CD drive not reading on IBM laptop

[smitheejr]

I got a laptop with no operating system. With a cd I installed Windows 95. It installed fine. But the internal CD drive stopped working, it doesn't read. I go into program manager and the drive is still there but reads as being empty. It's Windows 95 on an IBM. I'm wondering if it needs different drivers or something...or if there's a conflict somewhere. I'm just assuming the drive isn't broken because I was to install from it in the first place. Any ideas?

[tetonbob]

Any problems listed in Device Manager?

[smitheejr]

I didn't notice this the last time I looked in Device Manager but it's here now, there's a line that begins with a question mark with the word "Other Device", sub of that are two lines that begin with question marks and listed as "Unknown Device" and there is an exclamation mark over the 2nd Unknown Device.

[tetonbob]

In Device Manager, is your CD ROM drive listed? My guess is that this is your "unknown device". It has somehow become unrecognized.

First try to update drivers from the drivers tab in Device Manager.

You could try to remove the device and allow windows to find it again upon boot.

[smitheejr]

removed it from device manager (no driver tab...maybe win 95 is too ancient for that) and on reboot it did try and look for new device, but error couldn't read from D drive (the cd drive), so problem pesists. Do you think if I installed a later version of windows it would come complete with all that's needed or would the drive just not read still and I won't even be able to install a later version?

[tetonbob]

When you insert a CD ROM in the drive, does it spin up at all?

[ratcat]

Press "del" as your computer is booting You should see Press del to enter setup
Depending on your bios go to boot options and make cd rom as 1st priority for bootup. Put a Bootable cd in the drive. I dont think 95 has a bootable cd or try putting your floppy as 1st boot and put a win 98 startup disc in then you should get, with cd as bootup press a key to boot from cd rom or Floppy, start windows 98 with cd support. either way you will be able to work out if your cd is working properly. In your bios make sure all IDE drives are ste to auto unless you know where the cd drive is situated with regards to Primary slave secondary master/slave etc then set the drive in question to auto. It doesnt hurt to set all four to auto except that your PC will take a little longer to boot as it searches for all drives.

[smitheejr]

Cool, I'll try all that. Back in a few days. Thanks much everybody.

[Usil]

It probably will not work, as you will need the original IBM drivers. You can go to the IBM web
site (http://www-306.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/product.do?template=%2Fproductselection%2Flandingp ages%2FbrowseByProductLandingPage.vm&validate=false) Detect Automatically and you will then get the drivers for your specific model.

[smitheejr]

That makes sense, I'll try that as well. Thanks!

[smitheejr]

Found a better boot disk (I guess the one I had was missing stuff) with drivers and CD drive is up and fine. Thanks all!!