I just got a DVD burner, nice one. Had to reload windows so bought
a new Western Digital HD, 200 GB also. Installed both, for a couple
of days it was all working out. Then I installed a data switch, keyboard
plus monitor and mouse switches to another comp used just for
internet surfing and games (my wife loves Pogo games, anyone hear
anything bad about that site? I saw with Hijack this Pogo loads a
whole bunch of games, some I am sure she never played, but thats
another story) So the first machine is for her graphics and photo
projects, I figure to isolate those two functions from the main internet
activity except for windows updates, drivers, etc., and email, most of
the internet activity is planned to be on the secondary comp so a
trojan, virus or scumware won't hit the main machine which will be off
90 % of the time. So I puts this HD and DVD burner in on the main
machine (Win XP Pro) and all ok for a couple of days but then the
Dvd/cd stuff is not recognised. I went through a bunch of troubleshoot
steps and found what seemed to be a bad ribbon cable, new ones
installed but that didn't seem to be it. It SEEMS that my old CD RW,
was interfering with the other drive. I tried it as a secondary on the
HD cable and the HD wasn't recognised which makes it kinda hard
to boot. So could this CD RW have gone bonkers, ever hear of them
interfering with another one on the same cable? Could there be some
setting in the bios messed up? The Bios showed "unknown device"
message at first and I put those secondary drives into "Auto".
That was when I got just the one to work. But it seems the CD RW is
recognised when it is by itself. Am trying to figure if this is a mother
board problem or something bonkers in the CD RW. Any ideas?
Its a Dell Dimension 8250. If no one knows here, I will have to go
to Dell paid hardware support. Thanks in advance.
Originally posted by sonhouseHave you tried having the CD RW as a Primary drive and the old CD drive as the Slave?
I just got a DVD burner, nice one. Had to reload windows so bought
a new Western Digital HD, 200 GB also. Installed both, for a couple
of days it was all working out. Then I installed a data switch, keyboard
plus monitor and mouse switches to another comp used just for
internet surfing and games (my wife loves Pogo games, anyone hear
anything bad abou ...[text shortened]... no one knows here, I will have to go
to Dell paid hardware support. Thanks in advance.
Originally posted by Daemon SinHi, thanks for the reply. I did some further snooping and put in an
Have you tried having the CD RW as a Primary drive and the old CD drive as the Slave?
old CD rom drive I had taken out in the evolution of this system. I
found that old drive was recognized just fine. So the fault seems to
have been the Dell provided CD RW drive mucking up the works.
With no further glitches, I will consider that a fix. Obviously I want to
get another drive, don't want to stick with an old CD reader, probably
get another one of those DVD dual layer laser scribe burners I got
at Sams club for 80 bucks. That has to be the best deal going in
DVD burners, considering three years ago they were a thousand bucks!
Originally posted by sonhouseBy the way, whats a a data switch? Is it something that allows you to share the mouse, keyboard and monitor between two computers?
I just got a DVD burner, nice one. Had to reload windows so bought
a new Western Digital HD, 200 GB also. Installed both, for a couple
of days it was all working out. Then I installed a data switch, keyboard
plus monitor and mouse switches to another comp used just for
internet surfing and games (my wife loves Pogo games, anyone hear
anything bad abou no one knows here, I will have to go
to Dell paid hardware support. Thanks in advance.
Well, i installed a new dvd burner there yesterday.
I would suggest you remove the new DVD drive and start from scratch..
Remove the old one, set the master/slave settings on the new one to be the same as the old one and just plug it in as before.. (make sure the master/slave settings on the new harddisk are correct too)
You generally shouldn't need drivers for it (they might give you burning software etc but its not necessary to install), windows should recognise it automagically. See if it appears in the bios on boot up.
If its in the bios then its looking good. Otherwise post again and we'll start to debug the problem from there.
Originally posted by sonhouseCall up Dell's tech dept and tell them that and they should give you a free replacement if it's in warranty.
Hi, thanks for the reply. I did some further snooping and put in an
old CD rom drive I had taken out in the evolution of this system. I
found that old drive was recognized just fine. So the fault seems to
have been the Dell provided CD RW drive mucking up the works.
With no further glitches, I will consider that a fix. Obviously I want to
get another ...[text shortened]... e the best deal going in
DVD burners, considering three years ago they were a thousand bucks!
Originally posted by dk3nnyYep, you got it on the data switch. The original problem seems to have
By the way, whats a a data switch? Is it something that allows you to share the mouse, keyboard and monitor between two computers?
Well, i installed a new dvd burner there yesterday.
I would suggest you remove the new DVD drive and start from scratch..
Remove the old one, set the master/slave settings on the new one to be the same as the old one and ...[text shortened]... s then its looking good. Otherwise post again and we'll start to debug the problem from there.
been related to scumware coming in from the internet and too many
programs loaded (like doing a spy sweeper run was taking 45 minutes
because it was getting close to 300,000 files being read).
This computer was originally for my wife's graphics projects and
photo's and of course you need some kind of internet to upgrade
windows and drivers, etc., and email but there was so much going on
with that machine it corrupted windows. I think there was also a
problem with executive diskeeper which has a powerful function
called boot time defrag, something that allows moving around of
directories on the HD, which windows does not allow. I think it got
things screwed up by doing it too many times. Either way, windows
got corrupted and had to reinstall so bought a new HD and then
got the idea of using an old comp that had been unused for months
with this data switch, where the keyboard, mouse and monitor is
shared between the two comps. That way I can switch over to the old
comp for most internet stuff, she likes Pogo games and I think it
loads up the comp with junk but what the hey, if the old comp gets
trashed, there isn't anything on it that we will go nuts if we lose.
So that leaves the main comp with the real important stuff mostly
uncontaminated by the internet. I don't want to go through what I
just went through again, getting data files off, sometimes one file
at a time on to the DVD and then redoing XP on a new HD.
It sure points out the need to have data backed up before you crash!
Hard lesson but one I won't forget any time soon.
Originally posted by Daemon SinYep, except the comp is well past even extended warrenties.
Call up Dell's tech dept and tell them that and they should give you a free replacement if it's in warranty.
That comp was high end for its day, end of 2002 I think, early 2003.
So it still can compete with more modern comps for what she does
so don't need to replace it just yet. But CD and DVD burners
coming out for 80 bucks, thats less than the price of a warrenty!
Originally posted by sonhouseYup, once burned, twice shy, as they say (well, in these parts anyway)
Yep, you got it on the data switch. The original problem seems to have
been related to scumware coming in from the internet and too many
programs loaded (like doing a spy sweeper run was taking 45 minutes
because it was getting close to 300,000 files being read).
This computer was originally for my wife's graphics projects and
photo's and of course yo to have data backed up before you crash!
Hard lesson but one I won't forget any time soon.
I've used diskkeeper myself but never used this boot time defrag thing.. I just use the windows defrag now every couple of weeks/months to tidy things up, works ok for me.
Best thing is just to have a spyware and antivirus scan scheduled to run everynow and again, its amazing how easy it is to pick up "scumware", as you put it 🙂