Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum
The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.

dvd drive non-existant? (solved)

minor threatminor threat Registered User regular
edited November 2006 in Help / Advice Forum
so i just got a new computer, right. wonderful. and i have now noticed that it does not appear to be recognizing the dvd drive. the drive is there, and it has power as evidenced by it neatly accepting disks, but then they just sit there. the drive does not show up under My Computer nor does it show up on Device Manager. i checked the BIOS and reset it, but no luck.

i am assuming that i've done all i can with software and am actually going to have to open the case and fiddle with the cables. it's possible one came loose in shipping or something, but i'm hoping that isn't the case because i'm terrified of messing something up in there with my static powers.

anything else i should try before i crack this baby open?

minor threat on

Posts

  • robaalrobaal Registered User regular
    edited November 2006
    Touching the case is supposed to ground you, and I don't think static is that dangerous to drives, definitely not cables.

    If the optical drive shares the cable with some other PATA device then I suspect that there's a problem with the master/slave settings - with two devices using the same controller they have to have this different from each other, you'd probably want to have the hard drive or burner set to master. You set it with a jumper in the back of the drive, there's usually a sticker or embossing on the drive to tell you what setting is what.

    If you installed the system yourself then it's unlikely, but possible, that the optical drive is SATA and the HDD(s) is PATA, in which case you'd need to install drivers for the SATA controller for any drives using it to become visible. If the PC is from some major manufacturer then I guess you should check their website, otherwise you'd find it on the motherboard manufacturer's website.

    robaal on
    "Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra when suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath.
    At night, the ice weasels come."
  • minor threatminor threat Registered User regular
    edited November 2006
    i think i may have posted too soon, actually. i opened up the case and followed the cable from the back of the dvd drive to the mobo and noticed that there were two possible plugs for it, primary and slave (primary was blue, slave was grey). the cable connector end was blue, but plugged into the grey slave port. perhaps foolishly i just switched it to the master port and now the drive is working fine.

    the hdd is SATA, if that makes a difference.

    so i think this problem is solved, unless i have unleashed some horrible plague upon my computer by moving that cable.

    minor threat on
  • JaninJanin Registered User regular
    edited November 2006
    minor threat wrote:
    so i think this problem is solved, unless i have unleashed some horrible plague upon my computer by moving that cable.

    Nah, it'll be fine. Sounds like it was just a minor slip-up at the factory.

    Janin on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • minor threatminor threat Registered User regular
    edited November 2006
    jmillikin wrote:
    minor threat wrote:
    so i think this problem is solved, unless i have unleashed some horrible plague upon my computer by moving that cable.

    Nah, it'll be fine. Sounds like it was just a minor slip-up at the factory.

    awesome. thanks guys :)

    minor threat on
This discussion has been closed.
Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum