Hi David,

> If one IDE channel has a supported hard disk, and the second channel has
> a CD-ROM or another type of drive that requires Real-mode drivers.
> Because there must be serialization between the two IDE channels,
> Windows cannot access the hard disk in Protected mode and use the other
> device in Real mode. When this occurs, the Protected-mode driver is not
> initialized and the NOIDE switch is placed in the registry to prevent
> future errors. Both disk devices can then operate in Real mode.

[snip]

> Intel 82371 AB/EB PCI Bus Master IDE Controller (This is present)

Your perserverence has paid off, methinks! I think you've hit the nail on
the head.

A thought occurs to me: Perhaps you can force the NOIDE swich in the
registry. This would, according to the note above, force both devices into
Real Mode. If the switch is not there, either Windows didn't find cause
(perhaps erroneously) to add it or something happened during installation.
Presuming your CD-ROM is a realmode device, it seems you need this switch.

Do you have the both devices on the same IDE channel? Is the CD slave to the
Master? Or do they operate off different channels?

Cheers,

Mike Whalen

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