[horseshoe]

Hi, I have HP pavillion dv6700. The CD/DVD drive was missing for a long time. I've install a vitual CD drive which did bring my CD/DVD drive back and it works for a few days and then it disappears again. Microsoft Fix it result show cannot detect the drive. Registry does not show upperfilter and lowerfilter nor the ATA controller. (I've check and follow some posts in this forum). CDGone was also installed (cannot merge but had an option to run) but still does not work. The only place I can see CD drive in BIOS is in the boost sequence and I set it as the first boot option. When I resart the laptop the CD drive spin and seems like it is working but I do not have the option to "Press any key to start from CD drive". The laptop boots normally but not from the bootable disk. I also run the hard disk check and the result is (#10008 - replace the hard disk).
I plug in the external USB DVD drive which works. Is my internal drive dead? or is there anything i can do to solve this problem? Pleas help and thanks for your help in advance!

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Hi horseshoe
First concern is;

I also run the hard disk check and the result is (#10008 - replace the hard disk).

Do you have data on the HDD that you would like to try and secure?
If yes do not do any more HDD tests as it may fail altogether, set your boot order to the external USB drive first and then use Puppy Linux to try and save your data "how to" @ http://www.geekstogo...over-your-data/

[phillpower2]

Hi horseshoe
First concern is;

I also run the hard disk check and the result is (#10008 - replace the hard disk).

Do you have data on the HDD that you would like to try and secure?
If yes do not do any more HDD tests as it may fail altogether, set your boot order to the external USB drive first and then use Puppy Linux to try and save your data "how to" @ http://www.geekstogo...over-your-data/

[horseshoe]

Hi Phillpower2,
Thanks for the reply!
The steps in the link you provided requried to boot from the CD rom with new created linux disk.
I've tried a few times changing the boot sequence but the laptop did not boot form CD rom. Below is the list in bios setup. I tried to boot with (1) and then use 2) and then (4) as 1st boot in a few restarts but the laptop always boots from internal hard drive.
(1) ATAPI CD/DVD ROM DRIVE
(2) USB HARD DRIVE
(3) NOTEBOOK HARD DRIVE
(4) USB DISKETTE ON KEY
(5) USB FLOPPY
(6) NETWORK ADAPTOR
By the way, after I hit F10 and save the configuration, the cd rom light light up and spin for a very short time and stop.
Here is a list fo files in the CD:
BOOT (SECURITY CATALOG)
BOOT (MSG FILE)
HELP (MSG FILE)
HELP (MSG FILE)
INITRD.GZ
ISOLINUS.CFG
LOGO.16
LUPU_528.SFS
VMLINUZ (FILE)
Can you please let me know what went wrong and what should I do to contine with the process?
Thank you so much!

[phillpower2]

From your OP

I plug in the external USB DVD drive which works.

Have you tried setting this as the first boot option ie as option 2-4 or 5, it is worth a shot.

By the way, after I hit F10 and save the configuration, the cd rom light light up and spin for a very short time and stop.

Once you press F10 do you also get the message that should follow it, press Y to accept the changes, if you don`t it could explain the problem.
Be aware that not all BIOS settings are the same and not all Dells are the same either http://www.hiren.inf...bios-boot-cdrom

[horseshoe]

Once you press F10 do you also get the message that should follow it, press Y to accept the changes,

Yes, I always select "Yes" after hitting F10.

Have you tried setting this as the first boot option ie as option 2-4 or 5, it is worth a shot.

Okay, try all options as 1st boot but sill not work!

I plug in the external USB DVD drive which works.

I though it does work, i could be wrong.

Thank you very much for your prompt reply!

[phillpower2]

I note you have tried some but have you tried all of the options below;

1. Uninstall the drive through Device Manager.
Restart computer. The drive will be automatically reinstalled.
or...
2. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060
Restart computer.
or...
3. Download, and run http://www.dougknox...._cd_dvd_fix.htm
Double click on cdgone.zip to unzip it.
Right click on cdgone.reg, click Merge.
Accept registry merge.
Restart computer.
or...
4. Go to Device Manager, click a "+" sign next to IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers.
You'll see two items:
- ATA Channel0 (or Primary Channel)
- ATA Channel1 (or Secondary Channel)
Right click on each of them, and click Uninstall. Confirm.
Restart Windows. They'll be automatically reinstalled.

Thanks to Broni for the above instructions

[horseshoe]

yes, I tried these and also removed and put the dvd rom back to see if the computer can detect. But no luck.

1. Uninstall the drive through Device Manager.

Drive not listed in device manager therfore cannot perorm this step.

2. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060
Restart computer.

MS Fix it cannot detect the device and did not fix the problem

3. Download, and run http://www.dougknox...._cd_dvd_fix.htm
Double click on cdgone.zip to unzip it.
Right click on cdgone.reg, click Merge.
Accept registry merge.
Restart computer.

No option to merge, so i select Run at the pop up.

4. Go to Device Manager, click a "+" sign next to IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers.
You'll see two items:
- ATA Channel0 (or Primary Channel)
- ATA Channel1 (or Secondary Channel)
Right click on each of them, and click Uninstall. Confirm.

No ATA Channel in device manager.

[phillpower2]

Thanks for the update, it would unfortunately suggest that the drive has lost the read function and needs replacing, when you say it is listed in the BIOS is it something like HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GT20N SATA CdRom Device, will it play a music disk?

[horseshoe]

Thanks!
In BOOT order it is shown as ATAPI CD/DVD ROM drive. BIOS setup menu does not have the option to see the hardware name /drive name and detail. There is no "Advanced" tab like most BIOS setup. In the configuration tab I can only change the boot order and enable or disable the boot device, change the language, time and date. It played both music and dvd disk.

Is that possible to make the external dvd drive to work to boot? If not then I guess I would have to replace the internal optical device in case I need to reinstall OS.

[phillpower2]

See http://support.micro...14060#nextsteps
Choose your appropriate OS and then the "next steps" option and see if this helps.

[horseshoe]

Out of no where my internal optical dvice shows up in device manager and my computer and recognized as audio disk (I insert a music disk). However, window media shows all the tracks but when click to play, i get the error message (Window media encountered an error when reading the CD drive in digital mode.) I check the device proerty and "digital" was selected for both options and "analog" buttons were disabled. I change the boot order to start with internal optical device and restart the computer, computer wasn't boot from the optical device and the device was gone again.
I also tried the steps in the provided link but no luck. I will try to contact Microsoft.
Thanks!

[phillpower2]

Thanks for the update, I am sorry it wasn`t better news.
Good luck with MS and we would appreciate hearing any feedback that you may receive from them.

[horseshoe]

I greatly appreciate all your help1. I will post back with solution if MS support can help me solve the problem.
Thanks again!

[phillpower2]

You are welcome and thank you

[horseshoe]

Sorry, it take me so long. I've contacted MS support and was told the device is bad and need to replace. So I did and still has the same problem. DVD drive still cannot read or write and disappear from the system and come back on and off. Sometime it disappear right infront of my eye while attempt to open/play a CD and received error message. One thing I noticed is my device is IDE and in device manager under IDE ATA controller it show only ATA channels.