CDRW Problem

[thatrenowned]

My friend has a computer with a CDRW which tends to disappear and then sometimes come back. Eventually it totally disappeared but I updated some driver files and it came back...that was until it was rebooted and then it went again. However, it sometimes comes back.
Its a Philips CDD4801/65, but in device manager it comes up as an IDE CDRW 8x4x32, so its got the speeds right.

The way I got it back was to go into c:\windows\options\cabs and extract the inf files to a temp folder. I then went to add new hardware and selected CDROM controllers. For some reason, I added a Mitsumi drive (I think because thats what he'd done). After rebooting, it picked up this IDE CDRW.

Now it either loads it or doesn't. Does anyone know where I can get the correct drivers or know what the problem is?

Thanks...

 

[xkjdhdg]

Is this the master or slave what I am asking is. Does he have a CDROM reader interal and is this an internal or external. It sounds like you have not changed the setting on the BIOS for this new hardware because it thinks it is an IDE harddrive. on reboot enter setup and
change the set on the master or slave which ever this piece of hardware to CDROM.

 

[thatrenowned]

The CDRW came with the computer...it was all a package. Anyway, theres a DVD drive in there which is master and the CDRW is slave.
When it appears, it doesn't think that its a hard drive because the icon in explorer is that of a CD drive, and if you put a cd in it reads it.
I haven't played about with jumper or BIOS settings because it was already previously set up and working.

 

[xkjdhdg]

I would remove the CDRW from the Device Manager and reboot letting the plug and play pick it up. Do you have the firmware for the Phillips CDRW? You may be ask for the firmware which needs to be updated to fix this problem here is a link

http://www.cdrinfo.nl/firmware/ide.php

 

[brianfellows]

I am having a simalir problem but the it shows up as "Primary IDE controllers (dual fifo)" and "Secondary IDE controllers (dual iffo)". I have removed them and rebooted my computer but still nothing.

This first happened on Sunday and I dont remember exactly how I fixed it. When I try to boot from a Win ME and 98 boot disk and try to boot w/CD support, I get an error. Not sure what exactly the error was, I didnt write it done, but it cannot load the files.

Anyother ideas? Thanks a million. I really dont want to wipe my computer, but I will if it comes to it.

http://www.thefortkrew.com

 

[JohnVogel]

Did you (or yoru friend) happen to install any CD-Writing software recently? Info:
Job Title - Systems Administrator
Key responsibilities -
Database management design and administration - Network Administration - Internet and Intranet Administration and design - Technical support and consultation (PC Based)

 

[thatrenowned]

About the problem...I think its a hardware thing rather than software. I tried using the drive in a computer at work, which at first it picked up. A few minutes later, I attempted to go into My Computer and it crashed the machine. Obviously it had become 'undetected'. Anyway, after a reboot, it no longer appeared so it looks like its dead.

Thanks for the suggestions...

 

[scissorman]

I've had similar problems in the past week, cdrw stopped being identified, then was detected bu I couldn't use burning software as it told me no device was connected.

The strange thing is that it lets me use DirectCD for files still.

Like yours, mine was already installed and working and then just stopped.

If you trawl other forums you'll notice there has been a major increase in cdrw problems over the past few weeks, and I'm wondering if there is some sort of bug/virus on the prowl?

Just a thought.