in the course to trying to help me troubleshoot a cdrw drive... this is what hp instructed me to do:
Before sending the drive for warranty service, I would like to
troubleshoot the issue with the drive not being able to read CD or DVD
media.
The drive not being able to read media is related to the system trying
to use the direct memory access (DMA) method to communicate with the
drive.
DMA is a technique for transferring data from main memory to a device
(such as a CD-Writer or hard drive) without passing the data through
the central processing unit (CPU). While the data transfer takes place
via the DMA controller and DMA process, the CPU is available for other
functions. Computers with DMA channels can transfer data to and from
devices more quickly than computers without DMA channels. However, not
all hardware or software supports the use of DMA.
Use the steps below to disable DMA. In some cases it may also be
necessary to disable DMA on the CD-ROM drive to resolve the issue.
1. Click Start, Settings, then Control Panel.
2. Double-click the System icon to open the System Properties window.
3. Click the Hardware tab and click the Device Manage button.
4. Double-click IDE ATA/ATAPI Controller.
5. Double-click the controller the CD-Writer is attached to (normally
the Secondary IDE Channel).
6. Click the Advanced Settings tab, click PIO Only in the Transfer
Mode box.
7. Click OK, close the Computer Management window and reboot the
computer.
8. After restarting go back into the Device Manager and verify that
the DMA mode is disabled.
If the DMA mode remains enabled after rebooting, it might be necessary
to configure the HP CD-Writer as the master device on the secondary
controller.
1. Connect the HP CD-Writer Plus Drive to the Secondary IDE
controller using the cable that is included with the drive, and
set it to master.
2. If using another CD-ROM drive, set it to slave.
3. Be sure the drives are jumpered properly.
4. Go into the system BIOS and Advanced settings.
5. Try changing the IDE configuration.
6. Change the Secondary master definition from Auto to CD-ROM. This
should allow defining the mode.
7. Change the mode from Fast PIO mode 3 with bus mastering to Fast
PIO mode 3 without bus mastering.
8. Save the settings and restart the computer. DMA should now be
disabled for the HP CD-Writer.
If the issue persists, use the following drive light check to determine
if the drive is defective or if there is an issue with the cable or
driver:
1. Turn off the computer.
2. Open the case and disconnect the data cable from the back of the
HP CD-Writer Plus drive.
3. Power on the computer.
4. Insert one of the discs that you have been unable to read.
* If the media indicator light flashes and then is on solid,
there appears to be an issue with the data cable, IDE
Controller, drivers, or Windows configuration.
* If the media indicator light flashes and then goes out, please
get back to me with the results.
Note: Be sure to test more than one disc, because a bad disc can
also cause the drive light to go out.
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hope this might be remotely helpful.