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General discussion

CD-ROM no longer reading discs

Oct 14, 2010 11:40AM PDT

I recently installed a CD-RW drive in my computer. It was purchased from an electronics store as rebuilt. It's frankensteined. Before the CD-RW was installed, the CD-ROM drive worked fine. Now, after the install, it doesn't recognize and CD, including music CDs, games, or blank discs. I have uninstalled and reinstalled the drive in device management, I have physically re-installed both drives, swapping the cables (and the master/slave jumpers), I have checked the drive properties and they say the device is working properly. I have also checked to see if there is a hardware conflict. None. I booted in safe mode and the drive still won't read discs. I have also cleaned the drive with a CD drive cleaning disc. I'm thinking that my 40-pin cable connecting the CD-ROM drive may be faulty at the connection. Anybody have suggestions or ideas? Not wanting to replace the drive as I know it's good; it works in my other computer.

Discussion is locked

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Old stuff???
Oct 15, 2010 2:00AM PDT

Make sure you have 40-pin/80-wire type cable. Then use either the master/slave setup to connect. If that doesn't work, use the CS jumper instead for both. Its important to use the newer type of cable for best operation. if the problem still persists then the new CD drive just isn't capable to reside with the other CD drive or its really old. Quite frankly, you could have done better with a DVD drive that's CD and DVD capable even as a burner. Besides being newer and usually more open to the setup.

You didn't provide details of make and model#, etc. The details of your PC, OS, etc.. The provided info is generic so use as it pertains. Also, are there any bios updates, what do they do?

tada -----Willy Happy

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Frankensteined
Oct 15, 2010 11:30AM PDT

The computer is an amalgam of three or four computers, and to be honest I don't remember the specifics. I can access them and post them, but everything was working fine until that CD-RW went in. I am going to take the IDE cable out and put in a newer one, and if that doesn't work, I will set both jumpers to CS and let the computer figure out what is what. Thanks for the (generic, your word) information. I appreciate your time and effort in helping with this issue.

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IDE seems to tax those too much today.
Oct 15, 2010 2:29AM PDT

You wrote IDE but here's my plea. Please know the rules about IDE cables and jumpers. These are easy to find today so let's hope it's that.

Also, after I move drives around I boot Windows to SAFE MODE and remove all the CD/DVD drives there so on the next boot Windows will refresh all the drives.
Bob

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Who wrote IDE?
Oct 15, 2010 11:26AM PDT

You start out by saying "You wrote IDE but..." Nobody in this thread said anything about IDE until you did. And I do know the rules for IDE cables and jumpers. The master goes on the end and the slave in the middle, with the appropriate jumpers set for each. That was stated in my post.

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Try the suggestions.
Oct 15, 2010 3:07PM PDT

As to IDE and such. You wrote 40 pin cable so yes there was an odd 40 pin SCSI from the 90's but I doubt that was it. Take a moment to reflect on your reply. Will you get more help if you sound a little tense?

But do try that safe boot item. I've lost count how many times it helped.

Best of luck.
Bob