DVD Drive problems

[Danny]

If you've never opened up a computer, you probably won't be much help here.

Basically the problem is that my DVD drive isn't working. I know it's on, because I can open and close the tray, so it's not a problem with the power from the power supply, but the computer doesn't detect it*. I've tried 3 different ribbon cables, and 2 different DVD drives. I don't think it's the IDE port on the motherboard either, because until about a week ago, I had a slave hard drive plugged into there, which worked (although the drive was corrupt, but that's neither here nor there).

Any other suggestions?

_{*I can't see it in My Computer.}

[0Target0]

soooo you removed that hdd an ur dvd stopped working?

[bubbles]

If the other DVD drive is working on the same port with the same cable then its obviously a problem with the drive itself... either something on the drives circut board is fried or the motor/ laser mechanism is fucked.  One last thing you could try is trying the 'faulty' drive in another computer...

And since you said IDE.. chances are its a 5 year old+ drive and/or computer anyways as SATA became the standard 5 years ago and IDE died a quick and just death.

Dvd rewriter drives are extreamly cheap these days, for example I can pick a new 22x DVD±RW Sata drive for approx 20 US dollahs so it shouldn't be a pain the ass to replace.  New IDE drives are more expensive as they are very obsolete and therefore a 'specialist' item.

[xBlueXFoxx]

If you are on windows vista/7 jump to Let me fix it myself

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929461

[Danny]

soooo you removed that hdd an ur dvd stopped working?

I don't know, I hadn't used the DVD Drive for 5 or 6 months until yesterday.

If the other DVD drive is working on the same port with the same cable then its obviously a problem with the drive itself... either something on the drives circut board is fried or the motor/ laser mechanism is fucked.  One last thing you could try is trying the 'faulty' drive in another computer...

And since you said IDE.. chances are its a 5 year old+ drive and/or computer anyways as SATA became the standard 5 years ago and IDE died a quick and just death.

Dvd rewriter drives are extreamly cheap these days, for example I can pick a new 22x DVD±RW Sata drive for approx 20 US dollahs so it shouldn't be a pain the ass to replace.  New IDE drives are more expensive as they are very obsolete and therefore a 'specialist' item.

I've tried 2 DVD Drives. They were both powered, but not being detected by my pc.
I don't think it's a problem with the actual drives.

If you are on windows vista/7 jump to Let me fix it myself

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929461

XP.

[xBlueXFoxx]

XP.

Hmm, never tested this for XP, still may want to check the registry and see if these filters still exist.

[Danny]

Well first I checked in the Hardware Configuration, and it's not detected in there. Secondly I checked the BIOS, not in there either. Just gonna buy a SATA Drive I think, next time I'm in town.

[xBlueXFoxx]

Well first I checked in the Hardware Configuration, and it's not detected in there. Secondly I checked the BIOS, not in there either. Just gonna buy a SATA Drive I think, next time I'm in town.

Well that just clearly proves it's an error with the dvd drive of what the dvd drive is connected to.

[Danny]

It could either be the Drive itself, in which case I need to buy a new one.
It could be the IDE Drive on the motherboard, in which case I need to use a SATA port instead.

If I buy a SATA Drive, all problems go bye bye.

[jerico]

Did you put in a S-AtA hardrive to replace your old HDD?

Because if it first was connected to the same ide cable it is in secondary slave mode behind the IDE Harddisk and your HDD was set to Primary slave mode.

A DVD drive will always open/close while being on power. Think the problem is that your S-Ata port with your S-Ata drive is on first place and now your dvd drive is connected via the ide port on the motherboard. So maybe Your Motherboard only support S-ata or Ide and not both at the same time.

greetings,

jerico