Persistent problem around CD-ROM

[marqarmy]

When booting my PC I get the message every time "Drive 2 not found: Parallel ATA, PATA-0 (PRI IDE Master). Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility." Striking F1 allows me to bypass and the PC works fine (albeit this is annoying), but my CD-ROM can't process data. It can play music CDs but halfway through installing any program from a CD, I get a message such as "source file is corrupted" or such, varying by program. This has happened with many different CDs and programs.

I have the Hitachi-LG DVD+-RW, model GWA4164B, which I've noticed in other threads seems to have a lot of problems. I tried upgrading to firmware E113 and reinstalling all drivers, but that hasn't resolved it. In Dell Disgnostics I ran every test and everything related to the CD-ROM, memory, and all major components checked out. In the BIOS setup I checked the drive details and the "Drive ID = UNKNOWN". I took out the drive and resinstalled it, making sure all the connectors were firmly engaged. I'm stumped at this point and appreciate any help.

By the way, in case it is relevant, I think this all started when I got impatient when a CD wouldn't eject, so I used the manual release with a paperclip, which caused the CD to spin off into the housing (dumb). I took it apart and everything looked intact and went back together well. Initially when this error began I thught maybe I hadn't connected the wires tightly, but I rechecked and the problem persists.

[Mak213]

Hello,

Have you checked the jumper settings on the CD ROM to make sure that you do not have 2 devices hooked up as Master? Have you made sure that they are on CS or Cable Select?

Cheers,
Mak

[marqarmy]

Thanks Mak213. I haven't altered the original physical configuration as built by Dell, but I'll verify everything. I only have one multidrive (the one in question) on this cable, but the cable does have two connectors and the CD-ROM has been on the middle one. Should I try moving it to the end? Do you think I'm dealing with a master-slave relationship issue?

[Mak213]

Hello,

It could be due to the jumper setup or it could be that the drive is dead. Try using a LiveCD version of Linux like Ubuntu or Knippox to see if they can see the drive.

Cheers,
Mak

[philbar71]

or the lens could have gotten scrached when he manually ejected it. i did the same thing to a old emachines dvd rom drive when the pc froze up upon playing a dvd so i hit the button (while it was spinning at full rpm's) and totaly killed the drive.

[marqarmy]

Thanks for your help, the problem is resolved. I feel foolish, but upon rechecking the jumper setup I found I had attached the #2 (center) connector. I must have mixed up the connectors while I was taking apart the drive. Connecting the #1 connector has fixed the boot up problem and I'm able to read CD-ROM media. Thanks again.