My CD-ROM won't read any CDs at all and when it has a CD in it it completely freezes up the computer and I have to remove the power cord to shut the computer off. I thought I had a bad CD-ROM and went out and bought a new one, but the new one has the same problem. I put in a new IDE ribbon but that didn't do anything. My system recognizes all my drives. I searched through this site but couldn't find anything. I'm wondering if my motherboard went bad. I'm really frustrated and could use some help. Thanks!

try this , go into your system properties, look for your cd-player, and see if DMA is checked, if it is then reboot-enter your BIOS and go to your intergrated peripherials page, make sure that setting for UDMA are set to " enabled " or " auto " save in your BIOS and reboot. Maybe this will fix it. Conversely you could UNcheck DMA if you'd like to see if that would help( since some older systems don't handle direct memory access very well ). http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

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iisbob
"Soap and education are not as sudden as a massacre, but they are more deadly in the long run."

I looked but don't have DMA anywhere on my options portion of my settings menu. Had no luck in the BIOS settings either. After alot more frustration, I'm giving up on it until someone can help me fix the problem. Appreciate the suggestion!

Have you looked in your device manager to see if there is a problem there? Try checking that you don't have any IRQ conflicts.

Originally posted by madness:
I looked but don't have DMA anywhere on my options portion of my settings menu. Had no luck in the BIOS settings either. After alot more frustration, I'm giving up on it until someone can help me fix the problem. Appreciate the suggestion!

No IRQ conflicts. Since I can't really back up all my data, I'm thinking of uninstalling everything I can and reinstalling after I get the drive back up and running. Will post results here.

Give it one more shot, try this see what happens.
My computer-->System-->Device manager-->click + on cd-rom-->click on your cd_rom and then click properties at the bottom of the form, now see if you have DMA enable checked or unchecked. Enable DMA and reboot, see if it works.

If not start windows in safe mode(usually press F5 or ctrl just before windows logo pops up)
In safe mode go to My computer-->System-->Device manager-->click + on cd-rom
and delete your cd_rom, that will remove all drivers, also delete any old cd-rom if you have and reboot the system and see things are working or not.

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RM

I have Windows 95 and don't have a DMA option anywhere in my cd-rom properties on the system menu in control panel. I don't have any device conflicts. The thing I don't understand is I've had this same configuration for quite some time and its worked all this time. Is it possible that my original cd drive is bad and the one I bought to replace it is bad also? Damn my luck if that's the case. I swap out the cd drives and both of them are recognized no matter what configuration I set them up in. I just have the same problem with both--they won't read a cd and when they try my system locks up--can't cold boot--can't warm boot--I have to unplug the power cord every time. Maybe I'll remove a cd drive from a computer at work and bring it home and see if that works...then I'll know its a drive problem and not a motherboard problem...which I don't think it is because I've had the cd drive as primary slave and secondary master and secondary slave...same results every time. Don't know what else to do. Thanks everyone for their suggestions though. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif

Here's the latest: I brought my cd-rw drive in with me to work and put it in one of the computers here....and it works perfectly fine. The only difference in configuration is what is plugged into it. At home I've had the power, IDE ribbon, and the smaller 4-wire connector connected. Here at work, there was no 4-wire connector--just the power and the IDE ribbon--and it works. So when I go home tonite, I'll connect it without using that 4-wire connector and see what happens. Like I said, its always been connected on my home machine in the past. Both my computer and the one here at work are Win95 systems. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif

The 4 wire connector is your sound from the cd-rom to the motherboard or to your sound card. You need that to get the sound.

Did you try my second suggestion, remove cd-rom drivers in safe and then reboot your system ? After you remove cd-rom and reboot, windows will find the new device and install it automatically. Here is it again---->

If not start windows in safe mode(usually press F5 or ctrl just before windows logo pops up)
In safe mode go to My computer-->System-->Device manager-->click + on cd-rom
and delete your cd_rom, that will remove all drivers, also delete any old cd-rom if you have and reboot the system and see things are working or not.



