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?

[Cold Heat]

Well, you don't have x-ray eyes, so all you can do is inspect it visually. There are very small wires imbedded in the cable. If one is broken it is difficult to see it. You can only smooth it out.

[Cold Heat]

"which one is the ANY key?"

LOL,funny! I had a customer, back in the old eight track days, jamb the tape and the box it came in into a machine.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OK, it is a ribbon cable with black (usually) connectors at each end,. one end to connect to the IDE connector on the motherboard and the other to the (usually ) device plugged as the master device then a connected a short distance from the device end connector that is plugged to the device that is plugged as the slave device.

[Cold Heat]

I have a half dozen new cables......:-)

[Phsstpok]

There was a secretary I had to support in the early IBM PC days constantly calling because her data disk (5.25" floppies) were getting corrupted. We'd dutifully come over, use Norton Disk Utilities and recover what data we could. One time we got down there and for the first time we saw where she kept the disk when not in the machine. She had a magnet holding it to the side of her filing cabinet.

We (gently) explained the nature of this error to her. No more problems.

[Cold Heat]

LOL.....That reminds me of my problem. I had a magnetic screw driver in a box that I kept floppies in. GRRRRRR

[Revel]

For anti static measures it would be very rare to damage you PC if you first touch the metal chasis of the PC before touching anything else. In fact touch it as much as possible.(with your other hand, Bare arm,ect) And don't suffle your feet on the carpet under your feet. Also someone else had a good point. Unplug the computer before making any physical changes. Newer PC's leave power in some areas of the PC even when turned off. This has to do with all the things computers can do now even when they are turned off. Such as turn on via Modem.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I am back up looking at the Clamshell picture post # 32, trying to understand how she might pull the CD drives....can they be removed from the backside.? That would be pretty slick... they some kind of no screwdriver required connecting scheme....

[Cold Heat]

Yeah, but she has to unplug it.

I suggested she use the refrigerator. They are chassis grounded.

[SeaBiscuit]

"For anti static measures it would be very rare to damage you PC if you first touch the metal chasis of the PC before touching anything else."

Good advice.

[Cold Heat]

I have a cuff, that I connect to a isolated ground rod.

Most chips are static sensitive these dats. Even transistors.

[Cold Heat]

dats?=days

[Cold Heat]

Yeah, I was looking at that too.

if it is a bad drive,it might be best to buy a stand alone and plug it up.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I have an anti-static pad I put the case on and I wear an anti-static wrist band with a connector which I connect to the case.

Seems to be working for me;

[Cold Heat]

Thats good. The cuff lets you walk around a bit and move from table to table. (or bench)

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Was it JDM that seemed to have some experience with this model of Dell?

I think I pinged him.....

[Revel]

Well you are doing it the recomended and best way. But not many people have ant-static pads and wristbands laying around.
Just trying the provide away that Howlin can manage.

[SeaBiscuit]

Yep. Reminds me of when I built my first pc and didn't realize how easily you can fry a chip with the built up static in your body. Zap, $100 memory stick down the drain. I've since built many pc's and have never ruined a component since, (knock on wood), the first mistake was lesson enough for me.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I have several motherboards that don't seem to work, I think I must have done them in....

[Cold Heat]

Think so......