How to troubleshoot installation from a CD or DVD for Office XP (266700)

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The steps in this article help you to verify that your CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive can correctly read the compact disc.

Inspect and Clean the Compact Disc

To verify that the compact disc is clean and free of scratches, inspect the shiny side of the disc. Clean the disc by wiping it with a soft cloth in a straight line, starting from the center of the disc and wiping toward the edge. If there are no visible scratches, and if the errors still occur after you clean the compact disc, follow the steps in the next section. If the compact disc appears scratched, try a new compact disc.

Test for a Damaged Compact Disc

To determine whether the compact disc is damaged, follow these steps:

1. Insert the compact disc into the CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive.
2. Click Start and then click Run.
3. In the Open box, type command and then click OK.
4. At the MS-DOS prompt, change to the CD-ROM drive (usually drive E), and type the following command:

   dir /s

If an error message appears, the compact disc is damaged, or the CD-ROM drive cannot read the contents of the entire compact disc.

For more information about using the MS-DOS command prompt, see your Windows printed documentation or online Help.

Turn Off (Disable) the CD-ROM Drive Cache in Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition or Microsoft Windows 98

If the error message appears while you are reading from a CD-ROM drive, try turning off the CD-ROM drive cache under Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me) or Microsoft Windows 98. Although turning off the drive cache may make the drive more reliable, it reduces performance. To turn off the CD-ROM drive cache, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click the System icon.
3. Click the Performance tab, and then click File System.
4. Click the CD-ROM tab, and then click No Read-Ahead in the Optimize access pattern for list.
5. Verify that the Supplemental Cache Size slider is positioned in the far left position (the Small setting), and then click OK.

Turn Off Smartdrv.exe for Real-Mode CD-ROM Drivers in Windows 98

If you are using real-mode CD-ROM drive drivers in Windows 98, the drive may be cached by the Smartdrv.exe program. If this is the case, remark the line that pertains to the Smartdrv.exe program in the Autoexec.bat file by typing REM at the beginning of the line. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type sysedit and then click OK.
3. Examine the Autoexec.bat file. Look for a line that references the Smartdrv.exe file; for example:

   C:\WINDOWS\Smartdrv.exe

   Make this line a remark by typing REM at the beginning of the line.
4. Click Exit to quit the System Configuration Editor. When you are prompted to save changes, click Yes.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Install Real Mode CD-ROM Drivers in Windows 98

You may need to install real mode CD-ROM drive drivers under Windows 98 when you are troubleshooting problems that occur when you install the programs listed at the beginning of this article.

For additional information about installing real mode CD-ROM drivers in MicrosoftWindows 98, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: NOTE: By following these steps, you can boot into Windows Safe mode, which prevents other programs and device drivers that may be conflicting with the CD-ROM driver from running.

Turn Off the Compact Disc AutoPlay Feature

Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, Windows Me, and Windows 98 continuously detect whether a compact disc is inserted into the CD-ROM drive. When a compact disc is detected, the operating system checks the volume for an Autorun.inf file. If the volume contains an Autorun.inf file, programs listed on the "open=" line in the file are run. This feature is called AutoPlay.

Turn Off the Compact Disc AutoPlay Feature in Windows Me and Windows 98:

To turn off both the automatic running of compact discs and the automatic playing of audio compact discs, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click the System icon.
3. Click the Device Manager tab.
4. Double-click the plus sign (+) next to CDROM, and then double-click the CD-ROM driver entry.
5. On the Settings tab, click to clear the Auto Insert Notification check box.
6. Click OK or Close to return to Control Panel. When you are prompted to restart your computer, click Yes.

NOTE: After you finish troubleshooting, be sure to select the Auto Insert Notification check box to turn on AutoPlay.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Turn Off the Compact Disc AutoPlay Feature in Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0 Workstation:

For additional information about how to turn off both the automatic running of compact discs and the automatic playing of audio compact discs for Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Turn Off Enhanced BIOS Features

WARNING: Incorrectly altering hardware BIOS settings can cause serious problems that may cause your computer to fail to start or fail to function correctly. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems that result from the incorrect setting of hardware BIOS options can be solved. Alter the hardware BIOS settings at your own risk.

Most computers have several enhanced settings that allow the computer to fully use the computer hardware. These high-speed settings can cause the system to become unstable; turning off these features may make the computer more stable. Contact your computer manufacturer for information about entering the basic input/output system (BIOS) and changing the BIOS settings. You can enter the BIOS on most systems immediately after turning on the power. Usually a keystroke (for example, pressing DELETE) is required to enter the BIOS. The common features that can interfere with Microsoft Office programs are the following: Newer chip sets may have more advanced features (such as memory wait states) that may cause errors. Most BIOS installation programs have an option to load the BIOS default settings. This option usually turns off all advanced features.

Check for Software Updates

Outdated and incompatible software may also cause error messages to appear. Check with the manufacturer of the computer for various software updates, such as BIOS updates, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Windows updates, and CD-ROM drive driver updates.

Check Your CD-ROM Drive for Compatibility (Windows NT and Windows 2000 Only)

For Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, make sure the CD-ROM device is listed on the operating system's corresponding Hardware Compatibility List (HCL).

For additional information about the Windows NT 4.0 HCL and Windows 2000 HCL, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For additional information about troubleshooting CD-ROM devices in Windows NT 4.0 Workstation and Windows 2000, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: