No CD Drive

Tyketto · 05-15-2007, 08:41 PM

This is about the 4th time this has happend. My CD drive doesn't appear when I go to "My Computer". Is this a sofware/virus issue or a hardware issue. I'll restart my laptop a few times and then it'll appear but on the next startup, it's gone. I'm running XP on a cheapy Inspiron 1200. I'm a newb when it comes to computers so lamens terms please. lol

gadgtman · 05-15-2007, 08:53 PM

Hello Tyketto,

Hopefully someone will come along and tell me I'm wrong but generally this symptom of disappearing CD drive means it's almost certainly dead.

Tyketto · 05-15-2007, 08:59 PM

The drive is going dead? Don't tell me that. I still have warranty with Dell but I'm sick and tired of having to struggle to understand what their customer service reps are saying with those Indian accents!

The light comes on when a cd is inserted and I can hear the drive spinning away but there's no D drive icon.

gadgtman · 05-15-2007, 09:13 PM

Try this...next time or perhaps now if you can't see a D drive icon, right click on My Computer and choose Properties. Now click device manager button. Look under DVD/CDROM drives and tell me what you see please.

Tyketto · 05-15-2007, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gadgtman

Try this...next time or perhaps now if you can't see a D drive icon, right click on My Computer and choose Properties. Now click device manager button. Look under DVD/CDROM drives and tell me what you see please.

I don't have a DVD/CDROM drive listed!

gadgtman · 05-15-2007, 09:35 PM

It is possible for a CD drive to light on spin up without intervention from a motherboard. Is it possible that someone has worked on your laptop and maybe disconnected a ribbon cable?

macten · 05-15-2007, 09:42 PM

I would shut down and disconect and reconect the cable and power cable to the drive. Make sure they are good and snug. Use a flashlight and make sure you don't have a bent pin.

Tyketto · 05-15-2007, 09:43 PM

Nope. I had the hard drive replaced about a year ago but that was it. I had that same problem right before I replaced the hard drive and the CD drive worked fine for about 6 months and then started acting up again. I reinstalled XP and started from scratch and the drive worked fine for a long while but here I am once again with no drive. I want to redo my computer but I can't without the drive working!

Tyketto · 05-15-2007, 10:25 PM

Just opened the lap top and checked the connections. Turns out that one of the pins was bent a bit. The drive seems to be working fine now. I can't believe I didn't check that before. And that's because I'm a technician for Sprint and I fix that kinda crap for a living. LOL Well, thanks for the help. I'm off to re-install windows now to see if I can get rid of some of the glitches I've got in the system. If I'm not back by tomorrow, then something went horribly wrong! LOL

gadgtman · 05-15-2007, 10:25 PM

Please call those Indian's. Keep track of your case number. Do everything they tell you to do. Make a record of everything that is done. A short note will do. After this is all over, with your drive still not showing up sometimes, they should replace your drive.

Try to keep a good attitude and listen carefully. Technical support responds better to this. I know it is extremely frustrating to talk to these people sometimes. But if your machine is still under warranty Dell is your best possible avenue to a fully opperational laptop.

gadgtman · 05-15-2007, 10:29 PM

Great! Good luck.

05-15-2007, 08:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tyketto Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 17 OS: Windows XP	No CD Drive This is about the 4th time this has happend. My CD drive doesn't appear when I go to "My Computer". Is this a sofware/virus issue or a hardware issue. I'll restart my laptop a few times and then it'll appear but on the next startup, it's gone. I'm running XP on a cheapy Inspiron 1200. I'm a newb when it comes to computers so lamens terms please. lol

05-15-2007, 08:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
gadgtman Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 75 OS: Vista	Re: No CD Drive Hello Tyketto, Hopefully someone will come along and tell me I'm wrong but generally this symptom of disappearing CD drive means it's almost certainly dead.

05-15-2007, 08:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tyketto Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 17 OS: Windows XP	Re: No CD Drive The drive is going dead? Don't tell me that. I still have warranty with Dell but I'm sick and tired of having to struggle to understand what their customer service reps are saying with those Indian accents! The light comes on when a cd is inserted and I can hear the drive spinning away but there's no D drive icon.

05-15-2007, 09:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
gadgtman Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 75 OS: Vista	Re: No CD Drive Try this...next time or perhaps now if you can't see a D drive icon, right click on My Computer and choose Properties. Now click device manager button. Look under DVD/CDROM drives and tell me what you see please.

05-15-2007, 09:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
gadgtman Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 75 OS: Vista	Re: No CD Drive It is possible for a CD drive to light on spin up without intervention from a motherboard. Is it possible that someone has worked on your laptop and maybe disconnected a ribbon cable?

05-15-2007, 09:42 PM	#7 (permalink)
macten Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 239 OS: xp	Re: No CD Drive I would shut down and disconect and reconect the cable and power cable to the drive. Make sure they are good and snug. Use a flashlight and make sure you don't have a bent pin.

05-15-2007, 09:43 PM	#8 (permalink)
Tyketto Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 17 OS: Windows XP	Re: No CD Drive Nope. I had the hard drive replaced about a year ago but that was it. I had that same problem right before I replaced the hard drive and the CD drive worked fine for about 6 months and then started acting up again. I reinstalled XP and started from scratch and the drive worked fine for a long while but here I am once again with no drive. I want to redo my computer but I can't without the drive working!

05-15-2007, 10:25 PM	#9 (permalink)
Tyketto Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 17 OS: Windows XP	Re: No CD Drive Just opened the lap top and checked the connections. Turns out that one of the pins was bent a bit. The drive seems to be working fine now. I can't believe I didn't check that before. And that's because I'm a technician for Sprint and I fix that kinda crap for a living. LOL Well, thanks for the help. I'm off to re-install windows now to see if I can get rid of some of the glitches I've got in the system. If I'm not back by tomorrow, then something went horribly wrong! LOL

05-15-2007, 10:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
gadgtman Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 75 OS: Vista	Re: No CD Drive Please call those Indian's. Keep track of your case number. Do everything they tell you to do. Make a record of everything that is done. A short note will do. After this is all over, with your drive still not showing up sometimes, they should replace your drive. Try to keep a good attitude and listen carefully. Technical support responds better to this. I know it is extremely frustrating to talk to these people sometimes. But if your machine is still under warranty Dell is your best possible avenue to a fully opperational laptop.

05-15-2007, 10:29 PM	#11 (permalink)
gadgtman Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 75 OS: Vista	Re: No CD Drive Great! Good luck.