign a cdrom drive letter e.g. M:, make the change as following.

LH MSCDEX.EXE /D:mscd001 /L:M

Make certain you have these four files in the root of A:
himem.sys
oakcdrom.sys
cdrom.sys
MSCDEX.EXE

Now I haven't ever tried this, but it should work to load the cdrom.

[GaryRouth]

You sure that's enough machine to run Win98se? Might have a chance with Win95.

I'd try Roger's idea of using another computer & then the "enum trick", since getting a pre-IDE cd-rom driver to work from a bootdisk would be tricky. If the sound card connector actually is an IDE connector (it should be labelled), you could try a bootdisk from http://www.bootdisk.com, just to see if their generic drivers will find it. Otherwise, it's probably the old Panasonic, Mitsumi, or Sony proprietary connectors.

If anyone is spending money on that oldie, you might point out to them that amd XP/motherboard combos are running in the $50-$80 dollar (USD) range = often including onboard video, sound, lan . . . and IDE CDRW's are often $10 via rebate as door crashers at local shops
. . . Gary

[I also agree that the battery trick should work for the bios password]
_____________
late edit: just saw your latest posts: --- do you think you can get to an non-IDE connector on a sound card from a bootdisk driver? (it's been so long I can't remember)

[Panama Red]

You guys are awesome as usual! I'll give it a try tomorrow and let you know how it works (or IF it works). Got a computer "traveling parts show" to attend in the am and a little football game tomorrow nite, so hopefully I can squeeze in a little play time. I know this machine isn't worth the time and effort, but the gal who has it is umemployed and needs some kind of internet access to complete the school work she's taking. I added as much ram as it can take, 64mb, and the "new" hard drive is 525Mb. If I can make it work, I'm only charging her $20. Guess I like a challenge, eh? Sleep well, talk to ya'll tomorrow.

[Redo40]

Originally posted by GaryRouth _____________ late edit: just saw your latest posts: --- do you think you can get to an non-IDE connector on a sound card from a bootdisk driver? (it's been so long I can't remember)

I really don't think you can...don't you have to have the sound drivers installed for the cdrom to be recognized? I don't deal with those old systems much, so I'm not sure it will work...I still think it would be easier to install from another computer and do the enum trick.

[catfishjoe_1]

reset without opening the case

Exit Windows or reboot to the native MS-DOS mode
At the C:\> prompt, type:
DEBUG
and hit Enter. You'll see a dash (-) at the DEBUG prompt. Now type:
o 70 2e
which will show as -o 70 2e at the DEBUG prompt. Hit Enter. Then type:
o 71 ff
and hit Enter. Finally type:
Q
and hit Enter one last time, to quit DEBUG, back to the C:\> prompt.
Now you're ready to reboot your PC, and press the appropriate key or key combo (look it up in your motherboard manual if you don't know it) to access your BIOS Setup. You'll notice that the password is gone. "
NOTE: This works only with MS-DOS 6.00 - 6.22 and MS-DOS 7.xx [a.k.a. MS Windows 9x].

cat

[GaryRouth]

Catfish - I haven't seen that magic trick by DEBUG. That little program is full of surprises. . . I like the DEBUG tricks that you can use to identify pci cards . . .

When I get home, I think I'll copy & paste your post into my "bag of tricks" folder.
. . . Gary

[catfishjoe_1]

besides resetting the password it also resets the bios to default settings, so be aware of that.
cat

[flanzig1]

Panama: I remember that loading drivers for sound card cd-rom was kind of fussy. I think you load up a dos driver for the cd then load the windows driver.

[Panama Red]

Just to give you all an update. After hours of multiple attempts, I've decided to let this dinosaur retire to the computer graveyard. Every time I got close another monster revealed itself. Her with no money, and me running out of patience - bad combo! Thanx for all the suggestions. I'm sure someone else may read this another time and pick up a tip or two.

[Panama Red]

Funny how things work out. When I told this gal that I was unable to upgrade her old PB dinosaur, she was very understanding and said she might be able to borrow the used HP I had sold her mother a short while ago. I offered to rent/lease her another old system I had just finished and when she asked how much to buy it, I said $200. "Great!" says she, "I just got my income tax refund. I'll take it." She picks it up tomorrow.

Gateway G6-400, PII 400MHz - 192Mb PC133 - 8Gb hdd w/98se - Gateway keyboard - MS basic optical mouse - Polk passive speakers - Dell 15" monitor - new Mad Dog 52x32x52 CD-RW (3yr warranty) w/Nero - MS Word, Excel, Spybot, Adaware, PopUp Stopper, & AVG. I have about $73 invested!

[Redo40]

Glad to hear it worked out anyway. Sometimes you just have to let the old computers retire.

[Lencojoe]

Just to add my two cents;
I have found that if you manage to get a driver installed for the sound card as soon as Windows finishes loading the files and restarts and goes into finding and installing drivers,it can no longer find the CD,because the previous drivers were lost on reboot.
The only way i find to do this is to put the HDD into another computer and copy the Win 95 or Win 98 Folder to it and install from the harddrive. on reboot Windows will take the drivers from the hdd.
It works for me. Thanks for reading.