My CD-ROM isn't reading disks

[imported_EvilDead]

I was hoping you guys could help me diagnose a problem and you'd be a life saver if you could tell me whats wrong.

I put in a CD into my cd-rom, I get an hourglass for a second and then nothing, I click on my CD-ROm shortcut icon, it says cannot be found. I look in My Computer, my CD-ROM drive isn't showing up.

Checked on Devide manager, it shows up there.

Checked the connections, it appears everything is plugged in fine, powersupply, motherboard, SATA cables are good.

I'm hoping it's just a problem with the CD-ROM and i'll have to replace it or something, but my friend said it could possible be a motherboard issue...... PLEASE if you know whats going on or have a suggestion that I could put into gear, i'm not very hardware savvy but if you could help I would be eternally grateful.

 

[KGB]

Evil,

Welcome to the Forums! 😀

Please post full system specs (PSU included) and OS.

 

[imported_EvilDead]

Pentium 4 2.40

Windows XP home

1 gig of RAM

80 gig HD

9800 PRO XT ATI Sapphire

 

[Harvey]

Questions:

Which IDE channel are you on?

Is the CD-ROM on the same channel with a hard drive?

Are the jumpers both set for "Cable Select," or are they set to be Master and Slave?

Sometimes "Cable Select" doesn't work correctly with some boards or some drives. If so, you may have to set them manually.

Hope that helps. 🙂

 

[imported_EvilDead]

I don't think I know the answer to any of those questionsm but nothing like that has changed, and the CD-ROM has been working fine for atleast 3 months now

 

[montag451]

Might want to try a new cable.

 

[GregANDTCH]

Did you just add/update any software?
I had a problem with some Roxio files & had to rename them.

 

[imported_EvilDead]

nothing like that at all, I woke up and went to play some Battlefield 1942 and it just wouldn't work, no new software was added, what kind of cable???

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: EvilDead
nothing like that at all, I woke up and went to play some Battlefield 1942 and it just wouldn't work, no new software was added, what kind of cable???

A flat IDE cable, the same as the kind that connects to your hard drive.

It's possible your CD-ROM just died. Have you tried another one?

 

[nVidiaAddict]

ik u've said u've check the cables, but try this:

go to the cd-rom drive in question, disconnect EVERY LAST CABLE WHATEVER from the back of the drive (ide and power, etc). RE-plug them BACK in. restart. go into my comp, then look for the drive letter that'd correspond to ur cdrom. also, check to see if ur cd-roms light comes on and flashes/blinks during boot. if it does, then it should come up in My Computer as a cd-rom drive (or whatever kind of drive it is). if it still doesnt, and the light on ur drive doesnt come on durin boot, then chances are probably good that its the cd-rom drive.

also, if u still are bent on keepin the drive, i'd suggest unplugging a second optical drive (if u've got more than one) and try the cdrom IDE and power connections. boot, and look in my computer for the drive letter. if THAT optical drive doesnt show, then it may be that particular power connector or that particular plug on the ide cabe (in which case get a new ide cable).

let me kno if that helps.

thanks.