DVD/CD Drive

SirDag

Hi,

I have a compaq laptop with "hl-dt-st dvd+rw gca-4040n" dvd/cd drive. If one Googles the drive, there is a host of similar problems highlighted, but my issue is a tad different.

I decided to reinstall XP Home using Compaq's own installation CD and, following the guide book, no problems experienced during the installation and reformatted/Partitioned the C:/ drive. It was when I needed to install the drivers , next on the installation guide, using Compaq's driver CD that I realised I had a problem; the drive did not recognise there was a CD in the drive.

I am somewhat perplexed by how the drive allowed the XP Home installation but not the driver CD, both supplied by Compaq and in the order they say. However, I also wanted to upgrade the OS to XP Pro; so, in the hope, mistaken as it turned out, that the upgrade might do something to allow the driver CD to load, I successfully loaded XP Pro (upgrade option) using the same CD drive but still could not load the driver CD. I also had no joy getting the CD drive to recognise the Wireless Netgear CD disc.

The only common denominator I can see is that it works with OS installation but doesn't like driver discs.

Any thoughts?

Trinitrotoluene

When you put it in the CD drive, in My Computer does anything display at all? Do you have access to the internet on that PC?

SirDag

Trinitrotoluene wrote: »

When you put it in the CD drive, in My Computer does anything display at all?

Nothing, save for /

Trinitrotoluene wrote: »

Do you have access to the internet on that PC?

Not as yet, will try to get on tonight via ethernet cable

Richie-from-the-Boro

What, at the time you first boot, does it say about CD / DVD in the Boot / DOS or BIOS / CMOS screen ?



If its not detected here, messing with windows & drivers is pointless.

If it is detected by the BIOS but not in Windows your new O/S may be short of other non CD drivers that enable the IDE / SATA devices to even exist. This is unusual from a clean install.

If you're running Windows XP, click Start, click Control Panel, double-click System, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager. Tell the group what's missing and which have a yellow asterisk on them.

SirDag

I appear to be having difficulty getting into the Bios setup; the screen flashes so quickly that there is no time to see what I should be pressing. F10 gets to a place where I can adjust time & date, and also see info about computer, but that's it. constantly pressing del, achieves nothing.

Device Manager has the following yellow asterisk against:-

multimedia audio controller
pci modem
smbus controler
video controler (VGA compatible)

It does though show "hl-dt-st dvd+rw gca-4040n" when expanding DVD/CD-rom drive

spakkker

Is this thread relevant - http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=56742

Seems to apply to older models and is needed when no flashing box in top right????

KillerWatt

SirDag wrote: »

The only common denominator I can see is that it works with OS installation but doesn't like driver discs.

The only common denominator (from your description) is that the drive works fine with any disc EXCEPT your system driver disc, maybe it's the driver disc that is f****d

Fear not though, if you go to the Compaq (HP) website, you can download the latest certified drivers for your operating system.

SirDag

KillerWatt wrote: »

The only common denominator (from your description) is that the drive works fine with any disc EXCEPT your system driver disc, maybe it's the driver disc that is f****d

In my OP, I also said "I also had no joy getting the CD drive to recognise the Wireless Netgear CD disc."

KillerWatt wrote: »

Fear not though, if you go to the Compaq (HP) website, you can download the latest certified drivers for your operating system.

Very good idea

SirDag

spakkker wrote: »

Is this thread relevant - http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=56742

Seems to apply to older models and is needed when no flashing box in top right????

It could well be relevant but as some discs do work, I cannot see that I would need access to the bios. Thanks for the link though.

spakkker

Have you got any usb devices plugged in? Try after removing them and restarting.

SirDag

spakkker wrote: »

Have you got any usb devices plugged in? Try after removing them and restarting.

No USB devices.