Odd situation. Both CDRW and DVD-ROM drives both die exactly the same time

[sygyzy]

Here's the scenario. Relatively modern computer. DVD-ROM and CDRW drives are placed chained on the secondary IDE channel. Single hard drive on primary, of course.

The jumpers are in the correct position for master and slave.

BIOS detects both drives. Windows shows both drives. But if you place a disc in, you'll either get a "No disc found" error or it'll let you select the drive (in explorer) and display empty contents. As if the disc were blank.

We've tried commercially pressed data discs, commercial audio cd's, cdr-r, cd-rw, dvd-r, etc.

The strange part is they BOTH failed exactly the same time.

Oh yes, both drives spin up and the read light blinks when it's accessing the disc for the first time.

Any ideas?

 

[crispy2010]

Sounds like the mobo not the drives, Have you tried them on a different pc?

 

[alanore]

Try deleting both the CD and DVD-ROM drives from the device manager. Then shutting down. Disconnect the Secondary IDE cable and then go into the device manager and try updating the IDE controllers. Shutdown again and reconnect the IDE cable, start up again and it should detect them and reinstall the drivers for them.

 

[pkrush]

Try removing one of the devices from the chain, then try removing the other one, then try running one of them on the primary IDE controller with the hard drive with nothing on the secondary connector.

 

[sygyzy]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies. I tried some of your suggestions and some others. Here's what I tried.

1. Unplugged the slave drive (burner) and tried using only the DVD-Rom (master). Did not work.
2. Set them both to cable select. Did not work.
3. Tried removing the secondary IDE controller from Windows and restarting. Did not work.
4. Tried removing the drives from device manager and restarting. Windows "reinstalled' the drivers. Did not work.

I don't believe it's an optics problem. What are the chances the secondary IDE controller mysteriously "died?"

I don't have an easy way of putting the drives in a different computer. I also have not tried changing the IDE cable in case it's defective. I'll do that next time.

 

[TriggerHappy101]

Try puting it in a different computer before going any further.

 

[phisrow]

In order to exclude possible software factors, try booting a LiveCD in each, and testing under that environment. It seems really fishy that two would die for mechanical or electrical reasons at the same time. Possibly a borked IDE channel; but I'd move to exclude software factors first.

 

[V00D00]

Try a different (known to work) drive from a different PC if possible. If it fails, then it is your IDE slots.

If it does work, then maybe a power surge killed your existing drives. I've seen it happen.