DVD RW Drive

MonstersMummy

Hello,
Have a query and hope one you nice people might be able to help.
Have just taken out a dvd rw drive from another pc and inserted into mine to replace a cd rw drive and it doesn't show up on my computer. I've tried going thorugh add new hardware on the control panel but it found nothing. Does anyone know how I can do it?
Really need to get it working so I can transfer all my video files to disc.
Any suggestions very gratefully received!
Many thanks.

Lexis200

Silly questions but...

a) does the replacement definitely work?

b) Have you got the cables round the correct way?

c) What is the jumper setting for the drive? If you're adding it to a PATA cable (the flat ribbon cable), is there another drive already on that? If so, try changing the jumper setting on the DVD drive to "slave" if it's "Master" or vice versa

d) Have you tried turning it off and on again? (The IT Crowd, Series 1... anybody?)

Let me know if it still doesn't work after trying these out

HTH

MonstersMummy

Hiya,
a) pass!
b) Dont know!
c) huh?
and d) I'll try that!!

I'm not very good with computer hardware stuff!! The pc it came from is reasonably new so I would have thought it did work. Would the cables fit in if they were the wrong way round? I put them in the same way round as they came out but I will double check.
It is conneted to a flat ribbon cable but I didn't notice if anything else was so I'll have a look. How do I change the setting if needs be?
I'll turn it off and on again first and go from there.
Thank you.

KILL_BILL

check the bios setting when u start up the computer

pres the f8 or f10 key

and as has been mentioned checke the jumper pins on the back of the drive themselves that it is set to master

darich

MM

at the back of the dvd rw you'll see a series of small pins normally ranging from 5 up to 8 in two rows. there will be a small plastic thing (with metal inside) bridging two pins - the plastic thing is called a "jumper".

On the case of the dvd rw just next to those pins you'll see a small key/legend. they'll be labelled something like, CS, M, S (Cable Select, Master, Slave).
If you have another device on that same ribbon cable, eg a hard drive or another cd/dvd rom/cdrw etc the jumper on that device will be set to either CS or M.
If it is at M then leave it - if it's at CS then remove it and replace it so that it is set to M.
Then take your new dvd rw and change the jumper setting to S (slave)

It's necessary so that the pc knows in which order to check devices - 2 cables called primary and secondary and 2 devices on each called master and slave.

If you add a new device then you need to tell the pc where the new device is in the pecking order. It should be as simple as removing the jumper with a finger nail and moving it to a different pair of pins.

From memory you shouldn't need to change anything in the BIOS but feel free to post further questions if changing the jumper makes no difference.
:):)

MonstersMummy

Thank you thank you thank you!!
After a hair raising half hour where I thouht I'd blown up my pc the drive now registers!! woohoo!! :j
Not sure what happened but made sure the jumpers were in the right place, switch off and on, etc and it now shows on my computer! yay!
Cant thank you guys enough.

THANK YOU!

Lexis200

Glad you got it fixed!