Second DVD drive won't work

**pzkpfw** · 30th January 2011, 10:40

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** · 30th January 2011, 10:47

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** · 30th January 2011, 10:47

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...e-modeATA.mspx for the difference between the two modes.

**pzkpfw** · 30th January 2011, 10:49

Awesome. Thanks hiss and Spuds1234.

And xxcbr69xx.

**xxcbr69xx** · 30th January 2011, 10:52

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

or just no show at all?

**pzkpfw** · 30th January 2011, 10:54

Originally Posted by xxcbr69xx

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** · 30th January 2011, 10:58

Originally Posted by pzkpfw

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** · 30th January 2011, 11:20

Tried both with jumper set to cable select?

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

**hayd3n** · 30th January 2011, 11:30

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** · 30th January 2011, 11:37

Originally Posted by 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

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** · 30th January 2011, 11:53

Originally Posted by hiss

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** · 30th January 2011, 11:59

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** · 30th January 2011, 13:24

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** · 31st January 2011, 19:17

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.