eject failure

[merlin_2]

I've loaded in the register info from CDGONE, still no change. ......kegman...... M_2 ...that patch was for cdrives missing in explorer.......nevermind
 you need to get into the bios setup .....if you have checked the jumpers  setup  and the ide cables you need to enter the bios setup screen>>.......whats the make of this pc......

[kegman]

Merlin,
My pc is an NEC with Cyrix processor.

[merlin_2]

Hold down the f2 key on boot.....does your cd drives show up.....off to bed ..........its 1.50pm gmt....eyes sleepy <yawn>......ok keg......

[kegman]

Merlin,

Not near that late here in Utah so I'll send this and check in again in the AM.

I used the F2 on the boot and went into CMOS it lists the following:
Primary master AUTO and mode AUTO
Primary slave AUTO and mode AUTO
Secondary master AUTO and mode AUTO
Secondary slave AUTO and mode AUTO
and then the floppy stuff.

I've checked the drive mode jumpers several times and the working drive is set to slave and the error drive is set to master.

I would have a question on the jumpers, if the working drive is set to slave how come it works properly only when the ribbon cable is removed from the master CD drive? And if the cable is only attached to the master CD drive it fails to show up on MY COMPUTER.

[Raptor]

Mind if we summarize?

1. You have two CD-ROM players.
2. Master/Slave setup
3. Master does not work
4. Slave only works when Master disconnected
5. Switching around causes slave (previously) to stop functioning and the master (previously) to work.

Questions:

1. Have you tried a different IDE cable?
2. Have you used cable select?
3. Are these drives capable of supporting eachother? How old are they?

[kegman]

Merlin,
Good morning.

Recap;
1. Yes, I have two CD-rom players, one (master) CD-R and one (slave) CD-RW.
2. Yes, a master/slave setup on one cable.
3. The master never shows up as a device on MY COMPUTER regardless of the cable connections. The master eject only functions when the slave is disconnected.
4. The slave shows up as a device on MY COMPUTER only when the master is disconnected. The slave ejects whether the master is/is not connected.

Questions;
1. I haven't tried a different cable because reversing the slave/master plug connection scenario results in the same exact operations.
2. I don't knopw what CABLE SELECT is but I know both the CD's have that data jumper option available.
3. The original CD-R (master) came with my pc, so was several years old, however the majority of my testing has used a replacement known-good CD-R that I borrowed from a friend and I don't know it's age.

[kegman]

Oh, yes, the age of the CD-RW slave is about 2 years but has had no use for 1 year.

[Raptor]

Cable Select is a jumper mode which automatically detects Master and Slave configurations.

however the majority of my testing has used a replacement known-good CD-R that I borrowed from a friend and I don't know it's age.

What testing? Are you saying that an entirely different CD-ROM drive with another IDE cable shows the same signs as the one you had previously used?

[kegman]

Merlin,
Yes, my original CD drive and the borrowed CD drive both in master mode exhibit the same eject and operational discrepancies. I haven't however, exchanged the slave mode CD-RW drive.

Do you recommend changing the data jumper on both drives to CABLE SELECT? Neither of the documentation instructions for these drives specified anything but the slave/master option, nor explained the operational differences.

[kegman]

Oops, sorry Raptor I didn't read your name and thought I was still with Merlin.

[merlin_2]

Go back in the bios setup again and see if the plug_play  reads enabled if not change it.

Failing that some where you have lost the drive controllers.....go to the motherboard makes website and see if they have a bios update most old pc have to have an update for adding more hardware....

[Raptor]

Do you recommend changing the data jumper on both drives to CABLE SELECT? Neither of the documentation instructions for these drives specified anything but the slave/master option, nor explained the operational differences.

Cable select causes the ATA drives to automatically detect wheter they are slave or master. It is then important that devices are correctly connected. According to http://www.howstuffworks.com[/u] the last connector on the IDE cable should be master and the first slave when dealing with Cable Select.

Cable select can be found in the same jumper row as Master/Slave.

[kegman]

Merlin,
The PNP OS was already set to YES.

Is the motherboard manufacturer enscribed on the board or is there a software identity somewhere?

[kegman]

Raptor,

Is there a downside to switching to CABLE SELECT?

[Raptor]

Raptor,

Is there a downside to switching to CABLE SELECT?

Older devices (Pre 1994 I believe) may not support cable select. Other than that, I know of no downsides.