Blaster CD 8x - Creative

Blaster CD 8x
User Guide
On-line Version

Contents
Introduction
Latest Information............................................................................................iii
System Requirements ...................................................................................... iv
Disk Backup ..................................................................................................... iv
Conventions....................................................................................................... v
1 Installing the Blaster CD 8x
Installing the Blaster CD 8x ..........................................................................1-1
Installing the CD-ROM Drive ..........................................................1-2
Connecting the CD-ROM Drive to the Hard Disk Controller ........1-4
Installing the Interface Card..............................................................1-6
Installing the Blaster CD 8x with an Audio Card.........................................1-9
Connecting Audio Cable to an Audio Card .....................................1-9
Connecting Headphones or Speakers..........................................................1-11
2 Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software
Installing for Windows 95 .............................................................................2-1
Installing with the Interface Card or PnP Audio Card.....................2-1
Installing the CD-ROM Drive Software.......................................................2-3
Testing the Installation.......................................................................2-8
Installing Software in DOS/Windows 3.1 ....................................................2-9
Installing the Plug-and-Play Configuration Manager......................2-9
Installing the CD-ROM Drive Software ........................................2-10
Testing the Installation.....................................................................2-11
3 QuickCD
Windows 95/Windows 3.1 QuickCD ...........................................................3-1
DOS QuickCD ...............................................................................................3-6
vii

Appendix
A Troubleshooting
CD-ROM Drive ............................................................................................A-1
CD-ROM Drive Installation.........................................................................A-2
Windows 3.1 Applications ...........................................................................A-3
DOS Applications.........................................................................................A-4
CTCU Configuration Utility ........................................................................A-4
B Changing Settings
Changing the Settings in Windows 95......................................................... B-1
Using Creative IDE CD-ROM Drive in MS-DOS Mode.............. B-2
Changing the CD-ROM Driver Settings......................................... B-3
Creative PnP Configuration Software.......................................................... B-5
Using CTCM .................................................................................... B-5
Using CTCU..................................................................................... B-5
PnP Cards Section ............................................................................ B-7
Legacy Cards Section....................................................................... B-8
System Devices Section ................................................................... B-9
Adding a CD-ROM Drive.......................................................................... B-10
C Technical Data
Performance Characteristics ............................................................ C-1
Typical Audio Performance ............................................................. C-2
Environmental Operating Limits..................................................... C-2
D Technical Support
Technical Support .........................................................................................D-1
Internet...........................................................................................................D-2
Compuserve ..................................................................................................D-2
Product Return ..............................................................................................D-3
viii

User’s Guide
Blaster CD 8x
with Plug-and-Play
Interface Card
Copyright © 1996 by Creative Labs, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language
in any form by any means without the written permission of Creative Labs, Inc.
Sound Blaster is a registered trademark of Creative Technology, Ltd. MS-DOS and Windows are
registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other products are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective owners.

Regulatory Information
Notice for the USA
FCC Part 15: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this
equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try one or more of the
following measures:
q Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
q Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
q Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that of the receiver
connected.
q Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Caution
To comply with the limits for the Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules,
this device must be installed in computer equipment certified to comply with the Class B limits.
All cables used to connect the computer and peripherals must be shielded and grounded.
Operation with non-certified computers or non-shielded cables may result in interference to radio
or television reception.
Modifications
Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the grantee of this device could void
the user’s authority to operate the device.
Notice for Canada
This apparatus complies with the Class “B” limits for radio interference as specified in the
Canadian Department of Communications Radio Interference Regulations.
Cet appareil est conforme aux normes de CLASSE “B” d’interference radio tel que spécifié par
le Ministère Canadien des Communications dans les règlements d’interférence radio.
Safety Information
CAUTION: This device is intended to be installed by the user in a CSA/TUV/UL certified/listed
IBM AT or compatible personal computer in the manufacturer’s defined operator access area.
Check the equipment operating/installation manual and/or with the equipment manufacturer to
verify/confirm if your equipment is suitable for user-installed application cards.
ATTENTION: Cette carte est destinée à être installée par l’utilisateur, dans un ordinateur
compatible certifié CSA/TUV/UL ou listé IBM AT, à l’intérieur de la zone définie par le
fabricant. Consulter le mode d’emploi ou le fabricant de l’appareil pour vérifier ou confirmer si
l’utilisateur peut y installer lui-même des cartes périphériques.
Compliance
This product is in conformity to the Council Directive 89/336/EEC, 92/31/EEC (EMC).

Introduction
Your Blaster CD 8x provides a high-performance CD-ROM drive for
your computer. The CD-ROM drive supports data transfer at 1,200
KB per second and 230-millisecond or better access time, producing
improved viewing of Video for Windows, Quicktime movies, and
other multimedia applications.
Latest Information
The README file on the disk labeled “CD-ROM Installation Disk”
contains the latest information and changes not available at the time
this manual was printed. Please read the file before continuing.
To view the README file:
1. Insert the CD-ROM installation disk into your 3.5-inch floppy
disk drive.
2. From the DOS prompt, change to the disk drive in which you
inserted the disk. For example, type A: and press the ENTER
key; if you are using a disk drive other than A, substitute the
appropriate character.
3. From the prompt, type README and press the ENTER key.
Introduction iii

System Requirements
Disk Backup
To use the Blaster CD 8x CD-ROM drive and the Creative software,
you need:
q An IBM-compatible 386 or above
q 900 kilobytes (KB) of available space on your hard disk drive
q MS-DOS version 6.0 or later
q Microsoft Windows 95, or Windows 3.1 or later
q Available 16-bit expansion slot (for IDE interface card)
q Available 5.25” half-height drive bay (for CD-ROM drive)
q Speakers or headphones
Before you start, make a backup copy of the original disk. Use the
backup; keep the original in a safe place.
Introduction iv

Conventions
The following typographical conventions are in effect throughout this
document.
Bold Bold face type identifies words and phrases that are to
be entered exactly as shown. For example:
SET SOUND=C:\SB16
Italic Italic type identifies words and phrases that are to be
replaced by you. For example:
VOC2WAV sample.VOC
When using this command, you must supply a value for
sample.
Italic is used to emphasize a word/phrase, or to identify
a word/phrase that is being defined. In this document,
it is used to identify a button or menu item that you are
to select; for example, “Select the Play button on the
main menu.”
[Brackets] Brackets indicate command parameters that are
optional; if you choose not to include optional values,
there may be default values that are automatically
inserted. For example:
PCXDriver=[ON|OFF]
In this command, you can set PCXDriver on/off; the
command has a default that is substituted if you do not
make a selection.
{Braces} Braces indicate command parameters that must be
included. For example:
{source l-vol}[,r-vol]
In this command, you must enter values for source and
l-vol; a value for r-vol is optional. If required parameter
values are not included, the command is ignored or
returns an error message.
Introduction v

