Has anyone noticed that in windows ME, the CD-ROM drives dont show up in Safemaode? Is there anyway to enable them in safemode?

With WINdows 98 there was a way:

Windows 98 Tip

Access CD-ROM in Safe Mode

In case of boot problems, Windows has included an escape

valve. Defective drivers are often the cause and the cure is

replacement. Here is the Catch-22. To replace the driver,

you need to access the application media. In this era of

bigger-and-better, most applications ship on CD-ROM. But

"escape valve" protocols rely upon real mode drivers; almost

certainly, your CD-ROM reader screams through Windows 98

using a virtual mode driver. Guess what - you "Can't Get No

Satisfaction." Well, maybe...

In Windows 98 (this doesn't work, to my knowledge, with

earlier versions) you require access to the Startup Menu.

Some system settings will offer a series of choices, using a

command line menu, before Windows graphical interface is

enabled. If not, depress (and hold down) the Ctrl key during

the boot process to access to the Startup menu. From the

Startup menu:

* choose Command Prompt Only,

* type "win /d:m" (without the quotes) and

* press ENTER.

Windows should start in Safe Mode with your CD-ROM drivers.

If you still can't access your CD-ROM drive, it means your

real mode CD-ROM drivers aren't installed.

Cannot say if it applies to ME too.

To install real mode cdrom drivers, see here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/190303/EN-US/

http://powerjoe.tripod.com/cdrom.html

Again the above works in win98, check if you have a dosstart.bat, if not you might want to create it.

Have a look here too:

http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/

http://www.dewassoc.com/support/winme/real_dos.htm

jaclaz