Win98se Usb Cd Issue Revisited

HarryPotter · Jan 15, 2020

I still have an issue with a Windows 98SE computer. Its CD-ROM drive is broken. I have a USB CD drive I can use while waiting to get the computer repaired. I tried to get the computer to recognize the drive but couldn't. IIRC, the drive wasn't recognized. I have USB drivers and tried to install the driver manually. The drive was still not recognized. How do I get it to work?

BTW, I also have three devices to connect to two ports. How do I get a hub to work?

foogoo · Jan 15, 2020

What are you trying to do, reload Win98? Have you went into the BIOS to see if it can boot from USB? Do you have another computer that works? If you have a floppy in that Win98 machine & another you can make a boot disk with plop boot loader and try that.

HarryPotter · Jan 16, 2020

I am not trying to reload Win98. I just want to use CDs in Windows mode. DOS mode is good, too, though.

foogoo · Jan 16, 2020

Sorry, somewhere in my head the "issue" was you were trying to boot from CD... have you seen this? https://www.raymond.cc/blog/how-to-install-usb-mass-storage-device-on-windows-98/
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/533958/how-to-make-usb-ports-work-on-win98se/
Get an USB hub that is 1.1 compatible (likely the ports arent 2.0) - a powered hub is best.
Does the USB CD ROM manufacture's site say it will work with 98??

plodr · Jan 16, 2020

Because 98 is NOT plugin and play, I vaguely remember tracking down and installing a universal USB driver. I think it was for USB sticks, not external optical drives.

Here's one but I'm not sure it will work on a newer USB CD device.
http://retrosystemsrevival.blogspot.com/2018/05/usb-drivers-for-windows-98.html

You'd do better writing the CDs to USB sticks because there are 98SE drivers for USB sticks. Then run the CD contents off the stick.
I suspect you won't find a CD driver that will work in 98SE.

I use IMGBURN to create an ISO from a CD.
This outlines how to use Rufus to "burn" the ISO to a stick. I've never used Rufus.
https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-burn-an-iso-file-to-a-usb-drive-2619270

This might do it and seems easier.

HarryPotter · Jan 17, 2020

I thank both of you for your input. I have software that will create the ISO images, but I want to read real CDs on the Win98SE computer.

plodr · Jan 17, 2020

I don't think you will find a driver, which 98SE needs for a newer USB CD drive for 2 reasons: there is no "universal CD driver for external optical drives only for storage devices and no one is writing drivers for very old versions of Windows for newer models of external CD drives.

The one external drive I had with Windows 9x was an iOmega Zip drive. It connected to a parallel port. USB connections were not common while Windows 98SE was in its heyday.

Good luck searching.

HarryPotter · Jan 17, 2020

Thank you.

Eldon · Jan 18, 2020

HarryPotter said: ↑

but I want to read real CDs on the Win98SE computer.
Click to expand...

It much easier to create ISO images of the CDs and mount them in a Virtual Drive on the Win98SE PC which is like a CD Drive running at 200x.

HarryPotter · Jan 18, 2020

I have the software to do just that. I really want to use real CDs, though.

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Win98se Usb Cd Issue Revisited

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