Computer Hope

Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: Pianojoe88 on March 26, 2010, 07:06:27 PM

Title: DVD Not Working
Post by: Pianojoe88 on March 26, 2010, 07:06:27 PM
 ???
On bootup, DVD is listed as a Secondary Master IDE.  It is also listed in Device Manager as working perfectly but it won't read a disc.  Here's the strange part.  It is NOT listed in the BIOS! Does anyone have any ideas?  Thanks.
Title: Re: DVD Not Working
Post by: Pianojoe88 on March 26, 2010, 09:51:10 PM
Thanks but this doesn't sound right.  The problem has been going for weeks.  I think if this were happening it would have happened by now.
Title: Re: DVD Not Working
Post by: patio on March 27, 2010, 06:29:27 AM
Doesn't make sense that it's not recognised by the BIOS yet Windows sees it...
How old is this drive ? ?
And how is it cabled/jumpered ? ?
Title: Re: DVD Not Working
Post by: Pianojoe88 on March 27, 2010, 06:32:04 PM
DVD drive is new.  I've tried connecting the cable to the motherboard and to the same cable as my hard drive.  I've also tried every jumper setting.  With the jumber setting I have now, when I boot up the IDE search shows my hard drive the primary master and the DVD as secondary master.
Title: Re: DVD Not Working
Post by: quaxo on March 27, 2010, 09:58:09 PM
If this is being connected via the same IDE cable the hard drive is using, make sure the jumper setting on the hard drive is master, the jumper setting on the DVD drive is slave, that the hard drive is on the middle connector and the DVD is on the end connector and that the colored line (usually red) on the cable matches pin 1 on the drives' connectors. Make sure that cable is then connected to the lowest numbered IDE connector on the motherboard. Most boards have 2 connectors, they are usually named IDE_0 and IDE_1, but other alternatives are sometimes used. Also, some newer motherboards only have one IDE connector.

In the case that your motherboard has two IDE connectors, I recommend that you make use of each. Set both drives to master (or stand alone) and place each on it's own cable, the hard drive to IDE_0 and the DVD drive to IDE_1.

(If the cable isn't long enough to place the DVD on the middle connector, set the drive to slave and place it on the end connector. It will still function properly this way.)
Title: Re: DVD Not Working
Post by: Pianojoe88 on March 28, 2010, 07:08:49 PM
I've tried many connections for the DVD.  At the moment, it is on the same cable as my hard drive.  When I boot up the IDE search shows my hard drive as primary master and the DVD as primary slave.  You mentioned trying "Stand alone"  Does that mean removing the jumbers from both drives?  Thanks for working with me on this.
Title: Re: DVD Not Working
Post by: patio on March 28, 2010, 08:49:13 PM
If you have 2 IDE slots on that machine then connet the DVD to the secondary slot jumpered as Master and connected to the end connector of the IDE cable.
Title: Re: DVD Not Working
Post by: Pianojoe88 on March 28, 2010, 09:28:00 PM
I have two IDE connectors on my motherboard.  I've tried both of your suggestions.  I said I knew that the unit was good as it worked on my friends computer because my son said he would test it there.  Now I find that he never did.  This could just be a bad DVD.  I just bought another one on eBay.  I'll let you know if it works.  Thanks again.