Posrche Parts CD, not compatible with Windows XP?
 

Just got the Porsche Parts Catalogue on CD from Pelican yesterday. I am running Windows XP Professional on my computer at home and it doesn't seem to recognize that the CD is there after I put it in (I don't think anything is wrong with the CD drive). The CD works at my work computer (running with Windows 2000)

Has anyone had this problem? If so, is there a trick to get the computer to read the disc on Windows XP?

Thanks!!

Quincy,

It works just fine with my Windows XP Home and XP Pro. It works OK with my normal low res 800x600 but likes 1280 x 1024.

Best,
Grady

The CD could be damaged, or your system doesn't recognize PDF files because you don't have Adobe Acrobat or Reader installed ...

Try the CD on another computer that has a working Acrobat installation ... just to be sure!

XP[all flavors] does some rather stupid things [as has billg for the past 30+ years] at times ... and this problem may not be the CD at all!

Thanks Grady (Edit: and Warren!)!,
Hmmm. Maybe its my computer. Will check tonight. Was eager to run it last night but fell asleep reading bedtime stories to my daughter (hate when that happens!). Had about 5 minutes to try it this morning before leaving for work and it did not run.

Sounds like the CD drive. I have had problems with CDs in general, from computer to computer. Is the Pelican CD burned or pressed (silver or goldish). Burned CDs can be finicky, especially on data CD drives. It won't be the operating system that is the problem.

the Cd is sliver on the underside, but the label does not feel like it is a sticker attached, looks like a music CD.

I'm not familiar with the "Porsche Parts Catalogue" but, keep in mind, Xp SP2 refuses to play nice with quite a number of legacy apps (one of the reasons I never installed SP2). However, I would expect your system to at least recognise the CD even if it wouldn't read it.

Good luck,

Jerry M
'78 SC

Sounds like the disc is pressed. I'd see if I could borrow a USB external CD device and test it on your home computer. If it works, you'll know it's your internal drive. As for SP2, I realize that it might play havoc with some apps, but shouldn't have an effect on mounting the disc. Plus, Acrobat runs fine on my SP2 box. Then again, I am biased, being in the employ of Uncle Bill and his minions... ;)

What exactly is the cd doing (or not doing)?

The drive tries to read the CD then stops.

When I open my computer and ask it to open the cd, it ask me to put one in. I guess it is reading and not acknowledging it's there.

Mine looks pressed, sounds like a defective CD. Before you give up on it, check for debris or scratches on the recorded surface near the center, CDs read beginning in the center and go out. If your XP system is having trouble autoplaying, you should be able to inhibit that by holding down a shift key when you close the CD tray. The useful content is in the PDF files, I just copied off the one for my year and open directly with Acrobat.

If none of that works, probably a defective pressing or one that your drive can't read for some reason.

At lunch I played with it on my work computer and it did work. Will need to check the drive at home. Thanks to all!!