Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc:44119 comp.misc:8160 comp.periphs:2555
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!rex!ames!amdahl!pccuts!tat
From: tat@pccuts.pcc.amdahl.com (Tom Thackrey)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.misc,comp.periphs
Subject: Re: CD-ROM Device Drivers
Keywords: CD-ROM, Microsoft, Sony
Message-ID: <874@pccuts.pcc.amdahl.com>
Date: 10 Feb 90 01:17:09 GMT
References: <764@ntmtv.UUCP>
Reply-To: tat@pccuts.pcc.amdahl.com (Tom Thackrey)
Followup-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale  CA
Lines: 35

In article <764@ntmtv.UUCP> ron@ntmtv.UUCP (Ron Barry) writes:
 >
 >We have been in possession of a Sony CD-ROM Drive Unit for some time, along
 >with a Microsoft Programmer's Library CD.  Unfortunately, we have no
 >device driver(s) for the CD-ROM.  Microsoft says that it should have been
 >supplied by Sony, and Sony says that it should have been supplied by
 >Microsoft.  We have information that drivers are available from a company
 >called Reference Technology, Inc.  Is this true, and if so, why didn't
 >either Microsoft or Sony include this information with their product?  Is
 >anyone else having this problem, and if so, what did you do about it?
 >
In case anyone is interested ...

CD-ROM drives under MS-DOS require TWO drivers for most applications.

First, a device driver, in config.sys, to handle the physical device.

Second, a TSR program, called MSCDEX.EXE, which interprets the ISO 9660 or
High Sierra format of the CD-ROM.  Older CD-ROM discs may not use these
'standard' formats and may not require MSCDEX.EXE.

As I understand it, the drive manufacturer provides BOTH the driver and
the TSR.  The TSR is written (but not sold retail) by Microsoft and OEMd
by the drive makers.

Several companies sell the MSCDEX.EXE program independent of the hardware.
(Compact Disk Products comes to mind.)

The latest version of MSCDEX.EXE is 2.10 and is required for MS-DOS 4+.

Hope this is helpful.
-- 
Tom Thackrey sun!amdahl!tat00

[ The opinions expressed herin are mine alone. ]