. . . Ellipses indicate that the preceding parameter can be
repeated. For example, in the command below, you can
include any number of source values:
SET [RECMIX|OUTMIX] level
source[+source][...]
ALL CAPS A word in all capital letters identifies a key you are to
press. For example, “Select the Yes button and press the
ENTER key.”
Important information is designated with either of two icons. For
example:
Indicates information that has special interest for all users.
Read this message before you proceed.
Designates a caution or warning that can help you avoid
situations involving risk.
Introduction vi

Installing the Blaster CD 8x
1
Blaster CD 8x can be installed in your computer using one of the
following methods:
q Attaching the drive to an existing ATAPI-compliant IDE hard
disk controller
q Attaching the drive to the interface card that is included
q Attaching the drive to an audio card with an IDE interface
For optimum performance, connect the CD-ROM drive to your PCI
IDE hard disk connector if available. Refer to “Installing the Blaster
CD 8x to a Hard Disk Controller” later in this chapter for more
information.
If you have installed or are installing a Sound Blaster with an IDE
interface or other IDE audio card, do not install the interface card—skip
to “Installing the Blaster CD 8x with an Audio Card” later in this
chapter.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x
You need a Phillips screwdriver for removing the computer cover, and
for securing the Blaster CD 8x to the drive bay.
Before you remove the computer cover, touch a grounded metal
surface to discharge static electricity. The discharge of static
electricity into electronic components can damage the circuitry
of your computer, CD-ROM drive, and interface card—ground
yourself before touching the card or the drive.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x 1-1

Installing the CD-ROM Drive
Figure 1-1: Front panel of Blaster CD 8x (your model may vary slightly in appearance)
Stereo Phone Jack Connect headphones or powered speakers.
Volume Control Adjust the volume of your headphones or powered
speakers. This volume control has no effect on
headphones or speakers attached to an audio card
connected to the Blaster CD 8x.
Busy Indicator Green light is on when the CD-ROM drive is active.
Play/Skip button Plays an audio CD or skips the current playing
audio track.
Stop/Eject Button Stops playing an audio CD track. Opens and closes
the disc tray.
Disc Tray The disc tray can be opened by pressing the eject
button; close the tray by pressing the eject button.
Place the CD on the disc tray—no caddy is
needed—do not touch the surface of the disc.
The rear panel of the CD-ROM drive has the connectors for the IDE
interface, and for the PC power supply.
Figure 1-2: Rear panel of the Blaster CD 8x (your model may vary slightly in appearance).
Installing the Blaster CD 8x 1-2

To install the CD-ROM drive:
1. Turn off your computer and monitor; disconnect the power cord.
Disconnect the monitor from the computer and set it aside.
2. With the computer cover removed, remove the cover of a vacant
drive bay for the CD-ROM drive.
Most personal computers have vacant drive bay(s) above or
below your floppy disk drive(s). The cover may pop out or
require that you remove one or more screws.
Figure 1-3: Inserting the CD-ROM drive into a vacant drive bay
3. Carefully insert the CD-ROM drive into the vacant drive bay.
You may find it easier to attach the data cable to the back of the
CD-ROM drive before inserting it into the bay. See
“Connecting the CD-ROM Drive to the Hard Disk Controller”
below for instructions on connecting the cable. Feed the cable
through the bay as you insert the CD-ROM drive.
Some drive bays require rails to be attached to the sides of the
CD-ROM drive. If the drive does not fit the bay, use the rails
supplied with your computer; if no rails are included, contact
your computer’s manufacturer or dealer.
4. Secure the CD-ROM to the computer by inserting and
tightening the screws (that are supplied) until snug on both sides
of the drive bay.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x 1-3

Connecting the CD-ROM Drive to the Hard Disk Controller
Connecting to your IDE hard disk controller provides optimum
performance from the 8x CD-ROM drive.
Back up the data on your hard disk before connecting the data
cable to your hard disk controller. Refer to your Windows or
DOS documentation for more information.
Contact your computer sales representative for the necessary
daisy-chain cable required to connect the drive to the hard disk
controller.
A maximum of two devices can be connected to an IDE
controller interface.
Refer to the documentation that came with your computer or
hard disk controller for additional information concerning your
IDE controller.
To connect the Blaster CD 8x to your hard disk controller:
1. Connect the power cable from the computer power supply as
shown in Figure 1-4.
CD-ROM drive
Power cable
Figure 1-4: Connecting the power cable to the Blaster CD 8x
Installing the Blaster CD 8x 1-4

2. Connect one end of the data cable to the rear of the 8x CD-ROM
drive. Attach the center connector to your hard disk, and the
other end to the hard disk controller (Figure 1-5).
CD-ROM drive
(slave)
Hard disk drive
(master)
Hard disk
data connector
CD-ROM
audio cable
Hard disk
controller card
Pin 1
Power
cable
Data cable
Power cable
Colored
stripe
Figure 1-5: Connecting the Blaster CD 8x to the hard disk controller (your controller may differ)
The CD-ROM data cable must be connected to the CD-ROM
drive, hard disk drive, and to the hard disk controller so that the
colored stripe corresponds to pin 1 on all connectors.
3. Refer to “Installing the Blaster CD 8x with an Audio Card” to
connect audio CD sound capabilities to the audio card installed
in your system.
4. Replace the cover on your computer and plug in and turn on the
computer.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x 1-5

Installing the Interface Card
Use the included interface card if you do not have an audio card with
an IDE interface or cannot connect the drive to your hard disk
controller.
The Blaster CD 8x CD-ROM interface card is intended for use
with an IDE CD-ROM drive. It is not for use with a bootable
hard disk drive or with a tape drive.
To install the CD-ROM interface card:
1. Turn off your computer and monitor; disconnect the power cord.
Disconnect the monitor from the computer and set it aside.
2. Position the computer so that you can work on the back.
Remove the computer cover. See your computer manual for
instructions on removing the cover—follow them explicitly.
Most computer covers are held in place by screws inserted in the
back panel. Remove the screws and lift the cover carefully. If
the cover does not lift away easily, do not use excessive
force—look for additional screws to be removed or a portion of
the cover that is not free of the computer.
3. Choose a 16-bit slot for the interface card (8-bit slots are
noticeably smaller); the slot must accommodate the two tabs on
the bottom of the card (see Figure 1-6). Make sure there are no
installed cards or add-ons to hinder placement of the card. If the
opening for the slot at the back of the computer is covered,
Installing the Blaster CD 8x 1-6

emove the screw holding the cover in place, then remove the
cover. (Keep the screw for securing the card.)
Figure 1-6: Inserting the interface card in a 16-bit slot
4. Insert the CD-ROM interface card (Figure 1-6): Align the tabs
on the bottom of the card with the socket on the computer board
and the metal bracket with the external opening, then push down
on the top of the card. The card should slide in smoothly; the
top of the metal bracket should match the slot screw hole.
5. Use the screw from the slot cover to secure the CD-ROM
interface card to the frame of the computer. (Securing the card
with the screw assures it is properly grounded.)
To connect the Blaster CD 8x to your interface card:
6. Connect the power cable from the computer power supply as
shown in Figure 1-7.
CD-ROM drive
Power cable
Figure 1-7: Connecting the power cable to the Blaster CD 8x
7. Connect one end of the data cable to the rear of the Blaster CD
8x and the other end to the interface card (Figures 1-8 and 1-9).
Installing the Blaster CD 8x 1-7

