About a month ago, I upgraded my computer system to a P4 2.4 GHz hyperthreading-enabled processor, running Windows XP Pro. Around that time, my CD-ROM started acting strangely. The CD-ROM is a Creative 52x model (not a DVD drive; as my CGW bonus disc with full games of Thief 2 & Warlords Battlecry sits in mute judgment). I’ve had it for about 4 years now; no strange problems other than needing to turn off all the disc cache options when running Baldur’s Gate 1 under Windows 98.
In my current set-up, the CD-ROM works fine when playing music CDs or checking a game CD for copyright purposes. However, the system sometimes hangs when I try and install new games from the CD using auto-installer. In preparation for a small LAN party, Half-life, Unreal Tournament, and Age of Mythology all installed with no problems. Warcraft 3 (original disc) hung during install, although the expansion disc installed smoothly. In the last two weeks, the latest Dark Age of Camelot expansion (Trials of Atlantis) and Europa Universalis 2 have both hung. Both Warcraft 3 and EU2 installed with no problems using the same CD-ROM on my old system (also Windows XP Pro).
All problematic installs occur at the same point; during the first or second screen of the auto-install, when the information says “you are about to install <xxx> on your system.” I hit the Next button, and nothing happens. I end up needing to reboot. I do not even get to the screen asking me to accept the EULA. Ctl-Alt-Del allows me to state I wish to quit the application, but nothing occurs.
I’ve tried unplugging & replugging the CD-ROM’s power & IDE cables, and have manually uninstalled the device in both regular Windows XP and Safe Mode, to allow Windows to re-install drivers. No drivers for Windows XP for this drive were available on Creative’s site; the FAQ said to go with the drivers installed by Windows.
I’ve gotten around the issue by copying the entire disc to my hard drive and then installing off of the hard drive, but I’d feel better knowing what was going on. Could it be some strange hang-up with my new motherboard (ABIT IS7-E)? On post, the BIOS usually correctly identifies the hard drive and CD-ROM on the primary & secondary IDE channels, respectively. However, when I’m having install troubles, sometimes when I reboot I’ll see garbage characters in place of the CD-ROM drive. This only happens once; if I reboot again, it correctly identifies the drive.
Just a guess but maybe it doesn’t like the IDE controller its hooked up to, or it might not like its place on the cable in relation to whatever else is on the cable.
I have 3 hard disks, cdr/w, dvd, and a zip drive. I have a controller card and the pri and sec controllers on my board, but even so I had to try a bunch of different combinations before I could get it all to work. Some combinations resulted in the sort of errors you describe.
If you have multiple drives on the controllers, you might consider swapping them around. Also helpful to see if they’re using DMA or PIO mode. Also check your motherboard manufacturer to see if they have updates for the IDE controller drivers. If all else fails, install a controller card.
Swapping primary & secondary controllers between my single hard drive and the wonky CD-ROM drive, each set as a master on either the primary or secondary controller. No other devices are present on the IDE controllers.
Swapping a CD drive from my wife’s system to mine.
Making sure all relevant drivers – motherboard (including BIOS), CD drive, and Windows XP – are current.
Verifying that the hard drive is recognized as DMA mode, and CD-ROM is recognized as PIO within Windows.
Switching jumper settings on the CD-ROM between Master and Cable Select.
Switching the OnChip Serial ATA setting in the BIOS between Auto and Disabled; I have no SATA devices.
The problem still exists. However, further testing has found that my system isn’t locked up when the screen freezes on the Welcome page of the auto-installer. Instead, it takes literally 2-3 minutes for the next page (specifying a directory for install) to appear, and then the rest of the install occurs normally. The install will fail, however, if a really large file is accessed from the CD for more than 15 seconds or so (one of the Warcraft 3 install files was like this).
Ah well, I’m able to work around it. I figure buying a controller card and reformatting my hard drive for a fresh install of Windows are still options, but I’m not interested in exploring those avenues right now.
Verifying that the hard drive is recognized as DMA mode, and CD-ROM is recognized as PIO within Windows.
That’s the problem. You want DMA mode for everything. PIO mode is crappy and slow, which sounds exactly like the kind of performance you’re getting.
Not sure why it crapped out, but it is a Creative product.
What happens when you switch back to DMA mode on the CDROM? If it won’t stick, try another CDROM and make sure to switch it back to DMA mode, before you assume the new one is bad.
If you can’t swtich from Windows, you will have to do it in the BIOS. It’s typically a basic BIOS setup option.
In Windows XP, switched CD-ROM mode to DMA. Rebooted and verified DMA was still being used. 5 minute hang time to start Auto-Installer from Europa Universalis 2 disc.
In BIOS, disabled the auto-detect DMA mode for the secondary IDE controller. Could not disable the PIO mode (settings were Auto, and Modes 0-4; kept setting as the Auto default). Rebooted and verified DMA was still being used in Windows XP Device Manager. 5 minute hang time to start Auto-Installer.
Forgot to mention in my last post of failed diagnostics that I also replaced the IDE controller cable for the CD drive; no effect.
I appreciate you sticking with me on this one, Tim, and have learned new information on how to set my CD drives in the future. It’s a shame the darned computer isn’t cooperating…
In XP, it if detects a controller or disk error, it automatically switches to PIO mode as a way to “protect” the data.
Can you go into the Event Viewer and see if it’s reporting anything amiss?
It could be bogus chipset drivers; you might try reinstalling them.
It’s probably a bad CD or IDE controller–if you tried another CD and it exhibited the same problems, it may just be a bad IDE channel. If you’re feeling brave, you could try running your hard drive on the channel where your CD resides and see if you get disk errors. That would be fun.
Steve’s ideas are all good. I would try each of them, except for maybe the hard drive one. What does event viewer say about the big pauses?
If you try all of steve’s ideas and it’s still crapping out, try a new cdrom drive and make sure to put it back on the DMA setting. I suspect the CD ROM drive. I know you swapped it, but it won’t automatically switch to DMA if it’s one PIO, I don’t think.
I know this sucks, but it beats buying all kinds of new parts until you know what’s broken.
The problem seems to have corrected itself. I started up the machine two days ago to try some of Steve’s suggestions, and inserted a disc to see if I would get any information in the Event Viewer with a timestamp corresponding to the long pause.
No long pause occurred…the Auto-Installer started up with no long delays between screens. I verified similar activity across multiple CDs. I wanted to make sure Saturday wasn’t just “Magical Happy Computer Day” in some alternate universe, so tried the sequence again today, with similar results…no long pause.
After the DMA/PIO tests last time, I switched the computer back to its initial settings (BIOS detects everything automatically, Windows XP recognizes CD as PIO). While I’m happy the problem is gone for now, I don’t know what was different about my computer Saturday, relative to Friday or earlier in the week, that fixed the problem. A longshot theory is that my computer case somehow developed some static charge that was interfering with CD operations, and when my wife Swiffered the computer area, she grounded the case. While farfetched, it is more plausible than the idea that switching my Windows wallpaper to an image of Angel (the TV character) as a puppet had an effect (see Angel thread in TV forum for puppet details).
Thanks again for the help; I may well be back at a later date after checking out Steve’s ideas.
Something fairly simple but… As mentioned, XP will go to PIO mode if it detects excess errors. It is possible the IDE cable is faulty. Since your system is working correctly now, I wouldn’t touch it. If it acts up again you may try the simple method of switching IDE cables.
