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How do I get a fromatted laptop to see the PCMCIA cd-rom drive, so that I can install the O/S? Have tried millions of boot disks but this doesn't work...
David Pringle
1 - You need a driver to enable the PCMCIA slot. Typically known as card and socket services. (from your laptop maker, IBM)
2 - If your PCMCIA card did not come with the CDROM drive, the driver for the PCMCIA card.
3 - The CDROM drive driver, if needed.
4 - The DOS driver MSCDEX.If your CDDRIVE and PCMCIA card were in the same package the drivers should have been included.
This is a case of a very customized boot disk.
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Thanks for your reply.
sorry, i didn't explain about the pcmcia drive. The pcmcia card is connected to the cd drive (came with it). But the driver disk is missing.
I have treid a downloaded pcmcia driver from IBM but it wouldn't install.
I'lll search the net now for the 'MSCDEX' but atill seem tpo be going round in circles with this laptop, help!!???David Pringle
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Well, here's my standard "answer"
What is the MODEL of the laptop?What is the BRAND and MODEL of the CDROM drive/card combo?
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Hi Again,
Right! I have installed the MSCDEX.exe and the pcmcia (I think - 720pcm32.exe)
How do I now make the laptop see the PCMCIA cd rom drive so that I can install the O/S? Thank you in advance...
David Pringle
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model of laptop is IBM Thinkpad 360x
The cd drive I'm not sure. There is no brand and non mentioned on the receipt (bought 3 years ago) though I suspect it's an Atapi, for some reason. Does this help? :-/
David Pringle
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You have to put the commands to install the PCMCIA and CDROM drivers in config.sys and the command to install mscdex in autoexec.bat. That's all the help I can be, I'm not familiar with PCMCIA. Hopefully, your PCMCIA documentation will describe the entries you need to make.
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Hi again,
Thanks for all your help. 1 more dumb question but how do I edit config.sys?
David Pringle
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YOU HAVE GOT TO TELL US what the heck that drive is? Why is it that there is no model? Almost every drive I've ever seen has a model/name/number/label/ ???????somewhere???????? on the unit.
Can you post a picture somewhere?
There MUST be something on the card??????
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Hi,
the card has no label in the usual place. The reverse is just a standard label with CE cert number, bar code, etc... the machine just says CD-ROM have looked all over and on the invoice... but looking on the machine it is looking for OTI-91X ATAPI CD ROM...
David Pringle
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In Windows Config.sys and autoexec.bat can be editted with notepad. In DOS you can use EDIT.
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There are lots of ways to edit config sys, some of which I don't use or don't know about.
Now, what do you mean "I'm in config.sys."
What are you using to open the program?
I just use "notepad" or if I'm booting from a floppy, say, into a command prompt, I use the od DOS mode "edit" program.
If you are using notepad, the way I do it, is to open notepad.
Open "explore" or my computer, and RIGHT CLICK "config.sys" (in C\:) and select "properties" to make sure the file is not protected.
Then, just hold down the left mouse, drag the file over into the blank notepad, and away you go.
You can edit lines, and when done, save as, let it over write the existing file, you're done.
Make sure before you do this, that you copy the orginal file somewhere, like to a floppy, so that if you screw it up, you can copy it back again.
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Hi,
I typed 'Edit' while in DOS.
Inow have a blue screen - C:\CONFIG.SYS
with a list of items under headings such as [CD]The laptop is bear (boots from floppy
at the moment) so I can't access notepad
(I don't think)David Pringle
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First you have to find the drivers you need for the PCMCIA ports and store them either on the floppy diskette or hard drive.
Then you have to find out what commands to enter in config.sys to load them.
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if i were you i'd try some simpler ways to install win98. instead of building a boot disk for your cdrom(with drivers that may or may not work), i would hook up a laplink cable or install the laptop hard drive in a desktop or put a paralel zip drive on it. there's more than one way to install an os.
good luck
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