Setting Up a Creative Labs IDE CD-ROM in Windows NT

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5 and 3.51
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 3.51 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY

Windows NT 3.5 includes with an IDE CD-ROM (ATAPI 1.2) driver that should support all compact discs, versions 4x and later, that Creative Labs currently packages in its multimedia kits. This driver can be set up during or after NT Setup. The setup and troubleshooting procedures are listed below.

This article addresses the following topics:

 -Setting Up IDE CD-ROM Support During NT Setup
 -Adding IDE CD-ROM Support to NT After NT Setup
 -Troubleshooting Creative Labs IDE CD-ROMs in NT

MORE INFORMATION

Setting Up IDE CD-ROM Support During NT Setup:

During NT Setup, you will be asked if you want to perform a mass storage device scan. If you press Enter at this time, NT should find the IDE CD-ROM driver during its scan and continue.

Another option is to press S to skip the mass storage device scan, then press S again to specify your own SCSI devices, and scroll up through the list to IDE CD-ROM (ATAPI 1.2).

B. Adding IDE CD-ROM Support to NT After NT Setup:

1. In the Main Group, start the Windows NT Setup Program.

2. Under Options and click Add SCSI Adapters.

3. Select IDE CD-ROM (ATAPI 1.2) and click Install.

         NOTE: If Setup asks for disks at this point instead of prompting for
         the Current driver, quit Setup, copy the file Atapi.sys from Disk 3
         of the  Microsoft Windows NT Setup disk set to the
         %Systemroot%\System32\Drivers directory, and try this procedure
         again.
   

4. Close the Setup program and restart NT.

C. Troubleshooting Creative Labs IDE CD-ROMs in NT

Check to make sure that the IDE address, IRQ, and port match the table below:

IDE Port                              I/O Address     IRQ Lines

Primary                               1F0             14
Secondary                             170             15
Tertiary (not currently supported)    1E8             11, 12
Quaternary (not currently supported)  168             10, 11

Check the Event Viewer in the Administrative Tools group to see if the driver loaded properly.

Use the NT Diagnostics program in the Administrative Tools group to find hardware conflicts.

If the CD-ROM drive is the only device on its cable, make sure that it is set to Master. If the CD-ROM drive shares its cable with a hard drive, set the hard drive to Master and the CD-ROM drive to Slave.

Disable the Sound Blaster IDE port via jumpers on the Sound Blaster card (refer to the Creative Labs documentation for jumper settings) and try the CD- ROM drive on the existing IDE port.

The third-party products discussed here are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.