cd-rom drive not responding

I have a Compaq Presario 5441 desktop pc. 475 mhz AMD cpu. 64 mb memory. Win
98 SE. 7.85 gig hard drive. Many times I will try to install a cd and the cd
will not respond at all. Sometimes I can install but then I get an error
when trying to run it such as 'runtime error 429 activex component can't
create object'. Some cd's I can install and run (Transparent foreign
language cd created in 98). Do I need a new cd? More memory or a general
hardware and OS upgrade? How do I make the upgrade?

Ronald,

Failure to handle CDs has several possible causes:

1. Yes, 64MB memory is a little light these days even for Windows 98SE, given
all the bloatware that masquerades as software.
2. The CD-ROM drive may be failing.
3. Dust and dirt may have accumulated inside the CD-ROM drive.
4. The accumulation of garbage files on the computer may be causing problems.

For the third one, a few blasts of compressed air can get the dust bunnies out.
For the fourth one, open up My Computer, right click on the C: drive icon, click
on Properties, and click the Disk Cleanup button. Delete everything shown.
Then defragment the hard drive.

The 5441 motherboard has three DIMM sockets which each accept 128MB PC100
non-parity 168-pin DIMM memory. Memory chips must be low-density, typically 8
chips per side. If you can even get your hands on a pair of 64MB DIMMs for
cheap, the system will run much better.

The motherboard is a standard microATX form factor, but rather than replacing
it, you're better off with a more standard computer chassis and motherboard, or
simply a new system when you can afford it... Ben Myers

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 11:52:42 GMT, "Ronald Smyth" wrote:

I have a Compaq Presario 5441 desktop pc. 475 mhz AMD cpu. 64 mb memory. Win
98 SE. 7.85 gig hard drive. Many times I will try to install a cd and the cd
will not respond at all. Sometimes I can install but then I get an error
when trying to run it such as 'runtime error 429 activex component can't
create object'. Some cd's I can install and run (Transparent foreign
language cd created in 98). Do I need a new cd? More memory or a general
hardware and OS upgrade? How do I make the upgrade?