| At one time, it was so
easy... Back then, a CD inserted in a CD-ROM drive started
automatically if the CD was programmed to do so.
Unfortunately, due to concerns about one limited
aspect of control of corporate and government PCs, this is no longer quite
as dependable as it was. This emphasis on control does make it
slightly more
difficult for rogue employees to run unexpected programs on closed
corporate networks or steal data, but those of us who rely upon CDs as an
inexpensive, convenient way to convey information have lost considerable
convenience.
What can you do if you put your CD in
the CD-ROM drive and the CD does not start?
Let's try several steps in order. The chances
are that before you exhaust the list your CD will be running.
Step #1:
Remove the CD-ROM from the drive, replace it in the drive, close the
drive, and wait 30 seconds.
Sometimes that makes all the difference, especially for Windows 98
and Windows 95 users!
Step #2:
If step #1 didn’t work, try this:
Users of Windows NT, XP, and 2000 may need to do this.
What we'll be doing is telling the computer where to look for the CD.
Leave the CD in the CD-ROM
drive for this step.
- Open your Internet Browser (usually Internet Explorer) by clicking the
icon. It probably looks something like this on your screen.
- Then, find the
"address bar" on your screen and click once on it:
(That's the place at the top of your
screen where the addresses of websites you visit appear)
(We used our own website,
www.betweenthelakes.com,
as an example)
After you click on the address, it will light up as shown above.
- Then, type the letter
of your CD-ROM drive, followed by a colon
(usually D:) in the
address line you just clicked on.
Internet Explorer will add a "\" character to complete the address
- Now, double click on the address bar (or click on the "Go" button on the right side of the
screen). Your screen now will look something like the example below:
You'll
then see a list of files or symbols (called "icons") that represent files. One of them
will be named "index.htm"
or just plain "index".
- Double-click on the "index" icon.
The
CD should open, and you should be underway.
Step #3: Even if step #2 did not
work, we're a long way from being out of bullets. This time,
leave the CD-ROM in the drive. Locate the program called "Windows
Explorer". This program has been more or less hidden since the days
of Windows 98, so you will need to do some looking to find it. If
you're using Windows XP, here's where it's hiding.
Click "start"
Click "All programs"
Click "Accessories"
Click "Windows Explorer" which will
open. In Windows Explorer, locate your CD-ROM drive, and click on
it. You'll then see a list
of files or icons for files. One of them will be named "index.htm".
Double-click on it, or click the "Go" button. The CD should open,
and you should be underway.
Step #4: If step #3 didn't work,
the problem does become a bit more complex. The possible reasons
include the following: (1) The CD-ROM could be defective (this is unlikely since
we test most CDs before we ship them. If they don't start, we don't
ship it. We replace it with a CD that does work.
However, CDs can be damaged in shipping, and handling can also make them
unreadable). (2) The CD-ROM drive could be defective. They are
mechanical devices and they do break and just plain wear out. However,
they are inexpensive to purchase, and not difficult to install. (3) You have been
locked out of the capability of running CD-ROMs on your PC.
We will need to test each of these
possibilities, at least until we have a definitive reason why it doesn't
work (or it starts to do what it is built to do). Here's how to test
each of them:
--How to tell if the CD is bad:
The easiest way is to try it in a different PC (ideally one running
Windows 98 that is not part of a local area network (LAN)). If you
are at home, possibly there is a second PC in the house you can try it
on. If you're at work, possibly you can try the CD at home.
In any case, there's usually a public library somewhere nearby. Do
their public access PCs have CD-ROM drives? Try it on one of them.
Another way is to try a known good CD in
the drive. Does it work in this drive where ours does not?
If that's true, there may indeed be a problem with our CD. Please
let us know if that is the case.
--How to tell if the CD-ROM drive is
bad: The easiest way once again is to try a CD that you know
is good. If that CD doesn't work for that CD, you've demonstrated that the
problem is with the drive, not with the CD. However, the problem
may either be with the drive itself, OR it may be with controls that
prevent you using CDs in the CD-ROM drive (i.e. you are locked out).
We'll eliminate that possibility next.
--How to tell if you are locked out:
Unfortunately, if you are trying to use the CD at work, this is a
reasonable possibility. Some clues to look for:
- Do you have to get someone with an
"Administrator" sign-on to work on your PC for complicated
tasks like installing new programs?
- Do you receive frequent warnings from
your management or your technical staff that all activity on your PC
is monitored?
- Do you work in an organization that is
subject to such regulatory requirements as HIPAA? Military or
law enforcement security constraints?
If any of these apply to your workplace,
you may need to confine your use of the CD to your home or other place
where you have PC access.
Some general information
about turning the CD/DVD autoplay function on and off -- this
applies to Windows XP Home and Professional editions particularly.
(Fair warning: this is going to get a little
technical, so you may want to check with your favorite PC expert before
undertaking this!)
"GPE" -- short for the Group
Policy Editor -- has a setting that controls autoplay (as well as
numerous other fairly arcane functions). To access it, click
"Start" and "Run". Enter gpedit.msc. For this setting, you
will need to expand the "Computer Configuration" folder. Here you
will go to Administrative Templates | System and locate the "Turn off
autoplay" option. If it says "not configured" your system is set
to autoplay CDs (at least as far as this control is concerned). It
it is set to anything else, this could be the source of your problem.
(Thanks to PC Magazine for this useful tip!).
Here's a variation on this
theme you may find at the office, especially if your office network is
running one of the Windows Server operating systems. Just as you
can affect the "policy" setting for autoplay on your own non-networked
PC, the system administrator of the network can set policy for the whole
network. It's done through the "Active Directory Users and
Computers" console of the "Active Directory" on the server -- something
your administrator is very familiar with, and which you're unlikely ever
to see. All the administrator needs to do is turn off autoplay for
the entire domain via a Group Policy setting. Unless you are
the administrator, or you have some great influence over him or her,
you're not going to be able to override this setting at your client PC.
Sorry!
Want to discuss any of this with us at Between the
Lakes Group? Here's contact information.
We hope this information has been helpful to you.
Please let us have your suggestions for how we can improve this page.
Contact us! |
