# How to make DOS see my CD-ROM? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 23, 2001, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-dos-see-my-cd-rom/94933 "2001-11-23T18:45:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nukeman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@Nukeman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nukeman)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-dos-see-my-cd-rom/94933/21 "2001-11-28T13:31:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by linolium420 \* > \*\*well, the boot disk I made via Astro’s idea did the trick all right. I formatted my HD, and installed Windows 98 (second edition) and the installation went without a hitch. > However, windows refuses to see my modem. And the only driver it’ll let me use for my monitor is standard VGA, and won’t let me use more than 16 colors and won’t give me a bigger res than 600x400 (or whatever it is). > I’ll probably get around to looking for drivers on the modem & monitors manufacturer’s web sites, i dunno when tho. My computer’s just kind of existing right now until I get it restored (i’m at school right now). Thanks for your help, everybody! \*\* I don’t want to make a big deal out of this, but, see what I mean? ---
**Author:** ![linolium420](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@linolium420](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/linolium420)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-dos-see-my-cd-rom/94933/22 "2001-11-29T06:57:03Z")
hehe, Nukem, my computer may be screwed up now but it’s still no worse off than it was before 🙂 anyway, I got the monitor issue fixed - I found the drivers that it came with. As for my modem, well…I went and downloaded the driver, or should I say driv_ers_ because it when I went to install my new modem and clicked “have disk” and selected the directory that I’d copied everything too it gave me a list of about 10 drivers to choose from, all of them letters & numbers except for one that has an actual name. When I install one of the drivers that’s named with numbers & letters, it just says “driver was installed” and that’s it. Modem still won’t respond. The one with an actual name, however, when installed causes window to bring up a window saying “New Hardware Detected - Wave Device Voice Modem” or something along those lines. Suffice to say, I believe this is the right driver since it’s the only one that windows actually reponds too. Problem is that when I go to Control Panel → System → Device Management and click on the properties for my modem, it gives me an error saying “Unable to read Port from Registery”, altho once I click okay it loads the rest of the properties without a hitch. So I think there’s something wrong with the driver I downloaded, it installs just fine but then there’s that error when I try to view it’s properties, plus the fact that the modem still just won’t work ☹ I known I downloaded the right driver, and I know I’ve got the right COM port soooo…I dunno what to think to those of you who are curious…it’s a “Zoltrix” Conexant 56K, not sure if it’s v90 or K56Flex (or whatever it is) but regardless, it isn’t working! grrr!! oh well, at least I can play games without them looking all gimpy 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-dos-see-my-cd-rom/94933/23 "2001-11-29T07:16:53Z")
You most likely do not have the precisely correct driver chosen from the list. Winmodems like yours require the recognition and installation of serial port driver to emulate a hardware serial port before they can access the PC. [http://www.zoltrix.com](http://www.zoltrix.com) has a hardware driver DL page. Look carefully on the front and back of the physical modem board itself and you should see some ID that corresponds to one of the model #'s below 56,000 WinModems -(WinModems operate only in Windows) Model # FMHSP56p (Also Known As FMHSP56i ISA) 8FM-56KIPCTPCI (Phantom 56K PCI) 8FM-56KIHCFVSP (Spirit 56K PCI) 8FM-56KIHSFPCI (Cobra 56K PCI) 8FM-56KSHSF (Smart Cobra 56K PCI) 8FM-56KSHSF-V2 (Smart Lite 56K PCI) 8FM-56KSCHSF-V2 (Smart Cobra Lite 56K PCI) 8FM-56KSHCFVSP (Smart Spirit 56K PCI) Here is the master DL install file info "The file contains the latest Windows 95/98 V.90/K56Flex Dual-Mode drivers. File Name: Shcf\_w9x.zip Size: 5.30MB Date: Nov 6, 2000 Use Win Zip to extract the file. Before installing the new driver, please first uninstall the current driver from Control Panel --\>Add/Remove Programs. Then use the extracted file to install. Note: This driver is bundled with the Zoltrix driver CD-ROM version no. 4.9" You may also want to try another PCI slot if possible. ---
**Author:** ![linolium420](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@linolium420](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/linolium420)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-dos-see-my-cd-rom/94933/24 "2001-11-29T07:43:27Z")
Thanks, but, I’ve already done that! The driver I downloaded was from [zoltrix.com](http://zoltrix.com), I matched the number on the chip (FM-5687 or something, not quite sure) and quintupple checked it and everything. [conexant.com](http://conexant.com) had a program avaliable that looks for any modem with a conexant chip in it, and it found my modem with no problem at all! It’s an HFC P85 Data/Fax/Voice/Speakerphone v.90 56k modem… I went thru all the .INF files from the files I got from [zoltrix.com](http://zoltrix.com) and looked at all of the driver descriptions. The one that comes closest to working (i mentioned in my last post) is HFC Data/Fax/Speakerphone, but _none_ of them have the Voice feature like mine does, and I can’t find any P85 either. So I’m thinking that they just don’t have the exact driver I need on their webpage…which sucks. I also found out that that “Wave Modem Device” was in fact being installed as an audio device…took me a few minutes to catch onto that. Windows isn’t seeing my speakers, either, damnit ☹ just that ‘wave modem device’ which is doing me absolutely no good. pesky thing… ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-dos-see-my-cd-rom/94933/25 "2001-11-30T06:27:29Z")
