Examples
For a CD-ROM drive to properly work
in MS-DOS / Windows 3.x, it is required that the CD-ROM drivers be loaded
in the Autoexec.bat / Config.sys. Below are examples of the format of how the drivers should be
loading in your autoexec.bat and config.sys. Below is an
example of a line used to load the NEC CD-ROM drive.
AUTOEXEC.BAT:
LOADHIGH=C:\Windows\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001
CONFIG.SYS:
DEVICEHIGH=C:\CD-ROM\NEC_IDE.SYS /D:MSCD001
Although the above is not exactly what the autoexec.bat and
config.sys is supposed to look like, it will allow us to point out
the below important factors.
- First
and foremost, you do not want a space between the LOADHIGH or
DEVICEHIGH, these are one word.
- Second, when
using LOADHIGH / DEVICEHIGH ensure you have the = immediately
following these statements.
- Third, the
MSCDEX line in the autoexec.bat may be in C:\DOS instead of C:\Windows\COMMAND.
- Fourth, the
/D: MSCD0001 is the device name not the driver; this can be anything
as long as the name matches what is in the config.sys as shown
above. If these names do not match, your CD-ROM drive will not load.
- Finally, the
NEC_IDE.SYS as shown in the above example is the name of the driver;
this name can be anything and located anywhere. Ensure it is pointing
to the appropriate location.
Common mistakes
REM
Occasionally, Windows or other software programs may place REM
in front of the CD-ROM lines within either the autoexec.bat or the
config.sys. This tells the computer to skip this line as the
computer is booting. Ensure that this is not in front of your
CD-ROM lines.
2 or more lines
Some programs or operating systems may load the CD-ROM drive
line in your autoexec.bat or config.sys more than once, causing
either a confliction or the improper driver to be loaded. Ensure
that you only have one line loading.
LOADHIGH / DEVICEHIGH
Mistakenly a user or a program may place the LOADHIGH command
with a space within the line. If there is a space in between this,
the computer will not load this line. The same goes for the
DEVICEHIGH statement.
No high memory
If you are using the LOADHIGH or DEVICEHIGH statements, ensure
that your computer is loading the memory manager (EMM386.exe and
HIMEM.SYS).
Second, if the high memory managers are being loaded, ensure that
you have enough memory to load these devices into the high memory
portion of your memory. Generally, you should receive a memory
error message if not enough memory is available.
Additional switches
Some CD-ROM manufacturers may place additional switches on the
CD-ROM lines while these lines may sometimes be needed for the
CD-ROM to work properly; generally, these lines may cause the CD-ROM
to not load or cause an error with other drivers causing the
CD-ROM drive not to load properly. If you have extra switches on
either line, attempt to temporarily remove these lines to see if
the CD-ROM works.
Hardware issues
While these lines may be loading properly, it could be a
possibility that your CD-ROM is not working because of a hardware
issue with the drive itself. Ensure that you have reviewed are
CD-ROM
section for possible CD-ROM troubleshooting steps and
information.
Common questions
Where can I locate
MSCD0001 or MSCD001?
MSCD0001 is not a driver, it is a common name of the driver. What this
means is once the driver loads successfully, it will name the driver; so when MSCDEX is loading, it
will look for MSCD0001 or the name of the driver instead of attempting to guess. The
driver for your CD-ROM is dependent upon what type of CD-ROM drive you have in the
computer. Some of the most common driver names are located in
DIFFERENT
TYPES OF CD-ROM DRIVERS
Where can I get the driver for my CD-ROM?
Visit our hardware
download section to obtain a generic CD-ROM driver (oakcdrom.sys) and
mscdex.exe if needed.
If you are looking for a
specific driver for your CD-ROM drive or a Firmware update, please see our
CD-ROM
driver page.
I am getting the error 'Not enough drive letters available'
after loading the CD-ROM drivers, why?
This is usually caused by either the LASTDRIVE missing or not specifying
enough letters for the CD-ROM to load within. Within your config.sys, add LASTDRIVE=Z before the
CD-ROM driver line.
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