I/O device error

ianirving,

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Please try the following steps to resolve the issue with the CD drive:

2. Try reseatting the drive.
4. Were there any hardware or software changes to the system right before this problem started?
   For example, have any PCMCIA or USB devices been added to this system? Has memory been upgraded? Have any software programs been recently installed?
6. Is the drive seen in Windows?
   Check My Computer to see if a drive letter has been assigned for the drive.
8. See if the drive can be accessed outside the Operating system, in a DOS environment.
   To do this you can boot from a diskette, such as the Windows98 installation diskette, or Dell Storage Diagnostics, or you can try to boot directly to a bootable CD, such as the Windows NT/98 CD, or the Dell Resource CD.
10. During boot enter CMOS and reset BIOS defaults.
    Restart your computer and when the Dell logo appears on the screen, press [F2] to enter it. Hold [Alt] and [F] simultaneously or press [F9] to reset the BIOS to the factory default configuration. Press [Esc] or [F10] to save the changes and exit the BIOS.
12. Troubleshoot using Device Manager.
    • Right click on My Computer, and select Properties from the Menu that appears.
    • Go to the Tab that says Device Manager in the System Properties, and look for any device with "X" or "!" next to it. If you find a device that is marked, remove it from the Device Manager and physically from the system if possible.

13. Note: It is normal for the IDE Controllers to indicate a problem since the system is running in MSDos Compatibility Mode when booted to Safe Mode. Check the Performance tab in System Properties. If the MSDos Compatibility Mode message is accompanied by a message indicating Master Boot Record Modified, then the system has a virus, and the customer will need to get a virus scanner to clean it. Clear NVRAM before trying to reboot the system normally. If Windows 95 boots normally, try reinstalling the affected Device or Driver.

14. Trouble-shoot using msconfig.

15. • Go to Start | Run. On the Command Line in the Run window that appears, type msconfig and click OK.

16. After a few seconds the System Configuration Utility will appear.
18. On the General tab, choose Selective Startup and remove the check marks from all of the Check boxes below. Note: Some items under Selective Startup may be grayed out so that you cannot select them. This indicates that the corresponding file does not exist. Click OK at the bottom of the System Configuration Utility.
20. When prompted, select Yes for the dialogue asking if you wish to restart Windows.
22. If the problem you were trouble-shooting has been resolved, go back into the System Configuration Utility by going to Start | Run and typing msconfig, again.
24. Put a check mark back into one of the check boxes you cleared on step C.
26. Click OK on the System Configuration Utility, and click Yes to reboot the system when prompted.
28. Repeat steps E through G, adding a check mark for each item under Selective Startup, until the problem returns.
30. Once you have identified which item is causing the problem by using Selective Startup, Select Normal Startup on the General Tab, and then select the Tab that corresponds to the file that is causing the problem you are trying to trouble-shoot (ie, System.ini, Startup, etc.).
32. On the tab for the specific file, you should see a number of check boxes, corresponding to the items that are loaded by this file. By removing the Check mark for an item, and rebooting, you can determine exactly which item is causing the problem.
34. Note that on the System.ini and Win.ini tabs, each item has a "+" next to it. By clicking on the "+" sign, you can see what is loading in each section of the file. Lines that have a small Windows98 Symbol beside them are necessary for the system to boot correctly, so removing the check mark from one of these lines will make the system load the default value for that line on the next boot, instead of the possibly different value listed in the System Configuration Utility.
36. Once you have determined exactly which item is causing the problem, the affected item can be left unchecked if it does not affect system operation, or it should be corrected

If these fail, you should consider contacting Dell Support for a solution.