DVD Writer missing

[Maniacal]

My DVD writer no longer shows up in anything I check on my computer... and I'm stumped for ideas.

Tried restarting, doesn't work.

I'll check the cords tomorrow if I have to (Don't have time or any non-staticy space tonight).

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Did you install/uninstall anything recently?

Especially on computer games, some copy protections can disable DVD writers.

Also, I know someone who had a similar problem. When she uninstalled Napster, it killed the drivers for her CD drives.

Can it read DVDs?

 

[Maniacal]

No it doesn't even appear, and I installed The Witcher: Enhanced, Impulse (which doesn't have copy protection i don't think, it's by Stardock). Although I do not know how long ym drive has been missing, as i only just checked.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Go into device manager and scan for any new hardware. Maybe the copy protection in The Witcher messed with your drivers ( I HATE copy protection that does that).

 

[Zelig]

Go into device manager and scan for any new hardware. Maybe the copy protection in The Witcher messed with your drivers ( I HATE copy protection that does that).

The Witcher Enhanced has the DVD-check removed.

PrinceScamp: Does your drive show up in the BIOS?

 

[Maniacal]

The Witcher Enhanced has the DVD-check removed.

PrinceScamp: Does your drive show up in the BIOS?

Nope. I honestly do not know when the drive disappeared, sometime since the beginning of Nov.

Programs installed since Nov. 1st in no particular order;

The Witcher: Enhanced
Impulse & Space Rangers 2 Complete (drm free)
Titan Quest & Immortal Throne (via Steam)
In Nominee expansion for EUIII (i don't think Paradox uses much drm either)
Pain Killer Tripel Dose (all three)
Left 4 Dead (steam, shouldn't affect it)
Stronghold
Far Cry 2

And KotOR 1 which didn't work. It's possible it's SecuROM did something (I think the drm might have stopped it from working). I borrowed it from a friend.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Well, if you don't have any SecuROM games, and want to remove it, check out this.

Good luck.

 

[GVBN]

Does it show up in BIOS

 

[Maniacal]

Well, if you don't have any SecuROM games, and want to remove it, check out this.

Good luck.

I have SecuROM games and it didn't cause a problem before.

Does it show up in BIOS

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=7569128&postcount=6

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

It could be different version.

 

[Maniacal]

Okay I'll open it up tomorrow and see what neess to be dusted as well (I don't have canned air or anything to dust my fans with >.>, and it's icy/snow and busy in town.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Be really careful opening the drive. Last time I opened a cd-rom, I couldnt get it to work again at all.

 

[Maniacal]

By open it up I meant my comptuer case.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

By open it up I meant my comptuer case.

Ah. Yeah, im sure you know what to do with that then.

 

[Maniacal]

Okay once I dusted off the case (which needed it badly (and realized the inside needs to be taken out and dusted off piece by piece (which i have neither the space or correct dusting tools to do, plus the cat we're taking care of for a couple of weeks has a fascination with shiny screws) I remembered it had been this way since last Febuary/March. I'm not sure what is wrong, as the cables are all in (should be correct).

Maybe I need to put the DVD reader above the writer? They have one of those really wide cables (I forget the name) connectiong them together and to the mobo as well as power and another cable.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Try connecting the DVD writer using the IDE connector currently used for the other drive.

 

[Maniacal]

Try connecting the DVD writer using the IDE connector currently used for the other drive.

I think they have the same one, it has three connections on it, so i would have to switch the two of them.

I'll take a look again this weekend when i have time.

 

[plarq]

Yes, check the connections, once I messed up my DVD-ROM drive bad.

 

[Cutlass]

I think they have the same one, it has three connections on it, so i would have to switch the two of them.

I'll take a look again this weekend when i have time.

Some optical drives still require the "master-slave" configuration. That means that there are small jumpers on the back of the drive case that determine whether the drive is the master, the slave, or in most cases on more recent drives, "cable select". If the jumper is set to master or slave, then it also must have the matching cable connection.

 

[Maniacal]

FINALLY cleaned out my computer, good bloody grief that's enough dust in a life time, and I now other computers are worse (like my old one), got as much dust out as I could. Checked the drives, the DVD Reader is Master and the Writer is Slave. I'll switch the two around and see if it works when I get home (I moved most of my stuff yesterday to an apartment, including the power cords). Unfortunately I cannot get the drives out of my computer as the screwdriver is too large to fit into that section of the case vertically. So I'm guessing cable select is the one on the left. Hope this works, and thanks!