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General discussion

Changing CD-RW/DVD Combo to DVD/CD+RW Burner

Oct 10, 2009 2:20AM PDT

I have a Dell Inspiron 8200 laptop.The current one installed on my laptop is a CD-RW/DVD combo in the Fixed Optical Drive located on the left rear side of the computer. I decided to purchase a DVD+RW Burner drive which is suppose to W/R DVD's as well as W/R CD's and according to the seller fit this model laptop.
When the new drive arrived, I could tell from the shape it wasn't going to fit the drive. I decided to pull out the old drive by undoing the screw and pulling it out and no doubt this new one is not going to fit in that slot.
Is there anything else I'm not seeing which would make this the right one for my laptop? Just checking to be sure before I have to go through sending everything back.
Julia

Discussion is locked

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What drive did you buy.
Oct 10, 2009 2:40AM PDT

Let's look at Dell docs. http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins8200/en/sm_en/hdd.htm#1084976

Ok I see a BOG STANDARD LAPTOP DRIVE but with a Dell "pull tab." Usually I remove that from the old drive and put it on the new laptop drive.

There are currently 2 types of laptop optical drive connections. SATA and PATA. Your laptop uses the IDE variety you can buy at newegg.com and other places for about 50.
Bob

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Differences
Oct 10, 2009 3:34AM PDT

Thank you for the reply. So are you saying the drive sent to me is for a SATA versus IDE? I noticed that the new drive sent to me has pin connections on the rear which is different in size and placement then my current CD/DVD rom drive.

I went to the newegg site but didn't see a replacement for my laptop. Do they not sell them?

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This is why I asked.
Oct 10, 2009 4:49AM PDT

Yes, newegg has them but without the pull tab. This can confuse some.

Supply the make and model what what you bought please.

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Swapped out the Diskette drive but still an issue
Oct 10, 2009 6:10AM PDT

The name that comes up on my list in Device Manager is Optiarc DVD+-RW AD-5560A
I was able to swap out the diskette drive in the front of the laptop and put the new drive in its place. When I booted up, the computer found the new hardware. Went to device manager and see it listed on E:. No exclamation point and the system says it is working HOWEVER, when I place a CD in the drive, the drive runs and then stops. Went to My Computer, clicked on the E: drive and did Explore. A message comes up and asks me insert a disk in the E: drive which the disk is in already. Open the drive and close and the drive runs again but no files come up nor does the drive contents show.
Something is preventing the files from actually being read and shown but the device appears to be working????

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Sorry, I mis-read what the problem was.
Oct 10, 2009 8:07AM PDT

As I can't see what's changed from your first post I'm going to guess. Hope it's not a bad one.

That issue is common if we change a drive and old "filter drivers" are locked to the old CD/DVD optical drive. Here's what I do next. But first the METHOD applies to this issue as well as the one the article I supply. Let's use that method to remove the old filters, then reboot.

Read and do -> http://www.pchell.com/hardware/cd_drive_error_code_39.shtml
Bob

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No Error
Oct 10, 2009 9:08AM PDT

I've checked the registry and no upper or lower filters listed.
Checked Device manager and no exclamation point or error code. Shows that both CD/DVD Rom drives on D and E are working. I have a Sony CRX810E on the D drive and the Optiarc on the E drive. We thought the Sony on the D drive was dead (ie could not read cds/dvd) and I was replacing it with the new one and found that the Optiarc cannot replace the Sony as their is a size difference. I installed the Optiarc in the old diskette drive instead on the front of the laptop.
When I do step #2 If the drive is functioning properly, examine these other options:
Open My Computer
Right click on the CD-RW or DVD-RW drive and click on Properties
Click on the Recording tab
In the Desktop CD Recording section, make sure the "Enable CD recording on this drive" is checked, if it isnt check the box. This is the problem.
I only have the following tabs showing for the E drive:
General,Auto Play and Hardware. No recording tabs. Is this because it was a diskette drive/modular bay previously?
D drive has the recording tab but everythng looks okay.
Both the D and E drives are enabled.

The drives run but the data on the CD will not show or loading when you have a CD in the drives. It will eject the CD from the menu options.

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So let's call it a dead drive.
Oct 10, 2009 9:20AM PDT

Sorry I have so little to go on here but I may be confused from your first post and where you say the drive had the wrong connections and now the drive is installed (magic?) but has failed.

All I can guess is that you need to boot safe mode, go to device manager and REMOVE all CD/DVD drives. Ok your way out, reboot and retest.

DO NOT USE any CDR/W or DVDR/W media for testing yet. ONLY USE DATA CDs.

Why? Because any packet writing software could cause what you are writing about.
Bob

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Data CD's?
Oct 10, 2009 10:53PM PDT

I'm not sure which cd's are DATA CD's versus CDR/W. How would I tell the difference? Sorry if this sounds simple but a bit confusing for me.

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In short.
Oct 10, 2009 11:04PM PDT

Any media you made is CDR/W or DVDR/W. Factory supplied media is usually silvery and well labeled.

BUT you need to apply yourself here. This is all volunteer so google more when you can.
Bob

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Update
Oct 11, 2009 12:40AM PDT

Thank you for the explanation.

I went into Safe Mode and uninstalled the two devices listed under the DVD/CD-Rom drives. Restarted the computer and both devices were reinstalled by the system and alert notified me of the two hardware devices that were installed. Optiarc DVD+-RW AD-5560A and Sony CD-RW CRX810E.Checked Device Manager and both are listed as working. Went to My Computer and see C:, E: and two file folders listed. No D: drive.
Placed a disk in the E: drive and it ran for about 30 seconds and then stopped. When I go to my computer, right click on the E drive and click on explore, it ask me to insert a disk.

The only thing that appeared to change is I no longer have the D: drive showing in MY Computer.

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First.
Oct 11, 2009 2:50AM PDT
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Problem resolved
Oct 12, 2009 8:19AM PDT

First, thank you for the links.Didn't solve the problem but useful reference.


The new Optiarc DVD/CD drive is workig the way it should. The Sony CD/DVD drive is junk. Doesn't read anymore although it will run.