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Win 8.1 Issues and Questions.
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![]() Send message Joined: 22 Jul 99 Posts: 768 Credit: 24,140,697 RAC: 0 ![]() |
Need some help. I bought Win 8.1 and a dvd drive to upgrade from XP. But Microsoft won't give me a driver for it - apparently, driver support for XP ended when the upgrades ended earlier this month. The Manufacturer (ASUS) says in the install instructions that Windows will provide the driver, and I can't find a driver on their website - only some useless utilities that came on the software CD. So I'm in a box - I need the DVD drive driver to install Win 8.1 but need the new OS to get the driver! Windows installed a CD driver from 2001, and I only see 3.9GB on the Win 8.1 disk. It won't autorun and I can't boot from it. My feeble searches come up with numerous people offering free drivers, but the catch is that you have to buy their software to get a driver. Even if I pay them, they probably get their drivers from Microsoft and will just tell me tough luck. Can anyone provide a driver or a link to a genuinely free download site? The model number is Asus DRW24B3ST. I don't care about the write capabilities, just need to read the entire disk. Another Fred Support SETI@home when you search the Web with GoodSearch or shop online with GoodShop. ![]() |
OzzFan ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 9 Apr 02 Posts: 15691 Credit: 84,761,841 RAC: 28 ![]() ![]() |
I'm confused... Windows has had built-in support for CD drives since Windows 95, and DVD support since Windows 98. You don't need separate drivers for such things to be loaded, in general. Let's start at the beginning. Firstly, 3.9GB sounds about right for the install disc so I don't think you're missing anything. Secondly, have you told your BIOS to boot from the DVD? And is this DVD bootable? Autorun can get disabled if you click-away the auto-start dialog box too many times. Can you manually open the DVD icon and launch the SETUP application? |
![]() Send message Joined: 22 Jul 99 Posts: 768 Credit: 24,140,697 RAC: 0 ![]() |
I'm confused... Windows has had built-in support for CD drives since Windows 95, and DVD support since Windows 98. You don't need separate drivers for such things to be loaded, in general. I have tried changing BIOS boot priority, and also tried the one-time sequence change option. It gives a message "press any key to boot from the optical drive" or something like that. When I press a key it skips to the next boot priority. Don't know how to tell if the disk is bootable. How do I find out if autorun is disabled? I tried auto play from the properties box but got the message that it is not a 32 bit app. Yes, I tried running setup.exe from the root dirctory and it failed - 64 bit app in a 32 bit os. Edit: I don't think I see all files because the disk space used is identical to the disk capacity, per the properties box. I don't have another dvd to see what size it is. Another Fred Support SETI@home when you search the Web with GoodSearch or shop online with GoodShop. ![]() |
OzzFan ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 9 Apr 02 Posts: 15691 Credit: 84,761,841 RAC: 28 ![]() ![]() |
I have tried changing BIOS boot priority, and also tried the one-time sequence change option. It gives a message "press any key to boot from the optical drive" or something like that. When I press a key it skips to the next boot priority. Don't know how to tell if the disk is bootable. Sounds like the disc doesn't contain a boot record and therefore is getting skipped. This is a bit unusual as most Windows discs are bootable. Do you have another machine you can test it in? How do I find out if autorun is disabled? I tried auto play from the properties box but got the message that it is not a 32 bit app. Yes, I tried running setup.exe from the root dirctory and it failed - 64 bit app in a 32 bit os. Ah, so the SETUP routine is a 64bit app and won't run under 32bit OS. This means you'll have to get the boot portion working properly in order to upgrade, so we'll have to focus on that. |
![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 11 Sep 99 Posts: 6534 Credit: 196,805,888 RAC: 57 ![]() ![]() |
I have tried changing BIOS boot priority, and also tried the one-time sequence change option. It gives a message "press any key to boot from the optical drive" or something like that. When I press a key it skips to the next boot priority. Don't know how to tell if the disk is bootable. It is also worth noting that an upgrade can not be preformed when switching platforms, x86 to x64 in this case, & a new installation of windows will be required. If you see the message "Press any key to boot from the disc..." then chances are pretty good you are booting from the disc. Something just seems to have gone a bit wrong in the booting. Is this a MS disc or did you do the buy online and down an ISO to burn option? I would try the disc in another machine and/or try another disc in the drive to make sure it boots. SETI@home classic workunits: 93,865 CPU time: 863,447 hours ![]() |
OzzFan ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 9 Apr 02 Posts: 15691 Credit: 84,761,841 RAC: 28 ![]() ![]() |
