CHAPTER 13

CD/DVD Software and Drivers Chapter 13
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and prompts you to install the correct drivers if it can’t find them in its standard arsenal of device
drivers.
Using Windows 9x along with a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive that conforms to the ATAPI specification
does not require you to do anything. All the driver support for these drives is built into Windows
9x, including the ATAPI driver and the CDFS VxD driver.
If you are running a SCSI CD-ROM drive under Windows 9x, you still need the ASPI driver that goes
with your drive. The ASPI driver for your drive usually comes from the drive manufacturer and is
included with the drive in most cases. However, by arrangement with hardware manufacturers,
Windows 9x usually includes the ASPI driver for most SCSI host adapters and also automatically runs
the CDFS VxD virtual device driver. In some rare cases, you might have to install an updated driver
that you have obtained from the manufacturer.
When you install a PnP SCSI host adapter in a Windows 9x system, simply booting the computer
should cause the operating system to detect, identify, and install drivers for the new device. When the
driver for the host adapter is active, the system should detect the SCSI devices connected to the
adapter and again load the appropriate drivers automatically.
The only problem you might encounter is if you are installing a new device, such as a DVD-ROM
drive, on an older version of Windows. Windows 98 includes drivers for most of the DVD-ROM drives
on the market, but Windows 95 was released before these devices existed. In this case, you will probably
have to supply a device driver on floppy disk, in response to a request from the OS, during the
installation process.
DOS SCSI Adapter Driver
For DOS users, of course, the installation process is not so easy. Each SCSI adapter model has a specific
driver that enables communication between the PC and the SCSI interface. Normally, these drivers
conform to the the SCSI interface. Normally, these drivers conform to the ASPI. The ASPI driver for
the drive connects with the ASPI driver for the SCSI host adapter; this is how the adapter and the
drive communicate. An ASPI driver should be provided both with your SCSI drive and with the host
adapter. Documentation should also have been included that walks you through the installation of
the software.
Most SCSI adapters come with an installation program that automates the process of installing the
appropriate ASPI drivers, both for the adapter and for the devices connected to the SCSI bus. However,
you can manually add the SCSI device driver to your CONFIG.SYS file. In the CONFIG.SYS file, add the
name and path of the appropriate driver with the DEVICE= command (replace C:\DRIVERS with the
actual location of your files and MYSCSI.SYS with the actual name of your SCSI driver):
DEVICE=C:\DRIVERS\MYSCSI.SYS
C:\DRIVERS is the subdirectory into which you copied the SCSI ASPI device drivers. Some drivers have
option switches or added commands that, for example, enable you to view the progress of the driver
being loaded.
DOS ATAPI CD-ROM Device Driver
This driver should be a part of your basic installation kit as well. If not, contact the drive’s manufacturer
for the proper device driver for your SCSI card.
The device driver should come with an installation program that prompts you for the memory I/O
address for the SCSI adapter to which you’ve connected the CD-ROM drive. This device driver enables
the adapter to communicate with the drive through the SCSI bus. Installation programs add a line
similar to the following to your CONFIG.SYS file (replace MYCDROM.SYS with the actual name of
your CD-ROM driver file and C:\DRIVERS with the actual location of your files):