The data cable is designed to fit into the CD-ROM connector
only when inserted in the correct position; if the connectors do
not match, turn over the data cable connector and try again.
IDE CD-ROM
connector
Pin 1
Data cable
Colored
stripe
Figure 1-8: Connecting the data cable to the Blaster CD 8x
The CD-ROM data cable must be connected to the CD-ROM
drive and to the interface card so that the colored stripe
corresponds to pin 1 on both connectors.
Figure 1-9: Connecting the data cable to the interface card
8. Replace the cover on your computer, reconnect the monitor, and
plug in and turn on the computer.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x 1-8

Installing the Blaster CD 8x with an Audio Card
The instructions that follow require that the CD-ROM drive and an
audio card be installed. If you have not installed the Blaster CD 8x, do
so before continuing (see “Installing the Blaster CD-ROM Drive”
earlier in this chapter for instructions).
See the documentation for your audio card for information concerning
the audio cable connection.
If you have an IDE audio card installed, you may be able to
connect the audio card directly with the CD-ROM drive without
using the interface card or hard disk controller. However, if the
audio card does not have plug-and-play capabilities, the
software installation instructions for Windows 95 in Chapter 2,
“Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software,” do not apply. See your
audio card documentation for more information.
Connecting Audio Cable to an Audio Card
You can connect the Blaster CD 8x to an IDE audio card for audio CD
capabilities by using the CD-ROM interface card or hard disk
controller.
If you have not installed the CD-ROM drive and audio card, do so
before proceeding (see “Installing the Blaster CD 8x” earlier in this
chapter).
To connect your audio card to the CD-ROM drive:
1. Follow the instructions for installing the CD-ROM drive with
the hard disk controller or interface card.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x 1-9

2. Connect the CD-ROM audio cable to the audio card
(Figure 1-10, for example; the audio connector may be located
elsewhere on the audio card) and CD-ROM drive.
The audio cable connector with the locking mechanism
connects to the CD-ROM drive. Attach the opposing
connector to the audio card.
CD-ROM audio cable
CD-ROM
data cable
Audio Card
CD-ROM Drive
CD-ROM
data cable
CD-ROM Interface Card
Pin 1
Colored
stripe
Pin 1
PC power
supply
Figure 1-10: Connecting the CD-ROM drive, audio card, and interface card
The audio cable included in the Blaster CD 8x kit is for
connecting to a Sound Blaster audio card. Contact your
computer dealer for the appropriate cable for connecting to
other audio cards.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x 1-10

Connecting Headphones or Speakers
If you installed the Blaster CD 8x with the interface card (or connected
to your hard disk IDE controller), you can connect headphones or
powered speakers through the stereo phone jack on the front panel of
the CD-ROM drive.
Connecting to the CD-ROM Stereo Phone jack only allows
listening to audio CDs. An audio card, such as Sound Blaster,
is required for most multimedia software.
If you connect the Blaster CD 8x to an IDE audio card, connect your
headphones or speakers to the audio card. See the documentation for
your audio card for instructions.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x 1-11

2
Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software
The Blaster CD 8x installation program installs the QuickCD program
and the drivers needed for your CD-ROM drive. Installation programs
are provided for both Windows 95 and Windows 3.1/DOS.
Installing for Windows 95
The procedure for installing the CD-ROM drive software varies
slightly depending upon how the drive is connected. Refer to
“Installing with the Interface Card or PnP Audio Card” if you connect
the CD-ROM drive to the PnP interface card or a PnP audio card. Refer
to “Installing the CD-ROM Drive Software” if you have connected the
drive to the hard disk controller, secondary IDE port, or non-PnP
interface card.
Installing with the Interface Card or PnP Audio Card
To install the Blaster CD 8x software with the provided interface card
or PnP audio card:
1. After installing the Blaster CD 8x, replace the cover on your
computer and reconnect the monitor and other devices.
2. Turn on the power to your computer.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software 2-1

3. When Windows 95 starts, it automatically detects the new
hardware in your system. Follow the on-screen instructions
until the New Hardware Found dialog is displayed (Figure 2-1).
Figure 2-1: New Hardware Found dialog.
4. Select the second driver option: “Driver from disk provided by
hardware manufacturer.”
5. Choose OK. The Install From Disk dialog appears.
Figure 2-2: Install From Disk dialog.
6. Insert the installation disk for the Blaster CD 8x into a floppy
disk drive.
7. In the dialog text box, enter the letter for the floppy drive; for
example, A:\ or B:\. Choose OK.
The driver for the CD-ROM drive is copied to your computer.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software 2-2

8. When the installation is complete, the System Settings Change
dialog appears (Figure 2-3).
Figure 2-3: System Settings Change dialog.
9. Choose No. Proceed to step 3 in the “Installing the CD-ROM
Drive Software” section below.
Installing the CD-ROM Drive Software
To install the Blaster CD 8x software when connected to the hard disk
controller, secondary IDE port, or non-PnP interface card:
1. After installing the Blaster CD 8x, replace the cover on your
computer and reconnect the monitor and other devices.
2. Turn on the power to your computer.
3. When Windows 95 boots, choose the button on the task
bar. The Start menu (Figure 2-4) is displayed.
Figure 2-4: Start menu.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software 2-3

4. Choose Run... on the Start menu. The Run dialog is displayed.
Figure 2-5: Run dialog.
5. Insert the installation disk for the CD-ROM drive into a floppy
disk drive.
6. In the Run dialog text box, enter the letter of the floppy disk
drive; for example, A:\SETUP or B:\SETUP and choose OK.
The installation program prepares the InstallShield Wizard to
guide you through the application setup.
7. The README.TXT file (Figure 2-6) appears. Read this file
before you proceed with the installation.
Figure 2-6: Readme.txt file (screen appearance may vary slightly).
Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software 2-4

8. Choose Next. The Choose Destination Location dialog (Figure
2-7) appears. The default path is C:\Program Files\Sbcd.
Figure 2-7: Choose Destination Location dialog.
To change the destination directory, choose Browse.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software 2-5

9. When the destination path is correct, choose Next. The
installation program copies the files to your computer. The
Device Selection dialog appears (Figure 2-8).
Figure 2-8: Device Selection dialog.
10. Select the device that you have connected to the CD-ROM
drive.
q Choose “IDE Hard Disk Controller Card” if you have
daisy-chained the CD-ROM drive to the hard disk controller
card.
q Choose “Onboard IDE Secondary Port” if the CD-ROM
drive is connected to an available secondary IDE port in your
system.
q Choose “Plug and Play Card” if you attached the drive to the
supplied PnP interface card.
q Choose “Non-Plug and Play Card” if the drive is connected
to a non-PnP interface card.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software 2-6

