First post, by AB75
- Rank
- Newbie
So I have a Gateway 2000 486 DX2 66Mhz I bought new in 1993. It came with a Sony CDU-33a cd drive.
In the manual it says that newer models (the one I have) would come with the CDU-33a, not the previous
CDU-31a. Anyway, I remember it came with several CDs. So, I hook up this thing after 15 years and it works perfectly.
The cd-rom, soundcard settings still in the original working AUTOEXEC and CONFIG files, no errors during boot up.
The strange thing is, all the CDs I have from 1993 are in perfect condition and read fine one other systems
I have tried, older and newer. On my old 486 however, all except one are unable to be read. When I insert this one particular CD,
I can go through all directories and run the disc fine. All other discs however, I get "Not reading drive E:" when inserted.
I have tried many different settings and configurations as well as MSCDEX versions and all yield the same result:
replacing CDU-33a with several working condition drives from ebay.
replacing all cables (this was pointless as the cdu-31a works perfectly with these cables)
replacing several working soundcards with 34 pin interface to connect to cd-rom
using working soundcard with no 34 pin interface and using working cd-rom controller.
various CONFIG/AUTOEXEC edits (I am still familiar with DOS and have tried every IRQ,DMA setting, using QEMM/MEMMAKER etc.)
Now, I then bought a Sony CDU-31a from ebay and with my current AUTOEXEC/CONFIG files,
the cd-rom plays every disc perfectly with the rom drive connected to the 34 pin interface of the soundcard
as well as only connected to a separate controller card.
So as having literally trying every solution to get the CDU-33a to work with every disc, I still don't understand how
a cd-rom drive can only play one disc and not any others all from the same era and known to be working. I don't remember if these
CDs played on the 33a back in 1993, just discovered this recently. Normally, I would never put this
much effort into something like this, its just the fact that only one disc plays on it blows my
mind. Thanks.
CONFIG.SYS:
Lastdrive = E
Device = C:\DOS\setver.exe
Device = C:\DOS\himem.sys
DOS = HIGH
Files = 50
Stacks = 9256
Device = C:\SB16\DRV\csp.sys /P:220
Device = \DEV\slcd.sys /D:Sony_000 /B:230 /M:P /V /C
AUTOEXEC.BAT:
@ECHO OFF
C:\DOS\smartdrv.exe
prompt $p$g
PATH C:\WINDOWS; C:\DOS; C:\MACH32
SET TEMP = C:\DOS
COMMAND
SET BLASTER = A220 I10 D1 H5 P330 T6
SET SOUND = C:\SB16
C:\SB16\SB16SET /M:220 /VOC:220 /CD:230 /MIDI:220 /Line:220 /Treble: 0
C:\SB16\sbconfig.exe /S
C:\BIN\mscdex.exe /D:Sony_000
lmouse
