I am getting this error when I start my computer

[mfh6375]

About half the time I turn on my computer, it immediately gives me the following error.


Drive 5 not found: Parallel ATA, PATA-1(PRI IDE Slave)
Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility

So, I press F2 to enter the setup utility. This is what it says for Drive 5:

On is highlighted

Controller details:
*Controller=Parallel ATA
*Port=PATA-1(PRI IDE Slave)

Drive details:
Drive ID=Unknown

I have also entered the setup utility when the has NOT been an error. Everything is the same except the drive details.
It says Drive ID=Philips DVD +/- RW DVD8631.


When this error happens, I do one of two things. Sometimes I press F1 to continue, which makes it so my DVD drive won't even read discs. Other times, I restart the computer and it usually restarts without error. But then the drive will read and not write.

Like I said above, this only happens about half the time when I turn on the computer. It usually does not do it if it has been on recently. Anybody have any ideas about what's wrong or what I should do? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[mfh6375]

Anybody? I don't want to have to call Dell. They just patch me to Phillipines or Panama.

 

[Fardringle]

It could be a bad drive or a bad IDE cable (or port) try connecting the DVD drive to the second IDE port on your motherboard with a different IDE cable to see what happens. If it still doesn't work there, then you probably have a bad drive.

 

[NotquiteanooB]

Did you get a CD-Rom with that Philips Drive ? Perhaps there is either an updated driver available at the Philips website; or maybe updated firmware for that drive. Maybe a message to the Philips Support site might get you the answer. IMO; Windows drivers that come in XP are not always the best to use.