11. The Setup Complete dialog appears (Figure 2-9).
Figure 2-9: Setup Complete dialog.
12. Choose Finish to restart your computer.
Proceed to “Testing the Installation” to ensure a successful installation.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software 2-7

Testing the Installation
To test your CD-ROM drive and interface card installation:
1. Connect speakers to the CD-ROM drive (or to your audio card).
2. Load an audio CD onto the CD-ROM disc tray.
3. Select the button on the task bar.
4. Follow the menu trail (similar to Figure 2-10) to activate the
CD-ROM application.
Figure 2-10: Activating the CD-ROM application.
5. The QuickCD control panel (Figure 2-11) appears.
Figure 2-11: QuickCD Control Panel.
6. Choose the Play button to begin playing the audio CD.
7. To stop playing the audio CD, choose the Stop button.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software 2-8

Installing Software in DOS/Windows 3.1
This section provides instructions to install the CD-ROM software in a
DOS/Windows 3.1 system:
q Installing the Plug-and-Play Configuration Manager
q Installing the CD-ROM Drive Software
q Testing the Installation
q Locking and Unlocking the CD-ROM Drive
Installing the Plug-and-Play Configuration Manager
It is unnecessary to install the configuration manager if you are
connecting the CD-ROM drive to the hard disk controller or to
a non-PnP audio card.
To install Creative PnP Configuration Manager (CTCM) and Creative
PnP Configuration Utility (CTCU) in DOS/Windows 3.x:
1. Insert the PnP Configuration Manager installation disk into your
floppy drive.
2. At the DOS prompt, type A:INSTALL (or B:INSTALL) and
press the Enter key. Follow the instructions on the screen to
complete the installation.
The installation program will install CTCM as a DOS device driver by
adding the following line to the CONFIG.SYS file:
DEVICE=\CTCM.EXE
where is the directory where you have installed CTCM.
This CTCM statement will be placed before all low-level device drivers
(such as CTSB16.SYS and SBIDE.SYS) so that your Creative PnP
cards will be configured before these device drivers try to use them.
If you add this line to CONFIG.SYS manually, please make sure
that this line is placed after the statement (if any) that loads the
other PnP configuration manager, for example Intel’s
Configuration Manager (DWCFGMG.SYS), in your system.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software 2-9

The installation program adds the following to the AUTOEXEC.BAT :
SET CTCM=
\CTCU /S /W=
where and are the directories where
your CTCM/CTCU and Windows 3.x files are installed respectively.
For more details on how the CTCM and CTCU commands work, please
read “Creative PnP Configuration Software” in Appendix B.
Installing the CD-ROM Drive Software
The CD-ROM software includes the QuickCD application and two
drivers that control your CD-ROM drive.
To install the CD-ROM software:
1. Insert the CD-ROM installation disk into a floppy disk drive.
2. At the DOS prompt, type A: or B: and press the ENTER key.
Type INSTALL and press the ENTER key.
3. Press the F2 key to view the README file. When you are
finished, press the ESC key to return to the main menu.
4. Press the ENTER key to begin the installation.
5. The installation program asks for the directory in which the
CD-ROM drive software is to be installed. The default is
C:\SBCD. Accept the default or follow the instructions
on-screen to change the directory.
6. When requested, enter the boot drive for your computer; the
default is C:. Press the ENTER key when the name of the
directory and the boot drive are correct.
After the CD-ROM software is installed, the program adds lines to
AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS. (See Appendix B, “Windows
3.1/DOS CD-ROM Drivers,” for more information.) You must reboot
your computer for the newly installed drivers to take effect.
Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software 2-10

Testing the Installation
The test program TESTCD ensures that you have installed the Blaster
CD 8x correctly and it is working properly.
To test the CD-ROM drive:
1. Load an audio (music) CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. Change to the CD-ROM software directory (C:\SBCD is the
default), and type TESTCD and press the ENTER key.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen.
TESTCD requires an audio CD to preform the test. If a data CD
is used the program will prompt you for an audio CD. If no CD
is in the drive an error message will appear.
The test does the following:
q Checks the CD-ROM drive setup. If an MSCDEX error
message is displayed, check that SBIDE.SYS is properly
installed. Also, check the data and power cables connected to
the CD-ROM drive.
q Checks for audio output. If there is no audio output, refer to
Appendix A, “Troubleshooting.”
Installing the Blaster CD 8x Software 2-11

QuickCD
3
QuickCD is a Windows or DOS interface that allows you to play audio
compact disks (CDs) in your CD-ROM drive. The volume cannot be
controlled through the software unless you have a Sound Blaster audio
card installed.
To enjoy audio CD with your CD-ROM drive, ensure the
CD-audio cable is connected to a audio card or headphones are
connected to the CD-ROM speaker jack.
Windows 95/Windows 3.1 QuickCD
All of the features available on the DOS version are also present on the
Windows version.
Setting Up QuickCD in Windows 3.1
To use QuickCD in Windows 3.1, install the Windows 3.1 [MCI]
CD-Audio driver, MCICDA.DRV, which allows you to play audio CDs
in Windows. If you are using Windows 95 this is unnecessary.
Have your Windows 3.1 installation disk available when
installing the CD-Audio driver.
To add MCICDA.DRV:
1. Place an audio CD into the CD-ROM drive.
2. Double-click the Control Panel in the Main Group window. The
Control Panel dialog appears.
3. Double-click the Drivers icon in the Control Panel. The Drivers
dialog appears.
4. Choose Add... from the Drivers dialog. The Add dialog appears.
5. Select [MCI] CD Audio from the Add dialog and click on OK.
6. Follow the prompts to complete installation.
7. Restart Windows for the changes to take effect.
QuickCD 3-1

To add Windows QuickCD to Accessories group:
1. Double-click the Accessories group window.
2. Choose New from the File menu. The New Program Object
dialog appears.
3. Select Program Item; choose OK. The Program Item Properties
dialog appears.
4. In the Command Line box, type:
C:\SBCD\QCD.EXE
If your Blaster CD 8x directory or the drive is different,
substitute the correct information.
5. Choose OK. The QuickCD icon is placed in the Accessories
group window.
Running Windows QuickCD
Track
selection
buttons
Slider
To run Windows QuickCD:
1. Double-click the QuickCD icon. The QuickCD control window
appears.
On/off Eject Play Stop Pause
Using the Keyboard and Mouse
Previous
track
Rewind
Next
track
Fast
forward
Figure 3-1: Windows QuickCD control window
Mixer
Display
box
The options on QuickCD can be selected using the mouse or the
keyboard.
To select an option using the mouse:
q Click on the Track Selection button to play the desired track.
q Click to select the desired action.
q Drag the slider to forward or rewind the track.
QuickCD 3-2

