CDR101: Not ready reading drive

[Makaveli]

I just formated a computer, and when I went to install Windows 98 back onto it, I get the message:

CDR101: Not ready reading drive E (E: being the CD-ROM)
Abort, Retry, Fail?

I've tried everyhing I can think of, but nothing works.. Any ideas?

Edit: It does this with all CD's I try

-MaK

[General Failure]

Hi:


It might help to tell us what the pc is and it's configuration.

Check the bios setup to see if the cd is reported.

Laptops with external cd's require specialty dos drivers
on the rescue disk to be recognized.

Check the cd cables make sure they are connected.

Try another cd


G.F.

[amdkt7]

I assume you formated the c: and have booted with a floppy.

If so you can not acess the cdrom drive without drivers for the cd.

Use a Win98 machine, go to the control panel, add/remove programs, and click the start up disk tab and click create disk. Use this disk to boot the blank computer. You will get three options, you can pick run windows setup from cd. It will find a universal driver to enable the cd drive

A win 95b disk gives you better selection of options and sometimes better drivers -

Some old junk I have needed the orig drivers - some worked on 95 and a few worked 98.

wiz

[Makaveli]

I have already used the bootdisk I have created at bootdisk.com. That is the only reason I am as far as I am now, without the bootdisk I can't even get anywhere but BIOS settings. When in the command and i type E:, it brings me to that directory. When at E: I type "setup" (or anything) and it gives the error message. I have tried 2 different 98 bootdisks, and have looked for different drivers and everything, but I can't seem to get them to work. I have tried booting from CD but that does not work either. This error happens with all CD's I try.. Any other ideas?

PS. This is actually a friends PC I am helping him with.. Or Trying..

-MaK

[amdkt7]

Are your sure the cd is still E: drive?

check with fdisk and make sure c and d are harddrives.

I would be inclined to remove the hardrive and put it in an other machine and copy the cab files from the cd on to the hard drive, put the drive back in original machine, boot and run setup from c: drive.

[cadetstimp]

Sounds like a partially connected IDE cable....I wold check the CDROM and mobo connections making suure connected all the way and without any bent pins.

[Makaveli]

Checked the cable, everything is plugged in correctly..

-MaK

[NDC]

1. Look at the DOS screen and it will tell you what letter the CDROM is assigned... Does it tell you that the CDROM drive was assigned "E"?


2. Have you tried typing dir at the E prompt? I'm wondering if this is the drive letter with the setup.exe file... Because you apparently aren't getting any error messages that it's an invalid drive... Maybe the RAMDRIVE was assigned drive E?

[Killdare]

I am also having the same problem, it doesnt metter what cd rom i use still the same message ....it almost looks like the ram isnt being read any solutions?

[jrgrad1912]

Just had the CDR101 not ready reading M drive while trying to reformat an HP with 98SE. I slide in an old cdwriter I had on the shelf and restarted the computer and the recovery was able to start. So check the CD cables and try a different cd drive.