It is also worth noting that an upgrade can not be preformed when switching platforms, x86 to x64 in this case, & a new installation of windows will be required. An in-place upgrade from XP to Windows 8.1 isn't possible to begin with. ;-) But it's good that you brought it up as I was operating under the assumption that everyone knows when you "upgrade" from XP to Windows 8/8.1, you get a clean installation and have to re-install all of your applications. |
![]() Send message Joined: 22 Jul 99 Posts: 768 Credit: 24,140,697 RAC: 0 ![]() |
It is also worth noting that an upgrade can not be preformed when switching platforms, x86 to x64 in this case, & a new installation of windows will be required. I intend to make a clean install - have a new hard drive for it. Think I'll install it and not partion it or format it. Then disconnect my current hard drive (I intend to set it up as a D: drive so i can transfer some data files and 64 bit app installers that I've already downloaded. Then I'll format it and use it for backup - something I don't have now. Will try that in a little while - have something else pressing right now, so it will be a while. Another Fred Support SETI@home when you search the Web with GoodSearch or shop online with GoodShop. ![]() |
OzzFan ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 9 Apr 02 Posts: 15691 Credit: 84,761,841 RAC: 28 ![]() ![]() |
Then I'll format it and use it for backup - something I don't have now. Sidenote: don't use a second hard drive as a backup. You have just as much likely hood to lose the second hard drive as you do the first one. Nothing takes the place of a good off-line storage backup solution such as tapes, DVDs, or even Blu-Rays which all offer longer storage without the chance for mechanical failures to ruin the backup like hard drives. |
![]() Send message Joined: 22 Jul 99 Posts: 768 Credit: 24,140,697 RAC: 0 ![]() |
Update: ran into a probldm mounting that new hard drive. I will try again in the morning - simply tired of these problems for tonight. Thanks for the comments. By the way. I tried booting from the Win 8.1 DVD and this time it just went off into never-never land rather than booting from the second priority device. Another Fred Support SETI@home when you search the Web with GoodSearch or shop online with GoodShop. ![]() |
Ianab Send message Joined: 11 Jun 08 Posts: 732 Credit: 20,635,586 RAC: 5 ![]() |
Well any machine that's going to run Win8 should boot just fine off a DVD drive. But some things to check. Get into the BIOS settings and make sure it's got all the SATA ports enabled. Some older motherboards had "compatibility modes" where they had the PATA ports as primary, and may not use all the SATA ones. There are also issues with some SATA RAID controllers (turn the raid off) Then once you can see the DVD and HDD in the BIOS, then go into the boot settings and set the DVD as first boot (you can change this later) This will ensure that it boots off the DVD first, rather than some random boot block that might be on the hard disk. Once you have that then put in the windows 8 disk and boot off that, and follow the prompts. It's not driver issue because at boot time there are no drivers loaded, it's just the BIOS loading the OS off the disk. If you ONLY have the DVD drive connected it will still boot, and start the setup. Of course it will bomb out at the point where you choose which hard disk to install it too. But it should get that far at least. Good luck, and if you have problems just post again with the specific details of where you are getting stopped, and someone will be able to help you out. Ian |
![]() Send message Joined: 22 Jul 99 Posts: 768 Credit: 24,140,697 RAC: 0 ![]() |
Well any machine that's going to run Win8 should boot just fine off a DVD drive.Thanks for the comments. Earlier in the thread I indicated that I've tried changing the boot sequence in BIOS. I've also tried the option for a one time override to boot from the dvd drive. BIOS sees all Sata devices. This morning I finished installing the new hard disk but have not bothered to partition or format it since the install will do that. I also installed a borrowed DVD drive but with either drive it just goes to a blank screen and hangs up. I gave that almost 10 minutes without anything appearing on the screen. Question: The BIOS has a setting for SATA mode. It is set for IDE mode. The other options are RAID mode (I don't use RAID) and something called AHCI mode, whatever that is. Do I have the wrong selection? Another Fred Support SETI@home when you search the Web with GoodSearch or shop online with GoodShop. ![]() |
TBar Send message Joined: 22 May 99 Posts: 5204 Credit: 840,779,836 RAC: 2,768 ![]() ![]() |
In most cases people use the IDE mode. Have you determined if it's the disc or the machine? Can you try the disc on another machine, or another bootable disc on the problem machine? If it's the disc, you should be able to download the image from MS and burn another disc. I burned a disc and made a USB Pendrive from the image I downloaded. |
![]() Send message Joined: 22 Jul 99 Posts: 768 Credit: 24,140,697 RAC: 0 ![]() |