To select an option using the keyboard:
q Use the TAB key to select an option.
q Press ENTER to activate the option.
q Move the slider with the left or right arrow key to forward or
rewind the track.
q Press ALT, SPACEBAR to select the Control menu box.
Windows QuickCD Control Panel
Windows QuickCD has the following controls:
Off Closes QuickCD.
Eject Ejects/closes the tray.
Play Starts playing the track shown in the Display box.
Stop Stops playing the track.
Pause Pauses or resumes playing the track.
Previous track Selects the previous track and plays it. At the start of
the CD, the last track is played.
Rewind Rewinds the current track by 10 seconds. At the start
of the first track, this function is ignored.
Fast forward Forwards the track by 10 seconds. If the end of the
last track is encountered, this function is ignored.
Next track Selects the next track and plays it. At the end of the
CD, the first track is played.
Mixer Activates the Mixer (if you have a Sound Blaster card
installed and connected).
Slider Rewinds or forwards the track.
Track selection Allows you to select the desired track.
Display Displays the current track and the time duration.
Control menu Activates the Control menu.
QuickCD 3-3

Using the Control Menu
The Control menu contains commands that allow you to perform
various operations such as to move, restore, and close the window.
To activate the Control menu:
1. Click on the QuickCD minimized icon. The Control menu
appears.
2. Click on the control box in the upper left corner of the menu to
display the control panel.
The following describes each Control menu command:
Restore Restores the QuickCD to its previous size.
Move Lets you move QuickCD.
Minimize Reduces QuickCD to an icon.
Close Closes QuickCD.
Switch to Opens the Task List dialog that allows you to select
another running application.
Play Starts playing the track shown.
Stop Stops playing the track.
Pause Pauses or resumes playing the track.
Skip Selects the next track and plays it. At the end of the
CD, the first track is played.
Always on top Displays QuickCD on top of the active window.
Preferences Allows you to customize QuickCD.
About QuickCDDisplays copyright information about QuickCD.
QuickCD 3-4

Minimizing Windows QuickCD
To minimize Windows QuickCD:
1. Click on the QuickCD control box.
The Control menu appears.
2. Choose Minimize. The QuickCD icon appears.
The QuickCD icon spins and shows a track number when a
compact disk is playing.
Customizing Windows QuickCD
To customize Windows QuickCD:
1. Click on the QuickCD minimized icon. The Control menu
appears.
2. Choose Preferences. The Preferences dialog appears.
3. Select the desired options.
4. Choose OK.
Quitting Windows QuickCD
To quit QuickCD:
q Click on the Off button;
q Choose Close from the Control menu; or
q Press ALT+F4.
QuickCD 3-5

DOS QuickCD
To run DOS QuickCD:
Next
drive
1. Change to the CD-ROM drive software directory. For example,
type CD\SBCD and press the ENTER key (for the default
installation).
2. Type QCD at the DOS prompt and press the ENTER key. The
QuickCD control window appears.
Play
Eject
Stop
Pause
Mode
Fast
forward
Rewind
Next
track
Previous
track
Total
time
Figure 3-2: DOS QuickCD control panel
Volume
control
slider
QuickCD 3-6

DOS QuickCD Control Panel
Using the Keyboard
DOS QuickCD has the same controls found on most CD players as well
as some additional features. The following list describes the controls:
Eject Ejects/closes the tray.
Play Starts playing the track shown in the Track box.
Stop Stops playing the track.
Pause/resume Pauses or resumes playing the track.
Next track Selects the next track and plays it. At the end of the
CD, the first track is played.
Previous track Selects the previous track and plays it. At the start of
the CD, the first track is played.
Fast forward Forwards the track by 16 seconds. If the end of the
last track is encountered, this function is ignored.
Rewind At the start of the first track, this function is ignored.
Next drive Changes to the next CD-ROM drive. If there is only
one drive, this function is ignored.
Drive Displays the current drive.
Mode Displays the current operation.
Total time Displays the total time to play all the tracks on the
CD.
Volume control Controls the volume of the CD audio. To increase or
decrease the volume, use the up or down arrow keys.
Track Displays the current track and the time duration.
Use the TAB key to move from one control to the next. To activate a
control, press the TAB key until the control is highlighted; press the
ENTER key to activate the control.
QuickCD 3-7

Using the Mouse
Place the mouse cursor on the desired control; click the mouse button
to activate the control.
Quitting DOS QuickCD
To quit DOS QuickCD:
q Press ESC, or
q Click the Title box (“QuickCD”).
QuickCD 3-8

Troubleshooting
CD-ROM Drive
A
This appendix provides you with the causes of and solutions for some
common problems you may face.
PROBLEM: No sound from headphones or speakers.
Causes: The audio cable may not be connected properly or
the volume may not be set to an audible level.
Solutions: The problem may be corrected by:
q If your headphones or speakers are connected to
the jack on the front of the CD-ROM drive,
adjust the volume control on the drive.
q If your headphones or speakers are connected to
an audio card, adjust the volume through the
audio card mixer or volume control.
q Connect headphones to the stereo phone jack on
the audio card. If there is no sound from your
headphones, check to see if the audio cable is
properly connected from the CD-ROM drive to
the audio card.
PROBLEM: Interface card or CD-ROM drive is not ready.
Causes: The problem may be caused by:
q Power or data cable is not properly connected
q I/O setting in CONFIG.SYS file is not correct
q The drive is set to the slave setting
Troubleshooting A-1

Solutions: The problem may be corrected by:
q Ensure the power and data cables are connected
properly to the drive (see Chapter 1, “Installing
the Blaster CD 8x”).
q Whenever you change the settings, run
CDSETUP to update your CONFIG.SYS file
(see Appendix B, “Changing the Blaster CD 8x
Configuration”).
q Set the slave jumper to the master setting (see
Chapter 1, “Connecting Additional CD-ROM
Drives”).
PROBLEM: No valid CD-ROM drive is detected in
DOS/Windows 3.1.
Cause: MSCDEX.EXE or SBIDE.SYS is not loaded.
Solution: Your CD-ROM drive requires MSCDEX.EXE and
SBIDE.SYS to access the drive. Check your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file for a statement similar to the
following:
CD-ROM Drive Installation
C:\[path]\MSCDEX.EXE /M:8 /V
/D:MSCD001
Check the CONFIG.SYS file for a statement similar
to the following:
DEVICE=C:\[path]\SBIDE.SYS
/D:MSCD001 /V
(See Appendix B, “Changing the Blaster CD 8x
Configuration” for more information.)
PROBLEM: The installation program does not run properly.
Cause: You probably have less than 420 KB of free memory
in your computer.
Troubleshooting A-2

