[flying_nomad]

Gentlemen,

I too have a computer problem that's going to need some expertise.

Machine is an Alienware laptop - 3years old. P4-2.4g. 512m ram. 40g HD. OEM install XP-pro, (recently upgraded to SP2 by disk)

For the past 3 or 4 months, intermittently the machine would not recognize the CD-rom upon boot. Sometimes it would, after I had opened the tray, and restarted. Sometmes not.

The last time it did was about 4 weeks ago, when I did the SP2 upgrade. At that time, the CDrom showed up as drive "H" in windows explorer. It showed up in Manage Disks, (right click My Computer, manage, disks) but showed "inactive" or "empty" or some such. I forced the drive letter back to D, the disk worked, and I did the SP2 upgrade.

Prior to that I had done a ghost onto a USB hard drive w/ 4 partitions (which had shown up as D, E, F, G) - thus forcing the CD out to H.

For the past 3 weeks the CD doesn't show up at all on boot. It's not in windows explorer, it's not in disk manage, it's not in my computer.

Last time I saw it, I did check the drivers, and they were showing "functioning properly" or something like that.

I just installed a brand new actual drive - Teac DW244-E - thinking that might be the problem. Nope.

Problem now is I can't even format and reinstall from CD, because I can't see the CD. There's no reason to go back to the old Ghost image until I have some indication that's going to really help the situation.

Suggestions, anyone?

BTW, Norton Internet Security suite 2004 running. Antivirus check every disk read/write. SpyBot & AdAware. All 3 of these updated and run every weekend. DSL w/ router firewall on. Hardwired.

I'll send cookies (chocolate chip OK?) if we can figure this out.

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when you put a cd in the drive, does it do a spindown? Meaning, does it make a noise like its starting?

[sprout]

when you put a cd in the drive, does it do a spindown? Meaning, does it make a noise like its starting?

[flying_nomad]

The new one does, yes. The old one didn't.

Here's what I've done today. I went to the mfgr website and found a new bios prgm for the machine, so this afternoon I flashed the bios. The new one is specifically supposed to fix some "hyperthreading" problems after SP2 upgrade. The flash went fine. But still no CD. The only place the CD shows up in the Bios is in the Boot from CD area. I had it off, but turned it back on. No help there.

What about dirvers? Could the CD drivers have gone south? I don't remember exactly how to, or what to look for, in the routine that allows you to boot one step at a time and watch for drivers etc. F8 maybe might get me to the safe mode boot.

[austin_o]

Here is a possible fix from M$
http://support.micro...om/?kbid=320553

[flying_nomad]

Thankyou Trusted Tech...........

i have tried that, but no go........

i think i better take my computer to some repair service, maybe the mobo is damaged..........

i just don't see another solution.

anyway, thx for helping you all.


grt, Patrick

[sandydoull]

I had a similar problem, the microsoft solution which involves deleting registry entries worked, thanks austin_o!

Sandy Doull

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