In most cases people use the IDE mode. Have you determined if it's the disc or the machine? Can you try the disc on another machine, or another bootable disc on the problem machine? If it's the disc, you should be able to download the image from MS and burn another disc. I burned a disc and made a USB Pendrive from the image I downloaded. You can tell I'm reaching with that SATA mode question. I tried a borrowed drive this morning with the same results, so I suspect the disk. I'll look into burning a disk - never have done that. Know of any free burner sortware? Another Fred Support SETI@home when you search the Web with GoodSearch or shop online with GoodShop. ![]() |
TBar Send message Joined: 22 May 99 Posts: 5204 Credit: 840,779,836 RAC: 2,768 ![]() ![]() |
You should be able to burn it with Windows itself. The downloaded image gives options to burn a disc or create a bootable USB stick. Are you sure it's the disc? It still could be the machine. Only way to tell is to try the disc on another machine. You could try setting the BIOS to defaults then setting it to IDE mode before trying the disc again. |
![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 24 Nov 06 Posts: 7489 Credit: 91,093,184 RAC: 0 ![]() |
In most cases people use the IDE mode. Have you determined if it's the disc or the machine? Can you try the disc on another machine, or another bootable disc on the problem machine? If it's the disc, you should be able to download the image from MS and burn another disc. I burned a disc and made a USB Pendrive from the image I downloaded. Going from memory, at some point there became a necessity to use AHCI mode (if not RAID), and legacy IDE was insufficient for primary OS install. I forget the full details, but there was something about transition to UEFI BIOS involved, and filesystem changes. Had something to do with fast bootup OS functionality etc. "Living by the wisdom of computer science doesn't sound so bad after all. And unlike most advice, it's backed up by proofs." -- Algorithms to live by: The computer science of human decisions. |
![]() ![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 1 Jun 01 Posts: 1282 Credit: 187,688,550 RAC: 182 ![]() ![]() |
Just coming on here but having read all you have done so far I just wanted to be sure of what you have done, or are doing. Disconnect the old HD and install the new one. Then try a startup boot with the DVD in your drive.....you do not need any drivers for this to happen......there is no reason to try to install the new DVD drive to the XP HD. Make it as simple as you can to start, old computer, new HD and DVD with the 8.1 disk installed in the DVD when you turn it on. ![]() SETI@home classic workunits 4,019 SETI@home classic CPU time 34,348 hours |
Sirius B ![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 26 Dec 00 Posts: 24922 Credit: 3,081,182 RAC: 7 ![]() |
I'll look into burning a disk - never have done that. Know of any free burner software? imgburn I've used this for some time, never let me down yet. |
![]() Send message Joined: 22 Jul 99 Posts: 768 Credit: 24,140,697 RAC: 0 ![]() |
Jason wrote: Going from memory, at some point there became a necessity to use AHCI mode (if not RAID), and legacy IDE was insufficient for primary OS install. I forget the full details, but there was something about transition to UEFI BIOS involved, and filesystem changes. Had something to do with fast bootup OS functionality etc. Tried AHCI mode and it made no difference. Still goes into never never land when I boot from that DVD. I don't have another bootable dvd to test with. Sirius B., I downloaded imgburn and will try it when I can get some blank disks. Or maybe a USB flash drive might work - can they be bootable? Another Fred Support SETI@home when you search the Web with GoodSearch or shop online with GoodShop. ![]() |
![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 24 Nov 06 Posts: 7489 Credit: 91,093,184 RAC: 0 ![]() |
Or maybe a USB flash drive might work - can they be bootable? It can, and will install faster, but you'd need to pull the files from the ISO. MS does a special tool for that ... somewhere... [Edit:] http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media [Edit2:] Extra note at bottom I should point out: Note imgburn or similar will probably manage it though if you have the ISO. The Ms knowledge base seems to only assume using inbuilt tools. "Living by the wisdom of computer science doesn't sound so bad after all. And unlike most advice, it's backed up by proofs." -- Algorithms to live by: The computer science of human decisions. |
TBar Send message Joined: 22 May 99 Posts: 5204 Credit: 840,779,836 RAC: 2,768 ![]() ![]() |
Jason wrote: Well, if you want to try something different, you could make an Ultimate Boot CD bootable USB stick. Then try to run the DVD installer while booted from the UBCD pendrive. I know you can run the XP 'rescue' installers while booted from the UBCD CD, but I've never tried booting UBCD from a pendrive and installing Windows 8 from the DVD. It might work. Just boot from the pendrive, then navigate to the installer on the DVD. Install Ultimate Boot CD (UBCD) to a Flash Drive in Windows, Ultimate Boot CD Good Luck. |
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