Solution: INSTALL.EXE requires 420 KB of free memory to
run properly. Remove one or more applications
from memory to make at least 420 KB of memory
available before running INSTALL.EXE again.
To check the amount of memory that is available,
type mem at the DOS prompt and press ENTER.
The system displays the memory that is available.
The value for the largest executable program size
must be more that 430080 bytes.
PROBLEM: The message “Out of environment space” is
displayed.
Cause: The system environment space is insufficient.
Solution: Add the following statement to the CONFIG.SYS
file:
Windows 3.1 Applications
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM /E:512 /P
The /E switch sets a new size for the system
environment space. If you get the message again
after changing the size to 512, reset it at 1024.
Check your DOS manual for information about the
Shell command.
PROBLEM: Windows refuses to install a device driver, or the
error message “Device not found” appears when you
try to play CD audio.
Cause: The SYSTEM.INI file may not contain the
appropriate settings.
Solution: Display the SYSTEM.INI file:
1. Choose Run from the Program Manager's File
menu, then type sysedit and choose OK.
2. Make sure you have the following setting in the
[mci] section of the SYSTEM.INI file:
CDAudio=mcicda.drv
Troubleshooting A-3

DOS Applications
PROBLEM: There is no CD audio sound.
Cause: The volume is not turned up.
Solution: If your speakers or headphones are connected to the
front audio jack, adjust the volume control on the
front of the CD-ROM drive.
Or, use the volume control or mixer application for
your audio card to adjust the volume.
Check the speaker connections and power supply if
you are using powered speakers or an external
amplifier.
PROBLEM: When running QuickCD, the following error
message appears at the top of the screen:
“BLASTER setting error. I/O base set to 220 hex.”
Cause: The BLASTER environment is not set in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. When you start QuickCD
from the DOS command line, the program attempts
to set the volume control from the BLASTER
environment line in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
Solution: If you have Sound Blaster Pro or Sound Blaster 16
installed, reinstall the software. If you have no
Sound Blaster card installed, ignore the
message—the operation of QuickCD is not affected.
CTCU Configuration Utility
PROBLEM: Not enough conventional memory to run CTCU.
Cause: CTCU requires 561K of conventional memory.
Solution: Reboot your system and press the F5 key when the
“Starting MS-DOS” message appears. This
bypasses the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
files to leave you enough conventional memory.
Troubleshooting A-4

Changing Settings
B
Blaster CD 8x is installed dependent on the I/O address (port) and
interrupt (IRQ) settings on the CD-ROM interface card (or on your
audio card if the CD-ROM drive is connected to it). The information
that follows explains how to change the interface port and interrupt
settings in case of a conflict between the interface card and another
device installed on your computer.
If you connect the CD-ROM drive to the hard disk controller, the drive
settings are based upon the controller’s settings.
Changing the Settings in Windows 95
To change the resource settings for the audio card or CD-ROM:
1. Click the Start button
2. Select Settings and Control Panel.
3. Double-click the System icon.
4. Click the Device Manager tab.
5. Click the plus sign next to the hardware device type. For
example, click on the plus sign next to “Hard disk controllers”
or “CD-ROM controllers.”
6. Double-click the hardware. For example, double-click on
“Primary IDE controller” or “Creative IDE CD-ROM
Controller.”
7. Click the Resources or Settings tab.
If your device does not have a Resources tab, either you cannot
change its resources or it isn't using any resource settings.
8. Disable the Use automatic settings option
9. Double-click the resource you want to change.
For detailed information refer to the Windows 95 on-line
documentation.
Changing Settings B-1

Using Creative IDE CD-ROM Drive in MS-DOS Mode
Skip this section if you have attached the CD-ROM drive to the
hard disk controller.
Under MS-DOS mode, you need the drivers for DOS to be loaded. The
setup program on the CD-ROM installation disk will modify the
DOSSTART.BAT file located in the Windows directory to load your
CD-ROM driver, when you shutdown to MS-DOS mode.
The following lines are added to the DOSSTART.BAT:
C:\\CTCM
C:\\Dosdrv\CTLOAD C:\\Dosdrv\SBIDE.SYS
/D:MSCD001 /P:1E8,11,3EE
C:\\Command\MSCDEX /D:MSCD001 /V /M:8
where is your target installation directory and is the
Windows 95 directory.
If you choose to go to MS-DOS mode by changing the MS-DOS
prompt properties and choosing a new configuration, you need to add
the following lines to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
C:\\CTCM
C:\\CTLOAD C:\\Drv\SBIDE.SYS /D:MSCD001 /V
/P:1E8,11,3EE
C:\\Command\MSCDEX /D:MSCD001 /V /M:8
where is your target installation directory and is the
Windows 95 directory.
If the filename of your target directory is more than 8 characters
(i.e. you are using the long filename feature of Windows 95), the
filename must be shortened, as required for DOS. E.g., If your
target directory is “Program Files”, then you need to refer to it
as PROGRA~1. This is because MS-DOS has a restriction on
the length of the filename and directory name.
Changing Settings B-2

Changing the CD-ROM Driver Settings
SBIDE.SYS
Two drivers are needed to control your CD-ROM drive: SBIDE.SYS
(hardware-dependent) and MSCDEX.EXE (Microsoft CD-ROM
Extensions). The installation program automatically updates the
CONFIG.SYS file to include a statement similar to:
DEVICE=C:\SBCD\DRV\SBIDE.SYS /D:MSCD001
/P:1E8,11,3EE
C:\path\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001 /M:8 /V
SBIDE.SYS supports primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary
ports, industry conventions for I/O addresses and IRQ line used by an
IDE interface.
The syntax of the SBIDE.SYS statement in CONFIG.SYS is:
DEVICE=C:\path\SBIDE.SYS /D:device /P:addr,irq, addr
/V
Parameter Description
path Directory in which you installed the CD-ROM software.
/D:device Default is C:\SBCD
/P:address,irq, Name of the CD-ROM drive; must be the same as device
address name in AUTOEXEC.BAT. Default is /D:MSCD001.
Base address for IDE interface. address can be 1F0, 170, 1E8,
or 168; default is 1E8. irq can be 10, 11, 12, 14, or 15; default
is 11.
IDE Port
I/O Address
(address)
IRQ (irq)
Lines
Secondary I/O
address
Primary 1F0 14 3F6
Secondary 170 15 376
Tertiary (default) 1E8 11 or 12 3EE
Quaternary 168 10 or 11 36E
/V When your computer starts, displays drive type, version, port
address, and interrupt of your CD-ROM drive.
Changing Settings B-3

MSCDEX.EXE
Select the primary port only if you connect the drive to the
primary hard disk controller. Also, you can only connect two
IDE devices to each IDE port in a system; the names of these
IDE ports do not indicate a sequence for adding IDE devices.
The /P switch is not required with the SBIDE.SYS driver when
connected to the hard disk controller.
The syntax of the MSCDEX.EXE statement in AUTOEXEC.BAT is:
C:\path\MSCDEX.EXE /D:device /M:xx [/L:drive] [/E] /V
[ ] (brackets) indicate an optional parameter. After making changes to
the statement, reboot your system for the changes to take effect.
Parameter Description
path Directory for the CD-ROM software. Default is C:\SBCD.
/D:driver1
[/D:driver2.
..]
Name of the CD-ROM drive; must be identical to the device
name in the CONFIG.SYS file. Default is /D:MSCD001.
Additional drivers (driver2...) can be named in the same
MSCDEX command.
/E Use expanded memory, if available. (Only applies to Expanded
Memory Manager LIM version 3.2 or later.)
/K Directs MS-DOS to recognize CD-ROMs encoded in Kanji.
By default, MS-DOS does not recognize Kanji CD-ROMs.
/S Enables sharing of CD-ROM drives on MS-NET or Windows
for Workgroups servers.
/V Displays summary of RAM and memory allocation at boot.
/L:letter Letter assigned to the CD-ROM drive. If not specified, the next
available letter is used. If you have included the LASTDRIVE
statement in your CONFIG.SYS file, the letter designated with
the MSCDEX line must fall within the specified range.
/M:xx Number of buffers for temporary storage of data. xx ranges
from 2 to 30. CD-ROM drive performance increases with the
value of xx; too many buffers may impact programs with large
memory requirements.

