Still searching for solution to IDE controller problem - regedit too drastic?

[weshuang]

I've been struggling with a problem with Win98se forcing my IDE controller (HD) into MS-Dos compatibility mode. I've tried simplifying my system. I now have a single HD on one IDE controller and a CD-ROM on the other, both configured as master, and both at the end of their cables.

I took both slave devices off of the system (a slave HD and a zip drive). Same problem, primary IDE controller reported as not working in device manager. I then swapped the controllers. The problem moved, with the primary IDE controller OK but the secondary controller reporting a problem. BIOS detects the HD fine.

I saw in another thread that one drastic way to go to solve hardware problem would be to start deleting folders in the ENUM folder of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE of the registry editor. Can some of you pros out there tell me whether I should take that step? I'm really out of ideas at this point.


:disgust:

 

[weshuang]

morning bump - I'd love to hear opinions on this...

 

[rbV5]

What about your cables? Try putting your ide drives on one cable on ide channel 1, set the HD to master and the CD rom to slave. If that doesn't work, switch cables.

 

[weshuang]

Last night I tried swapping the cables between the devices. No change in the problem, HD reports problem but CD-Rom OK. I'm assuming that this eliminates the cables as a problem?

Should I still put both devices on the controller as you suggest?

As an aside, in one iteration last night I also took the Cd-rom out of the system. Windows still had problems with the HD.

 

[GregMal]

It couldn'te be something as simple as a bad IDE cable, could it?
Greg

 

[weshuang]

I'd love for that to be true. However, I have tried swapping cables between the device that reports problems (HD) and the one that doesn't (CD-ROM) and I get no change in status.

 

[KiNeL]

Remove all HD controllers from Device Manager and reboot.

If that doesn't work go ahead and delete the ENUM section in your registry, you can always do a DOS scanreg and get back if it goes pear shaped.

This is the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Enum

 

[weshuang]

What I think is amusing about this forum is that, when I look at this thread, I see me labeled as a member (and, based on the pace of my inane questions, quickly to become a senior member), and people like KiNeL as junior member. It is evident, since I don't even know what the Dos command scanreg is, or how my computer could become shaped like a pear, that KiNeL is a true computer expert, while I manifestly am not!

Thanks to all for your help. I'm off at some point this week to try removing the device, then updating the bios, then the ENUM solution, then reformatting and reinstalling, then drinking kool-aid, not necessarily in that order.

 

[Slikkster]

weshuang, the only difference between a so-called expert and yourself is someone who's tried things (and failed!) and just gets to know by doing.
Everything I know is self-taught, pc-wise. Just try the Enum solution. You won't hurt anything by doing it.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Enum

Right-click on the "Enum" key name, choose Delete. It will ask if you're sure, click OK. Close Regedit, exit/restart windows. It will then go through the process of redetecting all your devices...

You might have to reboot a few times (when prompted by Windows) as it redetects all your devices. That's all there is to it. The worst that could happen is that you might have to download/update some drivers.