Part of the problem may be that your modem ID program is identifying it incorrectly. The modem in question is probably an HCF not HFC unit. You also might want to try moving your modem to another PCI slot if a resource conflict is hampering the install. Here is a generic conexant driver for your unit. [http://www.conexant.com/default.sph/SaServletEngine.class/Web/driverdownload/driverdownload.jsp](http://www.conexant.com/default.sph/SaServletEngine.class/Web/driverdownload/driverdownload.jsp) Bottom of the page on the left "Installing HCF Generic Modem on Win98SE A. Extract generic modem driver: 1. After downloaded the HCF generic driver for Win 98, extract the driver by double click on the HCF\_Win9x.exe file. B. Remove the current modem driver: 1. Double click on My Computer. 2. Double click on Control Panel. 3. Double click on Add / Remove Programs. 4. Highlight the modem driver that you want to delete and click on Add / Remove. 5. Click OK to exit Add / Remove Programs. C. Installing generic modem driver: 1. Restart your computer and wait for Windows to start up. Once Windows has started, the “Add new hardware wizard” will acknowledge your new PCI Communication Device. 2. Select “Search for the best driver for your device (Recommended)” and click Next. 3. Select “Specify a location” and type “C:\HCF Modem” and Click Next. 4. Make sure the device name is called “Generic PCI Modem Enumerator” and click Next. 5. Click Finish when the installation is completed." This page has some potentially relevant downloads [http://asiapacific.gateway.com/support/DriversModem.asp](http://asiapacific.gateway.com/support/DriversModem.asp) This is likely to be an OEM duplicate for your voice modem ftp://asiapacific.gateway.com/7508907.exe ---
**Author:** ![JRootabega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e7dd6/32.png) [@JRootabega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRootabega)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-dos-see-my-cd-rom/94933/26 "2001-11-30T08:01:03Z")
Sorry to go back to the CD question, but I have to know! Now, this is an honest question. Since when do you need any drivers to use a CD drive? I’ve wiped my HD many times and then booted from the CD as LordVor said. Of course, if he could boot from the CD drive there wouldn’t be a problem in the first place, eh? But I didn’t think there was a problem! (I’m so confused!) Anyway, I’ve formatted my HD many many times and then booted from a CD afterwards to get my reinstall on. And when I put together my new computer with a brand new hard drive (it better have been new!), I had no problems booting from CD. So what’s the deal? Was I lucky enough that my system had a barebones driver somewhere in ROM? Or is booting from a CD somehow different than reading it “file style”? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-dos-see-my-cd-rom/94933/27 "2001-11-30T08:10:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JRootabega \* > \*\*Sorry to go back to the CD question, but I have to know! > > Now, this is an honest question. Since when do you need any drivers to use a CD drive? I’ve wiped my HD many times and then booted from the CD as LordVor said. Of course, if he could boot from the CD drive there wouldn’t be a problem in the first place, eh? But I didn’t think there was a problem! (I’m so confused!)\*\* IIRC booting from the CD without CD drivers is possible on newer systems if the BIOS allows the CD to be defined as the bootdrive or to be bootable period. Most systems more than year or two old need CD drivers ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-dos-see-my-cd-rom/94933/28 "2001-11-30T08:13:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JRootabega \* > \*\*Sorry to go back to the CD question, but I have to know! > > Now, this is an honest question. Since when do you need any drivers to use a CD drive? I’ve wiped my HD many times and then booted from the CD as LordVor said. Of course, if he could boot from the CD drive there wouldn’t be a problem in the first place, eh? But I didn’t think there was a problem! (I’m so confused!)\*\* Your BIOS is configured as such that it looks for a “boot” disk not only on the floppy drive but also on the CD ROM. Older machines don’t have that option in the BIOS. Most computers that have that option are 1998 or later. I don’t recall any that are pre 1998 that could do that but it’s possible. It depends on the BIOS manufacturer I guess. ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-dos-see-my-cd-rom/94933/29 "2001-11-30T08:14:55Z")
**astro** beat me too it. I type slow 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JRootabega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e7dd6/32.png) [@JRootabega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRootabega)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-dos-see-my-cd-rom/94933/30 "2001-11-30T18:58:07Z")
> [@](#): > > IIRC booting from the CD without CD drivers is possible on newer systems if the BIOS allows the CD to be defined as the bootdrive or to be bootable period. Right, but if the system can read from the CD to boot, where is it getting the knowledge to do that? Is booting just copying a stream of raw data to memory, or is it similar to what you would need to read a CD drive by individual files? Or is that knowledge accessible only to the hardware that starts the computer, and not automatically to any software that you might load? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-dos-see-my-cd-rom/94933.md?page=1)