BIOS problem- no CD drives detected

[catawba]

The problem started trying to remove AOL.  AOL blocks other ISPs and I still have not figured out how to connect with Earthlink as ISP. The problem is that neither CD drive shows up on My Computer and I reset the BIOS to default and now the BIOS does not acknowledge any ATAPI, or similarly spelled, drive.

This is a Pentium 3 Gateway computer with 192 Megs of ram and a 950mhz Athlon D processor running Windows ME.

I have had computers over the last 12 years and know right much about them, except BIOS is something I have only had to change settings and not fix or upgrade.   I do not know what flash is.  I do not know what to make of the programs listed under BIOS in the Ultimate Boot CD.

This is not an immediate problem and I see it as an educational opportunity and am glad to read. I just need some guidance from someone that has been down this path.

Maybe some day I can be on the solution side, but today everything is all problems.  

[street1 (RIP)]

Welcome to Computerhope catawba. Beautiful Indian word for River People.

The name is also given to a crape myrtle that blooms purple.

Enough of my babble.LOL

Sorry about that. I grow plants for a living.
_______________________________________ _________________________

Have you tried system restore?

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsME/using/computerhealth/articles/systemrestore.asp

[panboy]

So you saying your Reset you Bios To Default?

Frist i would like to know why You did this as aol is on the Software Level, and You Bios is Hardware Level..

If you could post the model number of you Computer, or its Full spec List it could Help in the Trouble Shooting.

Did you open the Case, and change any Hare ware?

You most like likely have to go into your Bios and Change the IDE Settings.
there should be a page in the BIOS for IDE Devices , you need to find theis and set Everything to automatic.
IF you need help Doing that post back

[catawba]

This is a Gateway ATXSTF OXN Select K&-950 Computer.

Removing AOL removed a DLL file and besides that I could still not connect using Earthlink ISP. I was going to reinstall windows but the CD drive would nto autodetect and RUN would not recognize a D or E drive. I changed AUTO detect to CDROM and it did not work and then I just reset everything.

So now that I was told to look in the IDE section, I saw "Type" at the bottom and that is where I  reset to AUTO detect. Now the BIOS recognizes two ATAPI drives and I again cannot get tje drives to work.

Question1 at this point is "Shouldn't these drives show in My Computer?"  I think they should be drives D and E, but I see nothing.

Question2 would have to be "How do I get the CD drives to work?"

Thanks for all the help.  At least my BIOS scare is over.

[patio]

Playing around in the BIOS when you had a software issue got you to this point...
Open the case ( with all power sources unplugged ) and find your CMOS battery....bout the size of a dime on the MBoard. Carefully remove it wait 10 minutes and while its out turn on the power switch to discharge stored energy.
Replace the battery  hook up the power supply and re-boot the machine.
This restores your BIOS settings to default and the drives should now be seen by both the BIOS and Windows...

patio.                               8-)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

[catawba]

Taking the battery out fixed it. Thanks so much everyone.

Now I will undertake installing Linux on a different hard drive.  Hopefully, I will not have to tax the board for help.

Thanks again.

[patio]

Glad to hear you got it solved and Welcome Aboard...

[Dread]

Cheers....  Patio & Catawba !!