Anyone get an Iomega Predator CDRW working in XP?

[robisc]

I got this Iomega CDRW drive for a PC here at work, don't know why they decided to buy these slow things, anyways, it apparently isn't supported in XP, there are no drivers and I can't even get it to work at all, Windows won't even show it as a drive, device mgr shows it as being disabled with a code 10. Any suggestions?

 

[c0rv1d43]

Sometimes I wonder if there might not be more than one variety of this Iomega Predator CD-RW drive floating around out there. Mine has model number ZIPCD1024EXT on the bottom sticker. It's a combo firewire / USB drive. (You add a little SUB adapter to it for USB connections.) I've used it connected via USB without installing any other drivers than what WinXP supplied with several different different machines and with RC1, RC2, WinXP Home Edition and WinXP Pro. For a USB drive it's as fast as any other since 4X is the limit anyway. I actually haven't tried the 1394 connection, though I intend to some time. (The only personal machines I have at present that have 1394 connectors are desktop systems with IDE CD writers, so there hasn't been any motivation.)

I did have a problem with the drive becoming classified as a regular CD-ROM while connected to my notebook computer. Oddly enough this happened right after I went to the Windows Update site and installed (among other things) a CD writer compatibility update. I have had an online conversation with another person who ran into the same issue. In my case, I restored function by removing the drive AND the USB Mass Storage Device from DM, then removing the Microsoft update patch (Q309691), then rebooting to get the USB Mass Storage Device and the drive to be redetected, then re-installing the Microsoft update patch. When I conveyed that information to the other person having the problem he got back to me with the information that just removing the update patch and then re-installing it got his drive back into functioning form.

BTW, whilst I was fiddling around trying to figure out that momentary glitch I did download the latest version of the Iomegaware software / driver package. Installing it mad no difference. I removed it, also, and have not bothered re-installing it. The drive functions perfectly with both the built-in WinXP writing software and with Nero 5.5.6.4.

If it is listed as being "disabled with a code 10" in the DM, how is it listed / what is it listed as being? Don't think I've seen this particular issue before. Is this the only drive of its type there are work, or are there others? Have you swapped them around any?

- Collin

 

[AmigaMan]

c0rv1d43, that was a great post! Very informative and helpful even though I don't have a Predator. I'm upgrading to XP soon (once I send in my free upgrade coupon from Dell) and will be getting an external CDRW sometime next year so the information you posted may help me later.

 

[c0rv1d43]

AmigaMan, with any luck at all you won't have to do the install-uninstall two-step with anything on your system. Most devices on most systems I've tested under WinXP have worked flawlessly right from the beginning. Even the Predator drive in question didn't give me any trouble until I did that update. I'm still not certain whether Microsoft put up an earlier version of the patch that botched the drive or whether there was some sort of weird interplay between devices / software messing things up. I don't care much for mysteries. If this issue ever comes back I'm going to be on it like white on rice to see if I can determine the actual cause.

So, do you have one of the old Amigas? I loved those things, though I never owned one. Some of the demos still haunt my memory. Would love to locate some of them, if I had the ability to run them.

- Collin

Edit: Wow! Just checked your signature. You do have an Amiga, though I guess not one of the really, really old ones. I was using an Apple //e with an 8 megabyte non-volatile RAM disk back in the days of the Amiga. I loved my applications, but graphics on the Amiga made my eyes pop out!

 

[robisc]

c0rv1d43 you are the man, THANKS. I uninstalled the Microsoft update patch (Q309691) and rebooted and then the drive installed with the generic Win drivers, it shows up in Dev mgr as a Zip USB CD though not as a RW, but Nero sees it as a RW drive just fine. Before this fix the Device was showing up as a USB mass storage device with a code 10. Now that same device shows up also but without the conflict code. All seems well except for the "safely remove hardware" icon in the taskbar, have any ideas on how to get rid of this, it won't hide either?

 

[c0rv1d43]

I don't think Windows XP wants you to remove the safe removal icon from Systray, though you can probably get it to hide. You should always use the safe removal procedure when removing the drive, I think. I always do, and WinXP hasn't spanked me yet.

To hide it, click on the Customize button beside the "Hide Inactive Icons" item in the Taskbar properties dialog. If you click on any item in the list, you'll see a drop-down appear. That drop-down should let you choose among: always hide, never hide, hide when inactive -- or something along those lines. I have everything showing all the time because I like lots of little icons down there in the tray. (Actually I do it because I'm ancient, and likely to forget that they're there if I don't see 'em.)



- Collin