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RM

Here's the latest. I backed up my data and reformatted and reinstalled Windows using the emergency recovery disk. My system is reporting an error with the secondary IDE controller...saying its not there or not working or the drivers are not loaded. My CD drive works when doing the emergency recovery, and the computer sees the drive on bootup, but when it gets into Windows, the drive is not there. In device manager I have no cd drive...all I have is the error with the secondary IDE controller. When I put the cd drive as primary slave, Windows can't see the cd drive there either, even though it shows up during the bootup sequence. I'm assuming I have a motherboard problem unless I can install some updated BIOS files in Windows from a floppy. This problem has really tried my patience. Thanks to everyone for their help.

The only thing I can think about is that you may not set the jumpers properly. Try this
1. Check the jumpers on your drives, if they are on MASTER/SLAVE properly.
2. Make sure your IDE cables are connected properly, a RED line indicates the PIN1 and it should be next to the RED wire in the power supply connector. Try a different IDE cable.
3. Make sure you have selected "auto detect" for all your drives in BIOS.
4. Try to go to "safe mode" as I've mentioned in previous reply and delete all cd- drive and reboot system.

Let us know what happens. Good luck.

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RM

Hey,

You could also boot in Safe Mode and remove the Secondary IDE Controller listings. Reboot in normal mode and hopefully Windoz will find it and install it for you.

Additionally, make sure the IDE ribbon cable is securely connected to the Secondary IDE channel on the motherboard.

Good luck.

Big Blue 66

P.S. The CD-RW unit should work whether the audio cable is connected or not. If it's not connected, then you just won't be able to play audio CD's through your speakers.

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Woe is me.

I've swapped out IDE cables and double checked my jumper settings. No matter what configuration I have, all drives are detected properly in the bootup sequence. When Windows loads, however, the CD drive isn't there, and when its connected on the secondary IDE, I get an error in device manager. I've given up because I can't get any help from Packard Bell. My next step is to go out and get a new motherboard.

Hey,

I understand your frustration, been there. But you still did not mention in any of your reply, if you have tried to go to "safe mode" and delete all the cd-rom from "device manager". The reason is no matter what you do, if your drivers are corrupted, windows is not going to recognize your drives and its not going to work.


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RM

I've swapped out IDE cables, checked all jumper settings, done everything I can think of, including removing the IDE drivers, cd drivers, etc. Now my floppy drive doesn't work. I'm done with this computer. I'll eventually replace the motherboard and cpu when I get the money. Anyone know of any great deals on a motherboard/cpu combo? http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

goto actualpc.com (http://www.actualpc.com), i get componets from then and they usually ofer good deals on bare bones systems ( case, mobo, cpu, power supply, floppy drive )-you can get a good athlon system for around $400; then all you have to do is add your cd player and harddrive.

luck. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/tongue.gif

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iisbob
"Soap and education are not as sudden as a massacre, but they are more deadly in the long run."

try www.tcwo.com (http://www.tcwo.com) and www.newegg.com (http://www.newegg.com) this are the best sites I have encountered and newegg has refurbs so you can really get one cheap there.

Before you trash your motherboard and the CD drive, check the cable and jumpers one more time; put the CD drive as secondary master. Then go to your CMOS, change the value of your secondary master to auto mode. Then let the computer do the search and see if it finds the right drive. In this case you would be sure that the problem is hardware rather than software.

You might also want to go to the device manager and delete your secondary IDE and turn the computer off and on again to see if it your computer will recognize the IDE.

What kind of CPU and motherboard do you have? I remmember I had to run some software which came with the motherboard to correct some problems with secondary IDE but that was on 430TX chipset.

Hey Ziba! I have a 400TX chipset, too! Unfortunately, i dont have any software for it when I received my laptop from someone else. Do u know where i can get it?

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RUN AWAY FROM COMPAQS!

I put in a new motherboard/cpu combo and reinstalled Windows. Everything works great now except my floppy drive died on me. Good thing those are dirt cheap and I don't use it very often. At least I got to know the inside of my computer intimately http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/tongue.gif Thanks everyone for all your ideas and suggestions. I now have a 766mhz Intel Celeron computer--was a 266; I still need to buy a hard drive...its only 5.6gig...I have a smaller second one but its on loan. I'd like to get a 20gig at least. I also have a cd-writer now and a portable player to play my burned mp3 cds (Phillips Expanium). I'm back on line and ready to roll! Thanks! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif