Help installing a CD-R/RW Drive

[Frodo]

I have tried everything, and the company who made it, Memorex, was no help. CompUSA and BestBuy will not install it for me because I did not buy it from them. I got it from Sam's Club. Now, the box got thrown away, so I can't return it. Once I hook it up, either the hard drive doesn't work, or when i hook it up for that to work, neither my dvd-rom drive works, or the cd burner. I really need help.

[Terror]

Well, i think this will be hard to explain. But most of the stuff you can find in the manual as well. The problem you're experiencing is that you probably got both your DVD and CD/RW drive in "Master" setting. This means, that the computer will recognize both CD/DVD players as Primary and that will cause some problems. On the back of your DVD, CD/RW and HD you can see a lot of... ehm needles? (dunno how to call em). Anyway, on those "needles" there is a plastic thing, it is realy small, and it can only cover 2 needles. The position of this thing however is of great importance, as this defines wether the drive is a "Master" or a "Slave". You have nothing to do with the HD here. And i'm pretty sure your DVD is already a "Master" here. So if you look in the manual, you can probably read somewhere how to make your CD/RW a "Slave".

I hope this helps, and if you don't understand correctly, perhaps someone else can explain better.

Grtz, Rene Smeitink

[Frodo]

yeah, it says that there is either master, slave, or an auto detect one. i think it is called csel or something. i have it on the auto detect one. i think it is called a jumper. the manual is quite confusing for me because i have never done this.

[Terror]

I'd say put it on slave, that way you're sure that that setting is good.

[Frodo]

ok, i will try it, thank you flameweaver. wait, before i shut down, is it correct to have this hookup...

hard drive (end of the cord on the primary)

cd burner(middle of the cord on secondary)

dvd drive(end of the cord on secondary)

[Terror]

yes, that is correct

[Frodo]

ok, now the dvd drive and the cd burner open, but they do not show up in my computer. d does, but when you put a disc in it does not do anything. and i have an external cd burner connected, does that make a difference? the cd burner doesn't seem to be there at all.

[gryphon]

As for the placement on the IDE cords, the slowest device should be at the end connector. [ or was it the middle, I always mix them up. . if any one knows it for shure please post it as it's irretating me for 1,5 years now :- ]. As a CD rom drive is slower in spead then a HD, the hard drive is better placed at the middle connector. Hard drive on master, CD on slave. As for your burner, I would place it seperate on the secondairy IDE connector, as a master drive. The origional DVD drive as primairy slave at the end of the same cord as your HD is on. This to give all the bandwidth to the burner, so it can go on if you should need any speed from the HD. I know it sound extreem, just don't blame the messenger. . it's just Plextor's install indications :-

Make shure that in your BIOS [ you get get into it by pressing delete as your computer books up, make shure you do it at the correct time, when your BIOS screen is on, you can recognise it as in the right corner there usually is an "energy safe" whatever logo, and it displays your processor information and the amount of memory you have.

In your BIOS [ depending on the brand ] there is an option to autodetect IDE drives at startup, make shure it is turned on for all 4 possible IDE drives. Then reboot and Windows whould recognise all drives connected.

About the external CDR drive. . . .how is it connected ?

[ SCSI, IDE, USB, of FIREWIRE as example ]

[Frodo]

is bios the install thing on dell where you press F2? I will try that. thank you.i unplugged it just incase. it was usb.

[gryphon]

F2 or F5 could be substitues for delete to get into your BIOS. Try to get the internal drives working first. Then plug in the USB drive. Don't think it will give you any problems then.. . or I hope it won't :-

:)

[Frodo]

i got the cd-rw drive to work, but the dvd drive does not ???.

[gryphon]

Your HD does work I presume ?

Is the jumper on you HD set to master and the one on your DVD drive to slave or csel ? It should be fine one slave.

When your computer boots up, can you see a time where it display's the BIOS screen [ don't have to press F2 ], it should state your processor, memory and below that the HD and CD drives as your computer finds them. Is your DVD drive in the list between your HD and CD-burner ?

[Acriku]

Does getting into the BIOS work on 98se? I can't do it for some reason.

[number6]

Does getting into the BIOS work on 98se? I can't do it for some reason.

I believe you may have the function keys disabled. To fix that there are settings in the "msconfig" application that will let you turn the function keys back on during the boot process.

[Acriku]

I checked that app, and found nothing conscerning function keys, hmm...Should I make a new thread about this?

[number6]

I am pretty sure it can be set from MSCONFIG. I can't check it here at work because I am on an Win NT machine and msconfig is not part of that OS. I can check tonight for you. Maybe there should be a new thread for this.