Creative PnP Configuration Software
Using CTCM
Using CTCU
The Creative PnP Configuration software comprises two different
applications:
q Creative Configuration Manager (CTCM)
q Creative Configuration Utility (CTCU)
To configure Creative PnP cards in Windows 95 MS-DOS
Mode, CTCM is required but CTCU is not necessary since
CTCM can get both legacy (non-PnP) and PnP card settings
from Windows 95.
Upon booting your system, the Creative Configuration Manager
(CTCM) scans for and configures any unconfigured Creative PnP
cards. You can also run CTCM from a DOS prompt to reconfigure a
Creative PnP card.
1. Exit to DOS if you are in Windows 3.x or restart in MS-DOS
Mode if you are in Windows 95.
2. Change to the directory where your CTCM and CTCU
programs are installed. The default directory is C:\CTCM.
3. Type CTCM and press the Enter key. CTCM will configure
your Creative PnP card(s) and update the BLASTER
environment variable if it detects a Creative audio card in your
system.
CTCM configures Creative PnP cards only. But it can work
with or without another PnP configuration manager installed in
the same system.
Run Creative PnP Configuration Utility (CTCU) when:
q Your PnP cards’ settings do not work properly. For example, some
systems do not support high DMA (Direct Memory Access) and
your PnP devices is set to use high DMA. Run CTCU to select
another setting that does not use high DMA.
q You need to add resource settings for legacy (non-PnP) cards.
Changing Settings B-5

q You have changed the resource settings of your legacy cards.
q You have removed a legacy card from your system. Running
CTCU helps free the resources previously allocated to the card.
CTCU is not required with Windows 95.
CTCU does not access the resource settings database used by
Intel Configuration Manager (ICM). So, do not use CTCU to
change or disable your card settings if you already have ICM
installed; use Intel’s ISA Configuration Utility (ICU) instead.
To run CTCU in DOS/Windows 3.x:
1. Exit to DOS if you are in Windows 3.x.
2. Change to the directory where your CTCM and CTCU
programs are installed. The default directory is C:\CTCM.
3. Type CTCU and press the Enter key.
The CTCU command has two optional switches: /S and
/W=C:\. You can type it in the following way:
CTCU /S /W=
where is the directory where your Windows 3.x files
are installed.
The /S switch notifies CTCU to run in silent mode. It will not display
any messages or screens. CTCU will update the parameters required
by Creative drivers. If you do not use the /S switch, CTCU will run in
full-screen mode.
The /W= switch informs CTCU to update the PnP
hardware information of your Windows drivers in the SYSTEM.INI
file. If you do not use this switch, CTCU will prompt you to enter the
name of the directory where your Windows files can be found.
When you run CTCU in full-screen mode, you can pull down the menu
to select one of the following sections:
q PnP Cards section
q Legacy Cards section
q System Devices section
Changing Settings B-6

PnP Cards Section
Resources Window
You can use this section to view the PnP cards resource settings
in your system and change the Creative PnP cards settings only.
When you select the PnP Cards section from the CTCU menu, the Plug
and Play window appears, listing the PnP cards in the system.
Choosing a card here displays a list of logical devices on that card.
To view the resources for a PnP device, double-click the device you
want. Alternatively, select the device from the list and then click the
Resources button. The Resources window will appear.
The Resources window displays the current resource settings of a
particular logical device. The settings shown may include input/output
(I/O) ranges, interrupts (IRQ), Direct Memory Access (DMA) channels
and 32-bit memory ranges, depending on the PnP card you have and the
configuration chosen.
To change the resource configuration, click the down arrow next to the
Configuration box and then select a suitable configuration which has all
the settings that your card needs.
To disable a logical device, click the Disable checkbox. A mark will
appear in the box, informing CTCM not to configure this device the
next time it runs.
To view or change a resource setting, double-click the setting you want,
or alternatively, select the setting and then click the Reconfigure button
in the Resources window. Depending on the setting that you have
chosen, one of the following windows will appear:
q I/O Range window
q Interrupt window
q Direct Memory Access window
q Memory Range window
The window displays the current resource setting and a list of possible
settings. To change a setting, select one from the list. Make sure it will
not conflict with the other cards’ settings. Then double-click the new
setting or click the OK button.
Changing Settings B-7

Legacy Cards Section
Add Button
Each of these windows has a Conflicting Devices message box
which will inform you of any hardware conflicts that may result
from the settings you have just selected for your card.
To see the list of settings available in each window, click the
down arrow on the right-hand side of the Choices box.
You can use this section to enter, view or change the resource
settings of all the legacy (non-PnP) cards in your system.
When you select the Legacy Cards section from the CTCU menu, the
Legacy window appears, displaying the resources taken up by the
legacy cards in your system.
You can add information on a legacy card’s resource settings by simply
clicking the Add button. You can also view, change or remove an
existing card’s resource settings by selecting a card in the window and
then clicking one of the following:
q View All button
q Change button
q Remove button
The Add window allows you to enter the following details for a new or
existing legacy card in your system:
q Card Name
q Input/Output Range (I/O)
q Interrupt (IRQ)
q Direct Memory Access channel (DMA)
q 32-bit Memory Range (Mem)
You must enter the card’s name in the Card Name field. The
other fields can be left blank.
Changing Settings B-8

View All Button
Change Button
Remove Button
The View All window lists all the resources reserved in your system.
These resources are grouped by type and displayed in four boxes —
input/output Range (I/O), interrupt (IRQ), Direct Memory Access
channel (DMA), and 32-bit memory range (Mem).
The Change window displays the current resources that have been
reserved for a selected legacy card. You can also change any of the
resources as well as the card’s name here.
Be very careful when you add or change resource information
for a legacy card. Verify all the hardware settings of the legacy
cards in your system. Filling in incorrect data may reserve
resources which will not be used by any device!
Clicking this button in the Legacy window removes a selected card’s
settings.
System Devices Section
You can use this section to view but not change the resource
settings of the system devices in your computer.
When you select the System Devices section from the CTCU menu, the
System Device Resources window appears, listing all the resources
used by your system devices.
These resources are grouped by type and displayed in four boxes —
input/output range (I/O), interrupt (IRQ), Direct Memory Access
channel (DMA) and 32-bit memory range (Mem).
Changing Settings B-9

