Disk Boot Failure - Win 95

[howard l lynch]

While Trying To Replace A 5-1/4 Floppy With A C D Rom
I Get The Message "disk Boot Failure - Insert System
Disk And Press Enter" And The Computer Will Not Boot
Up.
Suggestions Please.
Thx
Jack

[Alfons]

While Trying To Replace A 5-1/4 Floppy With A C D Rom
I Get The Message "disk Boot Failure - Insert System
Disk And Press Enter" And The Computer Will Not Boot
Up.
Suggestions Please.
Thx
Jack
I'm not sure how you'd go about replacing a floppy with a CD Drive, the data cables are NOT compatible. The 5 1/4inch FDD had a Centronix data connector and a large power molex connector, the 3 1/2 inch FDD has a 32 pin connector for data and the small molex power connector, while the CD Drive has a 40 pin IDE connector and the large molex power connector - Hardware wise, they are not interchangeable.

If I've misunderstood, perhaps you could provide more detail as to what you're trying to do.

[howard l lynch]

ALPHONSE
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE SPEEDY REPLY.
THIS IS AN OLDER COMPUTER WHICH HAD NO C D ROM DRIVE
ORIGINALLY - ONLY FLOPPIES.
MY ISP (JUNO) ONLY SUPPLIES C Ds TO MEMBERS.
THEREFORE, THE PLAN, WHICH I WAS TOLD BY THE VENDOR OF
THE C D DRIVER WOULD WORK, WAS TO REPLACE THE 5-1/4
DRIVE WITH THE C D DRIVE.
HOPE THIS EXPLAINS THE PROBLEM. IF NOT, PEASE ADVISE.
MANY THANKS.

[Alfons]

ALPHONSE
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE SPEEDY REPLY.
THIS IS AN OLDER COMPUTER WHICH HAD NO C D ROM DRIVE
ORIGINALLY - ONLY FLOPPIES.
MY ISP (JUNO) ONLY SUPPLIES C Ds TO MEMBERS.
THEREFORE, THE PLAN, WHICH I WAS TOLD BY THE VENDOR OF
THE C D DRIVER WOULD WORK, WAS TO REPLACE THE 5-1/4
DRIVE WITH THE C D DRIVE.
HOPE THIS EXPLAINS THE PROBLEM. IF NOT, PEASE ADVISE.
MANY THANKS.
You can use the space where the 5 1/4inch FDD is located to put the CD Drive, the same power connection will fit, but as I've mentioned previously, the data cable for the FDD is incompatible with an IDE or ATAPI device (which is what the CD Drive is).

Depending on how old the computer is, you'll most likely have the IDE capility on what was called an "I/O card", or built into the MB. Where does the cable from the hard drive go?

Again, depending on the age of the computer, you could have a BIOS on board that's capable of accepting only 2 IDE devices, and may not like having a CD Drive attached, but you'll need to try it to see. If you have only one HD, it should be set (jumpered) as Master. This should leave you with one spare connector from that cable if you have a standard 2 device IDE cable (three connectors on the cable, one for the MB and two for devices) - some came with only one device connector (two connectors on the ribbon, one for the MB and one for the device). You can set the CD Drive as Slave with the jumpers on the back and plug it into the second connector on the IDE cable - you should have the following configuration:

1. One connector plugged into the Motherboard or I/O Card,
2. One connector plugged into the CD Drive which you have jumpered as SLAVE,
3. One connector plugged into the HDD which you have jumpered as MASTER or SINGLE.

This might work, and should if you have a MB IDE connection, but may not with the I/O card depending on how that card's jumpered. If the computer starts in the above configuration, you should see some indication on the first one or two startup screens that it's seen the CD Drive, you can also test it by booting with a standard W98 Startup Disk that has the CD-ROM Device driver (OAKCDROM.SYS).

[howard l lynch]

You can use the space where the 5 1/4inch FDD is located to put the CD Drive, the same power connection will fit, but as I've mentioned previously, the data cable for the FDD is incompatible with an IDE or ATAPI device (which is what the CD Drive is).

Depending on how old the computer is, you'll most likely have the IDE capility on what was called an "I/O card", or built into the MB. Where does the cable from the hard drive go?

Again, depending on the age of the computer, you could have a BIOS on board that's capable of accepting only 2 IDE devices, and may not like having a CD Drive attached, but you'll need to try it to see. If you have only one HD, it should be set (jumpered) as Master. This should leave you with one spare connector from that cable if you have a standard 2 device IDE cable (three connectors on the cable, one for the MB and two for devices) - some came with only one device connector (two connectors on the ribbon, one for the MB and one for the device). You can set the CD Drive as Slave with the jumpers on the back and plug it into the second connector on the IDE cable - you should have the following configuration:

1. One connector plugged into the Motherboard or I/O Card,
2. One connector plugged into the CD Drive which you have jumpered as SLAVE,
3. One connector plugged into the HDD which you have jumpered as MASTER or SINGLE.

This might work, and should if you have a MB IDE connection, but may not with the I/O card depending on how that card's jumpered. If the computer starts in the above configuration, you should see some indication on the first one or two startup screens that it's seen the CD Drive, you can also test it by booting with a standard W98 Startup Disk that has the CD-ROM Device driver (OAKCDROM.SYS).
:)

[howard l lynch]

Your Diagnosis Was Correct - Once I Changed By Cable
Connections I Was Able To Get A Boot-up That Showed
The C D Rom Drive.
However, It Appears I Have A Driver Problem And Using
The Win 98 Startup Didn't Work. Also, Device Manager
Didn't Pick It Up.
Messages I'm Getting When Booting:
Tscsi & Scsidriver 4.57
No Tscsi Function In Use
Driver Aborting
Tslcd Trantor C D Rom Driver V.309
No Tslcd Function In Use
Also, Device Mgr Shows All Yellow Exclamation Points
Indicating Problems.
Your Continued Good Help Is Appreciated.