I have an ancient 1999 PC but since I installed a good Partition Program it has been reliable for more than every 2 weeks!
The base Ptn is W98 and the main is XP Professional which I installed from W98.
At start up right at the beginning of the Boot process I get the message something like: ATAPI Incompatible-Slave drive- Press F1 to continue.
It continues to load, and everything is there as it has been for the past 6 months, except there is no CD Drive 'F' anymore.
It is a new CD Drive, and the little green light comes when I put a CD in, so the power is on, but after that, the auto install icon no longer appears with the cursor, and nothing else happens. If I want to play any games that need a CD in the Drive I get strange never before seen messages of wondrous technical wizardly and verbage completely outside my grasp.

I do not want to crash and reinstall, but the CD Floppy has several fix features. If the connections to the CD Rom have gone faulty then reinstalling Windows from 98 will be impossible anyway.

Please advise. Tim Laslett Surrey UK. 16 August 04.

I assume there are no HCL problems with the old hardware and XP?

Can't you fit another IDE lead and have the CD as Secondary master?

As for the ATAPI error:
1. check the leads are fitted correctly
2. check your BIOS settings (report back here if doubtfull)
3. lengthy:
Restart in Safe Mode.
Goto Device manager.
Delete ALL cd drives you can see.
shut down the system,
Unplug it from power - open case.
Check jumpers:
Hard drive should be Master.
CD should be Slave.
DO NOT USE CABLE SELECT!

restart- is it there?

NO?... Continue:
Shut down again and unplug power.
Take the IDE cable out of the CD drive.
If extra IDE cable around, connect it to Secondary IDE on Mobo,
Jumper your CD as Master (If Master position is free) and conect it to the Secondary IDE cable.
Restart your system and pray.

ALSO: Modern 80pin cables can upset older systems

PS - 1999 Is not an ancient system (my PC made me type that)

Dear HippyWarlock-I owe you a beer and some. I followed your sage advice, disconnected the CD, removed all drives in Device Manager, both Partitions.
There were a few coughs and splutters to begin with as the New Hardware Wizard proudly announced the installation of some new Hardware, (fooled them again aha!), but then the same old message:" ATAPI -incompatible- slave drive etc., press F1."

For the next 24 hours i slept and prayed on it, and got up this morning to a bright new dawn, and then in W98, the dear old CD-Rom "F:" Drive made a brief return, but then vanished after about 5 mins.
SO I moved over to XP Partition, and even though the 'Incompatible ATAPI' message appeared on the BOOT sequence, there he was in My Computer, as if back from the grave!
He seemed very shaken, and at first didn't like doing anything, but I noticed he has a new XP Driver, and not the one that came with the box.
Within an hour of gentle coaxing however, the old confidance returned, and he is even doing his little supercharger sound as he revs up again.

It was the result of installing a wretched 'XP Tweakinf Package' which probably sent him into overdrive,I am fairly certain.
I have also removed all the other downloaded go faster gizmos they keep on tempting us with, and maybe, just maybe I have learned the lesson. Unless 101% certain of any upgrade, if it is going okay, leave it alone. Everything is now configured back to the original old slower bog standard condition, with a new System Restore date, and titled:"Return of Freddy F: Drive" or something along thise lines.
Is it possible to persuade Sys Restore back to one fixed date just out of interest? Or as long as I keep it ON, will it will be able to restore back to today's date say in a years time?
Or do I have to buy a DVD Burner and do a total Back Up?


Regards Tim Laslett.
PS: You have no idea what your kind comments re 'ancient 1999 PCs' has done 4 me, as long as I don't get an attack of "soup it up old bean" again!
TL-Surrey UK.

Sage eh, if I only had the thyme : - )

As I seem to have impressed you, do me a favour (I wanna see if it works) - Click the scales Icon at the top right of my post and add a comment, ta.

Will get back to you on Sys restore as I'm a bit tied up just now... grnfff... gimp? neve.. grrnf ...uh? ... oooh!

Oh - If I fail to get back to you just prod me with a Private Message

Peace