[SteveWN]

I needed to start with a new HD on my Dell Dimension 8250. I installed XP Pro and downloaded to the latest sp2 upgrade. I went to the Dell web site and, using my service tag, was given a table of updated drivers, etc that I could download. I upgraded my BIOS and everything worked fine. All downloads went well until I tried to download updated firmware for the Samsung CD drive. I was instructed to insert a clean floppy to which some files were downloaded. Upon rebooting, the floppy said it was downloading but then nothing. Upon rebooting again, I lost my CD Drive from the hardware list and it could not be detected on a hardware search. I went into Safe Mode and noticed that there were no CD Drivers listed. I then tried to restore my system to an earlier time (both prior to and post BIOS upgrade). Again, no CD drive. I went to the Samsung web site and found;

"How to upgrade firmware"

1. Download the attached "Bin file(firmware)" and "Sfdnwin.exe file(download
program)" into a temporary folder.

2. When you run "Sfdnwin.exe", Pop-up window will appear. you can see your ROM-
drive(s) in the Pop-up window.
Then choose the drive whose firmware you want to upgrade.
ex)Drive:SAMSUNG CDRW/DVD SM-352B/T900

3. You will see three icons on the top from left.
If you click the first icon from left, you can see "Investigation window" then open
the firmware file that you already downloaded to the temporary folder.

4. You will see the message" Ready" after finding the firmware file that you want.
Then click the middle icon on the top of left. Then your firmware will be upgraded
automatically.

5. When you finish upgrading firmware , reboot your pc automatically.

Sfdnwin.exe : A program which can make your drive download our firmware(s) in Windows.
(It's for only Windows) "

According to Samsung "When you run "Sfdnwin.exe", Pop-up window will appear. you can see your ROM-
drive(s) in the Pop-up window."
THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN!
There are no Rom drives in the pop-up window, so I can't do anything.

I went into setup on reboot and there are no CD drives listed there either. So this is where I am at this time. Any suggestions on how I can get the CDRW/DVD back into my Bios and my System? I can't install any more sortware without the CD drive.

SteveWN

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I'm somewhat puzzled regarding the Samsung firmware update. First you say "I was instructed to insert a clean floppy to which some files were downloaded", but further down in your post you say you visited the Samsung website where you found instructions for updating the firmware, and the steps you describe here makes no mention of using a floppy disk since it's all done from within Windows -- this is the usual method for updating any cd-drive's firmware.

Are you saying that you first tried updating the cd-drive from an unofficial source before visiting the Samsung website and trying again using the official method and update provided by Samsung? If you did, then you have probably "killed" your cd-drive and you'll have to replace it.

Edited by pip22, 13 July 2007 - 05:54 AM.

[pip22]

I'm somewhat puzzled regarding the Samsung firmware update. First you say "I was instructed to insert a clean floppy to which some files were downloaded", but further down in your post you say you visited the Samsung website where you found instructions for updating the firmware, and the steps you describe here makes no mention of using a floppy disk since it's all done from within Windows -- this is the usual method for updating any cd-drive's firmware.

Are you saying that you first tried updating the cd-drive from an unofficial source before visiting the Samsung website and trying again using the official method and update provided by Samsung? If you did, then you have probably "killed" your cd-drive and you'll have to replace it.

Edited by pip22, 13 July 2007 - 05:54 AM.

[SteveWN]

The floppy drive instruction from the Dell web site came first. After the drive dissappeared, I tried the Samsung web site. Since the post, I wentr to "System Restore" to a time when everything was working. No luck! Looks like the suggestion id that I replace the CD/RW drive, Correct?

SteveWN