Help Needed with Computer CD Drive

LwCwb · #1 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 06:14 AM

I went to the "My Computer" Icon on my desktop today to get into a file that I have on C Drive, but I discovered that my CD Burner isnt there anymore (Drive "F",) A, C, E, and D drives are there, but not my burner! What do I have to do to get this thing working again, when I put a CD in it wont play, and it wont burn CD's. I restarted the computer twice to see if that would fix the problem, but it didn't.

computerworks · #2 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 06:21 AM

Is the burner your only optical (CD) drive?
Are C, D and E your hard drives?

Are you running Win XP?

If so, restart the computer in the Safe Mode.. (hit the F8 repeatedly after you first turn the system on to get to the Startup Menu...then choose Safe Mode)

Is the CD drive there in the Safe Mode?

If not, the drive could have failed. They do that sometimes.

Put a disk in the tray and note where the label is facing...close the tray and listen for it spinning. After a minute or so, open the tray. If you didn't hear the spin up and the label is still in the same orientation... there is a pretty good chance the drive has failed.

LwCwb · #3 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 06:32 AM

Ron, the A Drive is my Floppy, E Drive, is my other CD Drive, and C and D are my hard Drives. Im running Windows ME. What happens when it fails, does that mean it went to "CPU Heaven?"

I'll see if its there in safe mode and report back, thanks for the help CW!

computerworks · #4 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LwCwb

...E Drive, is my other CD Drive

aha! ...can you read a disk in th E drive?

LwCwb · #5 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 06:48 AM

Do you mean can it play a cd, then Yes.

Neither E or F Drives showed up in "My Computer" while under Safe Mode. When I put a cd in F Drive and take it out after a few seconds, it isn't in the same place, so it is spinning in there.

computerworks · #6 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LwCwb

Do you mean can it play a cd, then Yes.

Neither E or F Drives showed up in "My Computer" while under Safe Mode. When I put a cd in F Drive and take it out after a few seconds, it isn't in the same place, so it is spinning in there.

Well, if the e-drive works and the f-drive doesn't... that eliminates drivers, channel hardware, etc.

If you want to go further, we have to go under the hood.

You didn't say if you have XP... in most other versions, the CD drives do not show up in the Safe mode.. but they do in XP.

You can open the case, and see a ribbon cable daisy-chaining the two CD drives to the motherboard.

IF YOU WANT TO GO FURTHER YOURSELF... with power OFF, carefully disconnect the ribbon from the E drive, leaving the suspect F drive as the only CD on the cable. Power back up and see if it gets detected.

If you are uncomfortable messing inside the unit.... don't do it.

LwCwb · #7 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 07:04 AM

I've been under the hood before putting additional RAM and upgrading the modem to a V92. If I don't report back by 1:00 its safe to assume the worst.

Ron61 · #8 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 07:23 AM

Ron,

Not butting in but Mike said he has Windows ME. Is it possible that somehow the F drive got unassigned in system set up?

Ron

computerworks · #9 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 07:25 AM

...with ME, anything is possible. :-)

LwCwb · #10 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 07:26 AM

Unhooking E Drive didn't make F Drive show up...

LwCwb · #11 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 07:40 AM

FWIW, My digital camera shows up as "Removeable Disc G," and the F Drive disapeared from "My Computer" after I transfered pics from my camera to the computer... does this help?

computerworks · #12 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LwCwb

FWIW, My digital camera shows up as "Removeable Disc G," and the F Drive disapeared from "My Computer" after I transfered pics from my camera to the computer... does this help?

...shouldn't make a difference.

If you now power down, disconnect the ribbon from the F drive and reconnect the ribbon that was previously disconnected from the E drive... power up and if E works OK, as it was... that pretty much pins it down to the CD-RW drive.

A generic replacement from Circuit City or Best Buy or your local computer shoppe should be around $40 or less.

If you get a replacement, be sure to look at the jumpers on the back of your old F drive... there is a set of three pin-pairs and one will be jumpered. Make sure you change the jumper setting on the new drive to match the old.

These jumpers are marked on the label or etched in the metal..

CS - SLave - MAster

LwCwb · #13 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 07:59 AM

I found the MFG's website... Ill download another driver as a last ditch effort. Thanks for all of your help Ron, your one he!! of a resource around here, whether it would be computer or Cobra related!

computerworks · #14 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 08:06 AM

you're welcome, Mike.

Try that download, but be aware that there are no mfg drivers required for CD and CD-RW drives...that support is native in Win ME.

...but, give it a shot...you may jog something and get lucky....

I'm off to work now... I'll check back later to see how you made out.

dlang14 · #15 (**permalink**) 06-08-2005, 09:46 AM

It's hard to see, but something else you can try.

When the computer first turns on most system BIOS will spit out some text before Windows starts showing you what hardware you have installed.

This screen can sometimes be hidden, and even if it's not it'll go by fast, but try to see what it shows connected to the primary and secondary IDE controllers.

It sounds like you have two hard disks, so those will most likely show up on the primary channel, and then your CD and CDRW are probably on the secondary channel.

If you see both the CD and the CDRW listed you may have some luck mucking around in Windows. If you only see the CD and not the CDRW nothing you do in Windows will help. Hope this helps.

Daryl