My DVD-Drive

[Boogymanx]

Doesn't read. I don't know what the problem is, I can open and close it, so it's attached to my mobo, but it doesn't read, nor does it appear in 'My Computer'.
I don't know much about it, all I know is that it's an LG DVD-Rom.

 

[Ren.182]

Just because it open and closes doesn't mean its conencted to the mobo. Just means it's getting power. Open up the case and check to see if all the cables are in properly. Also, if its the only DVD drive you have, make sure the jumper is set to the master position.

If not, then make sure the dvd you're putting in isnt scratched to death or actually has data on it (if it's blank/was a blank DVD)

 

[Boogymanx]

Just because it open and closes doesn't mean its conencted to the mobo. Just means it's getting power. Open up the case and check to see if all the cables are in properly. Also, if its the only DVD drive you have, make sure the jumper is set to the master position.

If not, then make sure the dvd you're putting in isnt scratched to death or actually has data on it (if it's blank/was a blank DVD)

I've this IDE (or something) cable plugged in on my mobo, and there's another one like it but not plugged in, really short so I can't really plug it in anywhere because the cable can't reach anything.
I believe I set it in master position in BIOS, I'll check that out now.

EDIT:
I checked my BIOS settings and it didn't detect a IDE master or slave, not in primary, not in third and not in fourth.

 

[Ren.182]

Ok, you should have one end of the IDE cable plugged into the mobo. Then the longer part of the cable should lead up to a place where you can connect the IDE cable to a drive, then a shorter bit of cable where you can connect another drive. (dunno if thats easy to understand or not)
Also, on the back of the CD drive you have a few pins and you should have a jumper. (a little plastic thing with some metal inside.) This jumper should be covering some pins, theres should be a little diagram showing you which pins to cover to make it the master drive.
Also, theres a possibility the IDE cable could be dead... if you have another one anywhere try using that one see if it works after that.
If not, then maybe you drive is dead? I'm not sure.

 

[Boogymanx]

Trying it out now....
EDIT: It says HDD Cable, is there any difference between HDD Cableand IDE Cables? Because I googled and they look just the same. But looks can be deceiving [sorry for being such a newbie in hardware things]

 

[Ren.182]

The hard drive cable is a IDE cable, unless you have SATA. But if they look the same then you have IDE.
The cable should work for DVD drives... Have you got another IDE cable you could try?

 

[Boogymanx]

I haven't got one near me I think. Floppy cable, chipset disks, manual, and some random cables that are used for HDTV. Nope, haven't got one.

EDIT: Also, the cable really says 'HDD Cable'.

 

[xLostx]

Your DVD Rom is infact, haunted. I'm sorry but you must destroy your PC now before the evil spreads.

 

[Boogymanx]

Your DVD Rom is infact, haunted. I'm sorry but you must destroy your PC now before the evil spreads.

Omigodnoes! I'm calling the vicar. Or better yet, Ghostbusters.

Now please stop the derailage.

EDIT: For some reason it started working after a system recovery. Thanks for your time on this, Ren

 

[Ren.182]

Well, if you want to test to see if the cable works, you could switch it with the one that connects your hard drive to the motherboard and see if windows boots up and what not. If windows boots up then obviously the cable isn't broke because the hard drive can be accessed.

As far as i know all of the IDE cables are the same, for Optical drives and Hard drives.

*I bet someone will come in here and just own everything i've just said and prove me wrong*

 

[furiousV]

As far as i know all of the IDE cables are the same, for Optical drives and Hard drives.

My CD-ROM IDE cable is a 40 conductor ribbon, and my HD IDE cable is a 80 conductor ribbon. I noticed by looking closely.
Not sure if its for ATA-133 or something, right now Im using rounded IDE cables.

 

[craig]

All silliness aside, my optical drives do have a tendacy to die every few years out of the blue and stop reading / writing / whatever. If your PC was built by yourself of someone you know then I'd check the cabling out etc, but if you bought it from a major manuf. then chances are the drive is just dead.

 

[Ren.182]

I'd say it's dead too. Even though the cables are different you can still use them as far as i know. So either the drive is just dead or the cable is buggered.

 

[duffers20]

Before you call it out right dead, try a different cable and a different psu lead just to make sure

 

[Ren.182]

Well, i don't think it's the PSU lead seeing as the drive does open and close. But then again it might only just have enough power to do that. If you can, try different leads, or try it in a friends PC.