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my dvd drives have disappeared and therefore how do I reformat or repa


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#1
smc

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Hi,

a while ago my DVD and DVD-r drives disappeared from device manager.

I've tried the filters fix etc. but no luck.

Now, of course I can't even refrormat or repair windows becauise I can't boot from CD!

Any help much appreciated.

Btw, looks like a great site! Can't think why I haven't found this before :)

thanks SMC
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#2
mirjel

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Hi smc,

Connect each drive individually as master on secondary IDE channel. Start with DVD ROM. See if either is recognized and stable. Could be a faulty drive.

If neither drive works properly, uninstall software for DVD to completely remove its drivers.

Regards,
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#3
happyrock

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Hi smc...welcome to G2G.... :)

go to the device manager and uninstall both primary and secondary IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers...
reboot and windows will install the drivers for them...

Edited by happyrck, 20 June 2008 - 11:02 AM.

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#4
smc

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Hi,

thanks for your help. unfortuantely, their not listed in device manager. they appear to have disappeared. I have sought to see if they are listed in the bios, but the initial bios screen (which I believe is what I need to look at?) whips by so fats I can't see it. Anyone know how to slow that screen down?

Anyway, I wonder if i try to put in a spare dvd drive I have and see if windows detects tha? Would that help do you think.

I'm sure it's a software thing - but of course you never know.

I should add the dvd rw drive does spin etc. when you put a dvd in it. But apart from that nothing happens.

Any further pointers much appreciated.

Thanks
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#5
Makaveli213

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Hello,

Try hitting like Del or F2 to get into your BIOS Setup Screen. One of those is the common use buttons for BIOS setup screen. That will allow you to see if the Devices are recognized by the BIOS.

Cheers,
Mak
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#6
smc

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Actually I have tried doing that, (Del does it), but I can't see a bios page that appears to list DVD drives!

There is a list of boot priorities which states a DVD drive but that's it. I think I explored all the various pages? Can you give me any hints as to what sort of bios page would show if the DVD roms are recognised.

Am I right in saying that if the bios doesn't show the DVD drives then it is more likely hardware failure? It seems unlikely that both DVD drives failed at the sime time? They are connected to the Mobo by a ribbon connector which runs from the DVD-RW to the DVD and then to the Mobo.

Would it be worth trying to attach the spare DVD drive I have kept from another defunct computer?

Thanks again for your help.

SMC
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#7
Makaveli213

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Hello,

There should be a list of connected devices to the system that the BIOS either Lists or recognizes. IF you can not see this then yes it would be a hardware failure. If you can get a listing of the hard drives attached to the system but get no such listing for your DVD Drives then it would be a hardware failure.

Being as that it could be the Optical Drive failure it would be best to test it with another one if you have a spare to test with.

Cheers,
Mak
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#8
smc

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Thx Makaveli. Darn I will have to get mt screwdriver out!

I suppose I'd better get a new ribbon cable too? In case that is the problem.

I wil report back.

Thx again.
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#9
happyrock

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you can press the pause key when you see the first post screen so you can read it...
I agree that if the bios does not see the drive then either the cable or the drive is bad..
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#10
mirjel

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Hi smc,

Connect each drive individually as master on secondary IDE channel. Start with DVD ROM. See if either is recognized and stable. Could be a faulty drive.

If neither drive works properly, uninstall software for DVD to completely remove its drivers.

Regards,


Did u try this.

Regards,
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#11
smc

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well, actually I didn't try this because I wasn't sure what to do. Does this mean takwe the ribbon connector and just connect one drive at a time (the ribbon sort of daisy chains both drives at present). I was worried that I didn't really know how to connect a drive as "master" and didn't know quite what was meant by "secondary ide channel" and i felt I would be taking up too much time asking for deatailed instructions as to what to do!!!!!!!
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#12
mirjel

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Hi smc,

We can try this. They are connected to the Mobo by a ribbon connector which runs from the DVD-RW to the DVD and then to the Mobo.

Turn off ur computer. Take out power cable and ribbon cable from DVD. Turn on ur computer and see what happens.

If nothing happens turn off ur computer. Return to it's place power cable and ribbon cable from DVD. Then take out power cable and ribbon cable from DVD-RW. Turn on ur computer and see what happens.

Regards,
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#13
smc

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ok I think I got that. I'm gonna give this a go on friday and let you know wpt happens. THx 4 the help.

smc
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#14
smc

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Ok thx for the advice.

this is what I've done:

tried connecting one drive at a time as suggested.

connected a new dvd drive instead.

basically, the PC continued to not recognise any drive in Deviec Manager or the bios.
then I borrowed a usb-dvd and was able to reformat and reinstall windows xp(professional).
And then - unbelievably - the PC still didn't find thedvd drives.

therefore I assume that this is mobo problem. My ide (or something like that) has died.

Wot about this idea? Should I assume my ide connection to the mobo has died and buy a sata dvd (I have one sata power cable free and two sata slots on the mobo.

Because if my ide direves are dead maybe that is the way forward?

Thx

smc
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#15
happyrock

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did you replace the cable yet...they're cheap...get a 80 WIRE 40 PIN cable
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