CD/DVD drive selection for Win 98 SE build....does it matter? \ VOGONS

CD/DVD drive selection for Win 98 SE build....does it matter?

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First post, by draetheus

Posted on 2021-01-11, 21:31

draetheus Offline

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I have agonized over and purchased most of the components for my overkill Windows 98 SE build (socket 775). As I understand Windows 98 SE supports installing directly from CD, so I don't think I need a floppy drive. I will need a CD/DVD drive for OS installation, loading drivers, and of course games. Does selection here matter or can I just pick whatever is convenient/cheap? Does a SATA drive through an IDE adapter work just as well as a native IDE drive? It's unlikely I will ever burn CDs/DVDs from this system, I just need to read them.

Reply 1 of 2, by firage

Posted on 2021-01-11, 22:57

firage Offline

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For 98SE and DOS, you might pay some attention to picking a drive with functional Red Book audio via analog out to the sound card. There's no CD audio via the bus in DOS, and even in 98SE it depends on your sound drivers. SATA as well as many late PATA drives don't necessarily offer that.

My big-red-switch 486

Reply 2 of 2, by _UV_

Posted on 2021-01-11, 23:55

_UV_ Offline

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Old drives let's say CD-ROM upto 24x and CD-RW upto 12/8/32 may be very picky then coexist with other devices on same channel and have troubles with transfer modes past MWDMA/PIO4.

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