I need some help with CD drives (Vanity)

February 12, 2005

[Howlin]

I put a music CD that came with a book into my computer last night, played, and now my computer won't recognize either my CD or my CD writer.

I've tried everything; Norton, Restore, rebooting.

Does anybody have any suggestions about what I might try now?

[Revel]

Speaking of technical problem. My mother just called me. She came home and turned off her ignition key and her car keeps right on running... The car has a car starter that has never worked since she has owned the car but pressing the brake does not shut the car off either. So I am off to see what I can do before she runs out of gas...LOL Good luck to you all.

[Magnolia]

Why do you think I"m here and not on the phone with Dell? :-)

Great minds and all that... ; )

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OK....Lets work on that angle.....almost looks like it might have drivers for CD's included.....

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[Cold Heat]

Yes, a wipe and reinstall is the very last measure.

A rewrite saves data but sometimes it does not work. This problem seems hardware related but ya gotta go through all the rest of the stuff.

[SeaBiscuit]

Ok didn't see that post. Is the sony a sound card, are you saying you changed some hardware? Btw, when you did try to boot up what happened, did it just boot to windows, because it's possible you do not have your pc bios set to boot from cd first, most likely it's set to boot to hd first and therefore you wouldn't know.

Do you know how to go into the pc bios and make changes. Usually just hit delete button just as the computer boots up and you will be presented with a setup screen. Usually in a section called 'advanced setup' is where you can change the boot order. Change it to boot from floppy first, cd second and your hd third. In any event, just make sure the cd is set to boot before the hardrive.

[Howlin]

I found something about that:

http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBM/tip6200/rh6278.htm

[jdm]

"Why do you think I"m here and not on the phone with Dell? :-)"

You don't want to call Dell, trust me. I'm here to help you anyway I can, especially since it appears you're struggling with the same problem I had last year (besides, Dell will tell you to call Microsoft, adamantly asserting it's their problem!). Need a little humor, when PC problems occur -- I know it helped me.

[Rca2000]

Oh, I am GLAD, that we use Oil heat, here in The Cinci. area. I have NEVER seen an oil bill that high. $200 or so, but not anywhere near $380.

BTW-- I am using a homebrew AMD 1 gig system, with 256 memory, 80 gig HD, partitioned, 64 mb. video,XP, pro, and Road runner. Still, I can multitask, doing about 4 things at the same time(e mail active, downloading/uploading, on wimmx,streaming WKTZ fm, and on FR, at the same time.)

BTW, Dolly. I love the ocean ,too. I love to leave the window open, when I am in MB, or FL, on a vacation, and just listen to the sea. It has a calming effect on me, and makes me sleep easier.

SO, the old computer still has enough power for me, at this moment, till I can afford to get a 3+gig p4, or so.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The ONLY thing I have done to this computer within the last few days is remove Sony Sound Forge 7.0.

When did you do that...and did you have problems immediately after removing it?????

[jdm]

"This problem seems hardware related but ya gotta go through all the rest of the stuff."

Cold Heat, I agree. Does appear to be hardware related, as did my problem. However, the software reinstall "fixed" my problem; and it's been several months since my reinstall and drive recognition is no longer an issue, thankfully.

[Cold Heat]

just loosen it, and pull it up,first at one end, then mash that end back down gently.

Then pull up the other end without totally removing it.

This way, you do not mis align the pins and damage the board. If you do, or you install it back wrong, the board may be damaged beyond repair.

The connector is about 1 and a half inches long and it is white with a ribbon cable in between. You shoul be able to ID it by following the route from the CD drive unit to the board. The same procedure is used on the drves as well.

[jdm]

Do you know how to go into the pc bios and make changes.

NO! NO! Not the BIOS!!!!!!! (sarcasm) That's for advanced users. More advanced than me. Hell, I sometimes kick myself after believing my registry needs a good "tweaking."

[Phsstpok]

OK, I've followed the whole thread up to this point.

First, since it happened following loading the (music?) CD that came with a book, what CD/book is that?

My first guess is that this CD has some form of virus or, more likely, some form of copy protection that was badly written and has hosed your drives. Knowing the CD/book will at least let the rest of us avoid it.

If the bug has simply disabled your CD drivers you may be able to actually delete the drivers and load new one. Going back to the reinstallation CD that came with your Dell system would be one way to do that.

Better yet, go out to Dell's web site and click on SUPPORT and go to the DOWNLOADs section. It will ask what system you want downloads for and will offer you the choice of picking from a list or putting in your systems Service Tag. If you can find the service tag (it should be on the back of the unit on a label marked "Service Tag") the Download system will actually know exactly which parts shipped with your Dell and only show you those drivers to download.

Second, I doubt very seriously that a cable came unstuck after running a CD. I am afraid, however, that the CD had some form of seek routine that forced one or both CD drive seek heads into an invalid region and physically damaged the CD drive. If one drive is physically damaged then both drives may not be recognized, since a fault on one might shut down the IDE channel.

You may be forced to open the box and disconnect first one drive then the other to test that theory.

Finally, Windows is a house of cards. I reload my Windows box at least every three months from scratch. "Repairing" windows is a joke.

As to my bona fides, I'm the client architect for a Fortune 100 firm with over 35,000 (Dell) PCs and have been in the PC business since the first West Coast Computer Faire in 1977. I am a member of Dell's Customer Advisory Council, which is made up of their top 25 corporate customers.

Been there, done that.

Given the amount of brain power already expended on this, in the long run it might be cheaper if each Freeper who has participated in this thread sent you $2 and let you buy a new system unit.

[jdm]

"You did what with BIOS?!"

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ROFL!!!

Sounds like you have some experience.....

There are only 6 or 8 of us clustered around this....we CANNOT have Howlin out of action......

But I would contribute 5$.

[Cold Heat]

Second, I doubt very seriously that a cable came unstuck after running a CD.

Not unstuck, just developed a resistive connection. it happen a great deal on the ribbon cable over time and pops up without warning.

I see it a lot.

As to the CD causing damage to the drive, I dunno. I have never experienced that, except in a car audio player.

[Magnolia]

I would contribute 5$

ROFL...heck, for Howling, I'd go $10!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ROFL!!!

L This is turning into a great entertainment thread toooo!!

[Cold Heat]

I see a little red X......:-)

[jdm]

"Knowing the CD/book will at least let the rest of us avoid it."

Was it..........THIS!!!???!!!

This has the potential to destroy not only a single computer, but an entire nation as well!