Windows XP not reading files on DVD/CD

[grubbyjeans]

I previously requested help under "Why is my computer not recognizing the dvd/cd in the drive?? HELP!" (with attachment)

I've been having trouble with read/write failures on one of my DVD drives. It has been installed and working for over two years.   The two drives are on the secondary IDE channel and this one is jumpered as the slave.  I discovered that the transfer mode was set for PIO some time back and changed it to DMA. It somehow changes back to PIO.

I discovered again today that it was at PIO.   The drive now fails to see a disk in the drive.

I've restored to a previously "known good" set point, deleted the drive (including the IDE controller), deleted the drive in BIOS and reinstalled after a boot-up/shut-down.  Device manager sees the drive. It just doesn't see a disk when one is installed. It attempts to read the disk. The led flashes but it returns a message to "Insert a disk". Is it possible that the drive just went belly-up?

Thanks for suggestions.

[street1 (RIP)]

Have you tried the DVD drive as slave on the same ribbon cable
your hard drive  is on?

[grubbyjeans]

No. I'll go under the hood tomorrow. I have a spare box I can try it in. Looks as tho' I need to perform a funeral at this point.

[street1 (RIP)]

Try it out before you have the funeral services.

[patio]

grubbyjeans,

Thanx for moving your post.
Did you try the suggestions i gave in your original post ? ?
If so wqhat were the results ? ?

I'd also try a brand new IDE cable...

[grubbyjeans]

grubbyjeans,

Thanx for moving your post.
Did you try the suggestions i gave in your original post ? ?
If so wqhat were the results ? ?

I'd also try a brand new IDE cable...

This situation appears to be an ongoing death spiral. I'll start from the beginning.

I was in the process of copying a dvd when I received a message the the drive was formatting a dvd. I had to cancel the process in order that I could access other program data for a client.

When I attempted a restart, I received the "Insert a disk" message. At that point I discovered that I could no longer see the files on the disk. I attempted to read other disks (data, audio, etc.) without success.

At this point, I removed the drive from the computer and installed on a different machine, (clone) using the existing cable in that computer with the same result. I decided that the drive must have failed.

I purchased a new drive and installed in the original computer (HP). Windows accepted the drive and I began installing the packaged software (Nero7 Essentials). During that installation, I got the Windows 'BSOD'.

Since that event, Windows will not recognize the drive, or allow re-installation. The original, working configuration was:

  Secondary IDE: drive jumpers on CS
     Master: HP DVD-ROM
     Slave:   Lite-on DVD-RW

The setup with the new drive:
  Secondary IDE: drive jumpers on MS and SL
     Master: HP DVD-ROM
     Slave:    Philips DVD-ROM

Windows sees both the drives and reads the firmware (drive names and model info?). It won't allow the re-installation or update of the driver.

I've un-installed the drives, the secondary channel. I've removed the secondary channel from bios and rebooted. I then re-enabled the secondary IDE in bios and re-installed the drives. Windows displays the "Found new hardware" dialog and names the drives in device manager. It still displays the Windows Exclamation and issues a "Code 39" (No region set) message. I should be able to set the Region number if Windows would read the disk.

I've removed the drives and installed on the clone running Windows 2000 Pro and both drives (original HP DVD-ROM and Phillips DVD-RW), using the original cable (HP). I just put the drives in the computer and booted it with the packaged software in the DVD-RW. Windows recognized the drive, installed the driver, and began the software install. The drives functioned properly and allowed software to be installed.

I've attempted removing all dvd drives from the HP and installing a single CD-RW drive with the same result. Windows device manager recognizes the type of drive and manufacturer, which I assume comes from the firmware on the drive, but will NOT allow the driver to be updated, nor will it read the drive.

ANY SUGGESTIONS APPRECIATED!!!

Thanks