VOGONS


First post, by SteveC

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Hi all,

I've picked up a parallel port CDROM Drive (Freecom Classic Series 'Berlin' F-PDI) but I can't find any software for it - I'm hoping to use this in DOS on old PCs...

Anyone by chance got drivers for this?

Cheers,
Steve

EDIT - Archive.org might be to the rescue here (https://web.archive.org/web/20010701123752/ht … SI&name=CLASSIC) but no serial numbers seem to match, I'll just start trying every one I can find 😀

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Reply 1 of 14, by SteveC

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The very first one I tried worked 😀 cla950d.exe if anyone's interested!

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Reply 2 of 14, by SteveC

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Well now I'm actually trying to use it, it doesn't really work - I can read the contents of a CD but trying to copy files I get not ready reading errors. Sometimes it works but generally doesn't. I've tried other CDROM drives in the enclosure too to no different effect.

edit 1: What's weird is that I can e.g. EDIT a file to open and view it fine in DOS, but if I try and copy it, it fails.

edit 2: Oh it works fine on a Windows 98 laptop using the Windows drivers (cla940w.exe) , it just doesn't want to work in DOS (main reason I bought it! 🙁 )

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Reply 3 of 14, by Horun

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Did you try one any of the /m: parameters in DOS as in the Info.txt (device=POWER-CD.SYS /d:[Name] /m:xx /p=yyy) ?
Maybe try the other DOS drivers like: cla812d.exe ??

Hate posting a reply and then have to edit it because it made no sense 😁 First computer was an IBM 3270 workstation with CGA monitor. https://archive.org/details/@horun

Reply 4 of 14, by SteveC

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Horun wrote on 2022-03-12, 21:56:

Did you try one any of the /m: parameters in DOS as in the Info.txt (device=POWER-CD.SYS /d:[Name] /m:xx /p=yyy) ?
Maybe try the other DOS drivers like: cla812d.exe ??

Yeah I've tried every driver I can find online with every option 😀 Just doesn't want to work in DOS

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Reply 5 of 14, by Horun

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Ok, wonder if DOS sees the LPT port different than Win9x. As long as it works in Win9x then you can try to figure out why 😀 Am out of clues ;p

Hate posting a reply and then have to edit it because it made no sense 😁 First computer was an IBM 3270 workstation with CGA monitor. https://archive.org/details/@horun

Reply 6 of 14, by PC Hoarder Patrol

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Don't know if these are any different, but might be worth a try anyway - https://web.archive.org/web/19990209100805/ht … ber.htm#classic or URL links - https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.free … .de/DOWNLOAD/p*

Compatibility List - https://web.archive.org/web/19981206232236/ht … .de/e_liste.htm

Reply 7 of 14, by SteveC

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Thanks but no good, I've tried all I can find and they either do not work at all or can only give me a directory listing but unable to copy files.

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Reply 9 of 14, by Zerthimon

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chiveicrook wrote on 2022-03-14, 20:00:

Did you try changing parallel port settings in bios?

^^ This.
Check out Parallel port access type (SPP, EPP, ECP, ECP+EPP)

Reply 10 of 14, by SteveC

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One PC I'm trying is a PS/2 model 70 - you can't change any settings. Another is a ThinkPad 560 where I can change from standard, EPP, ECP etc but no difference (this one works in Win98). Another is an old Compaq Contura 3/25 with no options for the parallel port either - as basic as you can get.

I've tried all settings on the driver - you can force it to run in basic/standard or EPP or even PS/2 mode but it behaves the same.

I did just notice though it will copy files up to 4KBytes OK, anything over just gives "CDR101: Not Ready Reading Drive D"... is this a clue? No difference on original or burned CDs.

Oh I've tried different mscdex.exe versions to no avail too.

Cheers,
Steve

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StevesTechShed
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SteveTechShed

Reply 11 of 14, by Zerthimon

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Horun wrote on 2022-03-12, 21:56:

Did you try one any of the /m: parameters in DOS as in the Info.txt (device=POWER-CD.SYS /d:[Name] /m:xx /p=yyy) ?
Maybe try the other DOS drivers like: cla812d.exe ??

So did you try setting the /m: parameters as per the mode of your parallel port you set in BIOS?

Without these parameters the fastest transfer mode is automatically selected. If there is a problem another transfer mode can be selected with this parameter.
/m:f4 Read with 4 bits Standard Parallel Port, slow mode, for computers with a unidirectional parallel port
/m:f8 Read with 8 bits bidirectional port
/m:e0 EPP mode for SMC chips (not 386!)
/m:e1 EPP mode for F-Port by FarPoint
/m:e2 EPP mode for Compaq Contura with EPP or Compaq Contura Aero with EPP
/m:e3 EPP mode for NS chips, for example on the Intel Zappa Board (only 486 and higher)
/m:e4 EPP mode for other EPPs that are turned on while booting
/m:e5 like /m:e4, but with slower speed
/m:e- suppresses EPP mode.
For computers with particularly critical parallel ports. An additional EPP mode can be entered.
/m:i3 activates the transfer mode for IBM computers with a special parallel port

Reply 13 of 14, by SteveC

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Revisiting this....

I stole the drive out of the unit as I needed a working beige drive that had no problems reading CDRs and I put in the first drive I picked up from my pile and it's a much more modern (black bezel) DVD Writer. Just testing this still works in this Freecom chassis and it works fine! It works in DOS fine too, and even on the old PS/2 Model 70! Somehow I don't think I'll be writing DVDs on a Model 70 though haha 😁

The drive I took out works fine in another PC.

Just weird! But that's old computers for you 😀

Cheers,
Steve

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StevesTechShed
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Reply 14 of 14, by Intel486dx33

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To resolve if it is a CDROM drive problem or driver issue.

Try this.

Download and create a bootable floppy diskette
Copy your CDROM driver to it.
Edit your config files for the CDROM driver ( autoexec.bat and config.sys )

Then boot off the floppy.

If it works then there is nothing wrong with your drive.
If it does not work then something is wrong with your drive or computer bios compatibility.