Second DVD drive won't work

[pzkpfw]

Solved, thanks.



Geez I hate working on other peoples' PC's.

Father in-law wanted a second DVD drive put in his new PC. He had a spare IDE DVD-ROM from his old computer. I was worried that his new PC might be all SATA...

So I open up his new PC and find his HDD is SATA but his DVD-Writer is IDE, and there's a second connecter on the cable. Joy. I install it - but can't get both DVD drives to work.

The existing one was jumpered to be master, I tried the second one as slave and as cable-select. Either way, could not get both to go.

The only interesting thing I found in the BIOS setup was that the IDE channels were set to "Native" mode, and there was another setting for "Legacy". (That's all new to me.)

Anyone got any idea why the two drives wouldn't both work?

[Latte]

If the IDE cable is 80 pin, set both to cable select. If it's 40 pin cable select won't work.

To tell what cable it is simple count each individual cable along the ribbon (don't cvount the connector as they are all 40 pin). Or if the cable is marked with "master, slave, system" it's an 80 pin cable.

Also typically you can turn on and off the IDE Channels in the bios , make sure everything is set to auto in the bios (usually on the same bios screen as the date time etc) at least untill you get it all working.

And the obvious thing of testing both drives individually to confirm they do actually work ;)

[Spuds1234]

Make sure they are jumpered right (sounds like you have).

Then set them to Legacy or Compatibility mode in the bios.

See http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/storage/Native-modeATA.mspx for the difference between the two modes.

[pzkpfw]

Awesome. Thanks hiss and Spuds1234.

And xxcbr69xx.

[xxcbr69xx]

Does the second optical drive show up in the bios but not once booted to the OS?

or just no show at all?

[pzkpfw]

Does the second optical drive show up in the bios but not once booted to the OS?

or just no show at all?

With both connected, only the DVD-ROM (that I added) showed up in Windows/Control Panel/System/Hardware and in Windows Explorer.

Via power-on bios setting screens I couldn't see either drive mentioned.


(Luckily when I disconnected the DVD-ROM and slunk away, the DVD-Writer worked again. "First do no harm".)

[Latte]

With both connected, only the DVD-ROM (that I added) showed up in Windows/Control Panel/System/Hardware and in Windows Explorer.

Via power-on bios setting screens I couldn't see either drive mentioned.


(Luckily when I disconnected the DVD-ROM and slunk away, the DVD-Writer worked again. "First do no harm".)

I don't know if it actually makes a difference, but I was taught the master goes at the far end of the cable (obvioulsy this only applies if you manually set slave and master). WIth an 80 pin cable and both drives on cable select the far one becomes master so there might be some resoning behind it.

[xxcbr69xx]

Tried both with jumper set to cable select?

They should both show in the bios at start up, some conflict preventing this.

[hayd3n]

have a search on google on the dvd drive itself
it may need some other way of installing
i may need to be on a different ide channel
you can buy a ide pci card if there is no ide channels left

[Latte]

have a search on google on the dvd drive itself
it may need some other way of installing
i may need to be on a different ide channel
you can buy a ide pci card if there is no ide channels left

Probably easier (and cheaper) to buy a SATA DVD Drive.

Why he needs 2 Drives anyway? Copying Movies? (Only thing I can think of).

[pzkpfw]

Why he needs 2 Drives anyway? Copying Movies? (Only thing I can think of).

Bingo.

He finds DVD-HDD; HDD-DVD too much hassle.

I keep out of what he's copying.

[p.dath]

Try connecting up only the second DVD drive on its own and see if you can get it to work. It might simply be broken.

[mashman]

I've had problems with multiple devices on IDE and a single device on SATA... sometimes it just doesn't seem to work and even the "experts" couldn't understand it... It may be worth getting an IDE - SATA adapter... could be the easiest solution if everything else is currently working.

[pzkpfw]

Thanks everyone for your comments.

Went back today for a second go.

Counted wires in cable - 80.

So pulled out the original DVD drive - it was set to master. Changed it to cable select.

Made sure 2nd drive was also set to cable select.

Figured I'd have a go before fiddling with the BIOS settings - and they all fired up fine.

Woot.

[scracha]

even the "experts" couldn't understand it.
But they're not REAL experts