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Q131188: Sony IDE CD-ROM Drive and 32-Bit Disk Access

Article: Q131188
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.1,3.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 26-SEP-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 3.1, 3.11 
- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you start Windows or Windows for Workgroups on a computer with a Sony CDU
55e IDE CD-ROM drive installed, you may receive a blue screen with the following
error message:

  This program tried to access your hard disk in a way that is incompatible
  with Window's 32-bit disk-access feature (*wdctrl).

CAUSE
=====

When the Sony CDU 55e IDE CD-ROM drive is installed as a "slave" to the "master"
hard disk and 32-bit disk access is enabled, the CD-ROM drive uses the same
primary IDE channel as the hard disk. The CD-ROM drive shares the hard disk's
cable, interrupt, and port (IRQ 14, 1F0h).

Because this CD-ROM drive does not meet the WD1003 specification, the master hard
disk loses 32-bit disk access capabilities and the WDCTRL driver does not load.

RESOLUTION
==========

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods:

- Move the CD-ROM drive to a secondary IDE channel on the controller card. Note
  that this method requires using separate cables for the hard disk and CD-ROM
  drive.

  For information about configuring the hardware in your computer, please
  consult the hardware documentation or manufacturer.

- Disable 32-bit disk access. To do so, double-click the 386 Enhanced icon in
  Control Panel, click the Virtual Memory button, click the Change button, then
  clear the 32-Bit Disk Access check box.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The Sony CDU 55e CD-ROM drive is typically bundled with a Future Domain 16003
IDE controller and is installed on the secondary IDE channel by default using
IRQ 15 and port 170h.

Sony's Setup program puts the ATAPI_CD.SYS driver in the CONFIG.SYS file and
Corel's CORELCDX.EXE CD-ROM extension in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The CD-ROM drive
works with either CORELCDX.EXE or MSCDEX.EXE, but both will fail if the CD-ROM
drive is installed as a slave and 32-bit disk access is enabled.

Using an enhanced IDE controller instead of a standard IDE controller does not
solve the problem under current versions of MS-DOS and Windows. Also, using
third-party 32-bit disk access drivers (such as those from OnTrack, Western
Digital, or MicroHouse) does not solve the problem.

The third-party products discussed in this article are manufactured by vendors
independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding
these products' performance or reliability.

Additional query words: 3.10 3.11

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbWin3xSearch kbWFWSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin310 kbWin311 kbWFW310 kbWFW311
Version           : WINDOWS:3.1,3.11

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