I don't know where else to post this. Yesterday I bought two CD-ROMs from the local dollar store. They were still sealed in their original packaging. They are both made by the same company. One of them says it's XP Compatible, the other just Windows 98 or higher. When I try to install them, the only thing that happens is the cd drive light blinks. Once. When I go into Explorer and click the setup icon, same thing, one blink. No error messages. I have tried downloading a program that said it can copy bad CD's; I got the same results. When I run the diags in NERO 6 it says they were recorded on CD-RW media. One of them is from 1999, the other I don't know. I do know that CD-s have a finite life, so it's possible they are starting to lose their data. I also know that CD's have correction. So, my question is: Is there a software out there that can read these disc's and, using the correction, make me a good, bootable, copy of these discs? I have an email in to the manufacturer, but probably won't hear from them until Tuesday, if then. These programs are no longer being produced. Thank you for anyone who can help or offer any advice. Bob A positive attitude won't solve all your problems, but it will annoy just enough people to be worth the effort.

You should be able to read CD ROM's without additional software. Are they properly jumpered master or slave or cable select? Are they correctly identified by the BIOS?

Yes, I have no problem installing or running any other CD's. I bought two more today, one is the MS C++ suite and the other is Adobe Photo Deluxe 2.0. The one for C++ installed perfectly and works properly. The other one, from Adobe, brings up the install screen and when I click on the Install button, the CD light blinks once, I can hear the Drive spinning up to 52X, but nothing happens. When I go to the Explorer, same thing. I'm wondering, now, if the speed of my CD drive is too high? As I said, these are pretty old CD's, from around 1996 thru 2000. I only paid a buck or two each, so it's no big loss, but these are programs I would really like to be able to use. Is there a way to set the CD drive to a lower speed? Maybe 2X-4X would work better. I don't know. Thanks for any input here. Bob A positive attitude won't solve all your problems, but it will annoy just enough people to be worth the effort.

Are these programs compatible with XP. Maybe your problem lies there.

This sounds like an optical drive going bad..... (or in need of a lens cleaning.) Do these CD's read/work in another machine? It's a good day when you learn something

Try going to the drive letter and choosing explore. See what is on the CDRW. There should be a Setup.exe file. Doubleclick on that.

I will try them on my other PC today. I actually bought 3 CD's yesterday. I got one for the old MS Flight Simulator 98, a pretty old one, huh? But, it installed perfectly and runs very well, indeed. So far I have managed to crash a Cessna and a 747! LOL. I bought that for the grand kids. I have had problems with a lot of these old CD's. One of them says XP Compatible in the upper right corner of the CD case label. Does nothing. It is for some financial calculators, and the other one is for Video Editor+, which I planned to use myself. When I got the Visual C++ by Microsoft, I also picked up 5 books on C++, for a total of $9.44, to go with the 2 I already have, hoping to sit down 'one of these days' and learn it. Luckily, the CD works! So, it's kind of hit and miss with these things, and sometimes I just get lucky. Thanks for the hints and clues, guys and gals. Any that don't install on my other system I will just toss. No big loss, I guess. I tossed the Adobe Photo+ since I don't have the serial number to activate it, anyway. A positive attitude won't solve all your problems, but it will annoy just enough people to be worth the effort.