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CD-Rom drive disappeared

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First post, by _StIwY_

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Hello i got an AST Bravo MS-5166 machine ( P1 166mhz - Intel 430TX chipset - ATi Rage 3D ) without an HDD.

So i put inside an HDD already used for testing, and the CD-Rom was working no problem, i also copied some datas in the Win 98 SE desktop. Perfect.

Then i decided to leave the HDD inside WITHOUT a fresh installation, since it was working, but after some reboots...D: disappeared, and i can't get it back anymore, even with a fresh install of Win 98 SE.

This is what i have tried already:

1- Tried other PATA cables....no success
2- I tried the CD-Rom in another PC, and it is detected and working no problem...so the drive is ok.
3- Changed IDE 1-2 channels - Slave - Master etc.....no success.
4- Installed Intel chipset drivers......no success
5- Did a clear CMOS then tried again....no success
6- Did a fresh install of Win 98 SE from another PC, then disconnected and connected the HDD to the PC, there is still no D: even after Intel drivers installation...

Nothing worked! I'm going crazy.

It's like the CD-Rom drive got permanently deactivated in the BIOS, but there is nothing which tells you if is detected or not. It's an old BIOS, i searched online for an updated version without luck. Any ideas ? Thanks

Reply 2 of 7, by _StIwY_

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Zerthimon wrote on 2023-05-28, 16:27:

Have you tried changing the master/slave jumper on the CD-ROM drive? Is the IDE controller configured to enable both channels in the BIOS?

Looks like the BIOS is from 486 era. It shows you only HDDs not optical drives. Nothing which also tells you if drives are on master / slave.

No boot options too, i can only choose "first floppy / first hdd"

Reply 3 of 7, by Zerthimon

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Try making a DOS-bootable floppy with Oak CD-ROM driver, and then try booting it with different configurations of m/s jumper and IDE channels.

Reply 5 of 7, by Repo Man11

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This site lists 1.04 BIOS: https://www.sandyflat.net/digerati/ast486/dri … -bios/index.htm

If that's newer than what you have, there's a good chance it will give you the option of booting from the CDROM.

"A lot of times when you first start out on a project you think, This is never going to be finished. But then it is, and you think, Wow, it wasn't even worth it." - Jack Handey

Reply 6 of 7, by _StIwY_

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Repo Man11 wrote on 2023-05-28, 18:25:

This site lists 1.04 BIOS: https://www.sandyflat.net/digerati/ast486/dri … -bios/index.htm

If that's newer than what you have, there's a good chance it will give you the option of booting from the CDROM.

That BIOS is from "LC" series mine is "MS 5166". Probably it would work correctly ?

Reply 7 of 7, by Repo Man11

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_StIwY_ wrote on 2023-05-28, 20:08:
Repo Man11 wrote on 2023-05-28, 18:25:

This site lists 1.04 BIOS: https://www.sandyflat.net/digerati/ast486/dri … -bios/index.htm

If that's newer than what you have, there's a good chance it will give you the option of booting from the CDROM.

That BIOS is from "LC" series mine is "MS 5166". Probably it would work correctly ?

I don't know, you should do some research to make sure. The full text is "Bravo LC 5100/5133/5166 BIOS,v1.04"; since those three take the same BIOS, my guess is that the difference is the speed of the installed CPU. Here's an Ebay listing for a Bravo LC 5100, does that look like what you have? https://www.ebay.com/itm/115169867315

"A lot of times when you first start out on a project you think, This is never going to be finished. But then it is, and you think, Wow, it wasn't even worth it." - Jack Handey

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