Adding a CD-ROM Drive
You can daisy-chain another CD-ROM drive to your computer by
connecting the drives with a data cable (see Figure B-3). You can
connect two IDE CD-ROM drives to an IDE port. If your second drive
is not a Creative IDE CD-ROM drive, consult the documentation for
the second drive before connecting the two CD-ROM drives.
You must set one of the two drives connected to the IDE port as a
master and the other as a slave. The master/slave assignment is made
by configuring the jumper block at the back of the CD-ROM
drives—the factory default for the Creative IDE CD-ROM drive is for
a slave (see Figure B-2).
Figure B-1: Jumper block settings for daisy-chaining IDE CD-ROM drives
Changing Settings B-10

In Windows 95
Master
drive
Slave
drive
CD audio
cable
CD-ROM data
connector
Figure B-2: Daisy-chaining two IDE CD-ROM drives
The cable required for this connection is not included in your
multimedia kit.
Slave
drive
After connecting the drive, switch on your computer to allow Windows
95 to detect the CD-ROM drive. When prompted to select a driver for
your new hardware, insert the CD-ROM installation disk into the
appropriate drive; select “Driver from disk provided by hardware
manufacturer” and choose OK. Follow the remaining prompts to
complete the installation.
Pin 1
Pin 1
Power cable
Power cable
Data
cable
Connect to audio or
CD-ROM interface card
Colored stripe
Master
drive
Changing Settings B-11
CD audio
cable

In DOS/Windows 3.x
After connecting the drive, modify the MSCDEX statement in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file to include an additional device name, for
example, MSCD002:
[path]\MSCDEX /D:MSCD001 /D:MSCD002
The AUTOEXEC.BAT statement defines the MSCDEX driver for two
CD-ROM drives with device names MSCD001 and MSCD002. The
device names must be identical to the device names for the respective
CD-ROM device drivers in the CONFIG.SYS files as shown below:
DEVICE=[path]\SBIDE.SYS /D:MSCD001
DEVICE=[path]\driver.SYS /D:MSCD002
If the devices do not work, reverse the order of the above lines in the
CONFIG.SYS file and try again.
SBIDE.SYS is the driver for the Creative IDE CD-ROM drive and
driver.SYS is the name for the other IDE CD-ROM drive.
Changing Settings B-12

Technical Data
C
This appendix lists the technical specifications of the Blaster CD 8x.
Performance Characteristics
Power Supply 1 Amp (Max.) on +5 Volts
1.5 Amp (Max.) on +12 Volts
Storage Capacity
(12 cm Disc)
60 min 553 MB (Mode 1 and Mode 2 Form 1)
630.7 MB (Mode 2)
74 min 682 MB (Mode 1 and Mode 2 Form 1)
777.9 MB (Mode 2)
(8 cm Disc)
18 min 180 MB (Mode 1 and Mode 2 Form 1)
210 MB (Mode 2)
Data Transfer Rate (Sustain) 1,200 KB/sec (Typical)
Access Time (1/3 Stroke) 230 msec (Typical)
Error Rate
Soft Read Errors < 1 per 10 9
Hard Read Errors < 1 per 10 12
Seek Errors < 1 per 10 6
Technical Data C-1

Typical Audio Performance
Sampling Frequency 44.1 kHz
Number of Channels 2
Frequency Response
Line-out 20 Hz to 20 kHz ± 3 dB
Headphone 100 Hz to 20 kHz ± 3 dB
Signal to Noise Ratio
Line-out >80 dB
Headphone >80 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion (at 1 kHz)
Line-out 60 dB
Output (Typical)
Line-out 0.72 V rms ± 20%
Headphone 0.62 V rms ± 20%
Environmental Operating Limits
Ambient Temperature (No Condensation)
Operating 5 to 40°C
Storage -25 to 55°C
Relative Humidity (No Condensation)
Operating 20 to 90%
Storage 5 to 95%
Technical Data C-2

Technical Support
D
At Creative Labs, we are committed to giving our customers the best
product possible with excellent technical support. The information
below is correct as this manual goes to press; check the software disk
for a README file that will give any changes.
Technical Support
When you contact us, be prepared with the following information:
q Version of DOS and Windows
q Computer’s type and speed (for example, 486/33), and memory
available
q If you are using DOS, name of your memory management
utility (for example, QEMM, HIMEM, or EMM386)
q Type of graphics card and any add-in cards (for example, SCSI
controller)
Ideally, when you speak to a Technical Support Representative:
q Be seated at your computer
q Have printed copies of:
q AUTOEXEC.BAT from your root directory (for example,
C:\)
q CONFIG.SYS from your root directory (for example, C:\)
q SYSTEM.INI from your Windows directory (for example,
C:\WINDOWS)
q WIN.INI from your Windows directory (for example,
C:\WINDOWS)
q Have written the exact text of any error message you received
Technical Support D-1

North, Central, and South America
Internet
Compuserve
For technical assistance, call 405-742-6622. Technical support is
available seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to midnight, Central time.
The latest program and driver updates are on Creative Labs’ bulletin
board, 24 hours a day. Call 405-742-6660; use modem settings:
Baud rate 300 to 14400 (V.32/V.42 bis)
Data bits 8
Parity none
Stop bits 1
You can also send us a FAX at 405-742-6633 or write us at:
Technical Support
Creative Labs, Inc
1523 Cimarron Plaza
Stillwater, OK 74075
To reach Creative through Internet, please send an e-mail to:
72662.1602@compuserve.com
Alternatively, connect to: http://www.creativelabs.com/techsupt/
The Creative Labs Forum on Compuserve allows you to ask questions,
and receive new product information and software updates. If you are
a Compuserve member, enter GO BLASTER at the Compuserve
prompt to access the Forum.
If you are not a member of Compuserve, receive a free introductory
membership by calling 1-800-524-3388—ask for representative #228.
Technical Support D-2

Product Return
To return a Creative Labs product for factory service, you must have a
Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number. Obtain an RMA
number by calling the Technical Support office nearest you (see above
for location and telephone numbers). Creative Labs will not accept a
return without an RMA number.
When returning a product for factory service:
q Shipment to Creative Labs is at your expense—you assume all
risk. Ship the package through a carrier that provides proof of
delivery; insure the shipment at full product value.
q Place the RMA number on the outside of the package.
q Use proper materials for packing the product for shipment.
q You must include a copy of a dated proof of purchase (store
receipt), proving that the product is within the warranty period.
Creative Labs may replace or repair the product with new or
reconditioned parts, and the replaced parts or product become the
property of Creative Labs. The repaired or replaced product is
warranted to be free from defect in material and workmanship for the
greater of: (1) ninety (90) days from the return shipping date, or (2) the
period of time remaining on the original one-year warranty.
Outside the United States
When shipping a product to Creative Labs from outside the U.S., you
must complete an official customs form before shipping the product to
avoid tariffs. Creative Labs may include charges for return shipment
to ensure delivery.
Technical Support D-3