Help Needed

[stiffy]

I'm using a Dell Dimension 4600, with XP Pro OS, had to replace the disc drive, the o.e. cdrw went bad. I bought a new dvd/cd rw from newegg and it is an NEC 3550A. I've configured the jumper similar to the old drive and nothing, XP is not seeing it, changed the jumper to a slave (i have a floppy drive as well) and no change. The nero disc will spin, I have power, task manager says drive is fine, but it's not right.
I'm not super computer literate, but very mechanically inclined, any help needs to be outlined step by step for me please.
I've tried every jumper setting, checked my cables and all is fine, I have power, will eject and spin, but XP isn't picking it up....thanks to all who reply.

cs- N.e.Ohio

[rodgermat]

Hi
I assume "replace the disc drive" means replacing the optical drive.
You should have at least two IDE connectors on your motherboard. One is connected to the hard drive and it should be the master on that IDE connector/cable. It's a good thing to make a DVD/CD-RW drive as master as well. That would take a second IDE cable. Are you using a second cable, or sharing one cable only?
First of all, check that all IDE cables are connected correctly in both ends. Seems like the drive is getting juice, so, that part is OK.
The floppy drive uses it's own and different kind of plug/cable, so you can forget about that one.
My main question is: Are you using one or two IDE cables?

[EvilRick]

Is it recognized in the BIOS? If so, set the BIOS to boot from the DVD/CD-RW. If it boots from it, then we know it's a Windows driver problem.

If it isn't recognized in the BIOS, it could be the drive is bad or the actual motherboard controller for that channel. Easiest way to test that is to swap it out with your HDD and see if it's recognized in the BIOS. If it is, then it's not the drive but the actual controller for that channel. If you've only got one HDD, you may run the DVD/CD-RW as a slave to it and save your $ for a new mobo.

The BIOS is usually accessed by pressing F1, F2, or DEL during the first few seconds of boot up. Before the Windows splash screen.

[stiffy]

thanks for the posts guys.
My replacement disc drive is not the main it is an "optical" I guess, to quote you, because I don't know all the lingo that accompanies this techno abbreviation profession of fixing computers.
I have one flat cable (very very thin) that goes to my floppy from the motherboard, then there is a seperate thin cable (it has the red stripe on the most outbound wire, & it has about 19 pins I guess)that connects to the new NEC dvd/cd drive, but it also has an " inline" second connector that also has 19 or so pins as my " chassis" has room for two disc drives. I hope this clears up the connector/cable topic. My floppy has a seperate cable that connects just behind the dvd/cd drive cable on the motherboard and both are solid connections. So I have only one IDE (?) cable to the optical drive but it pre-wired for two drives if I chose to install a second one in the chassis.

I recently had my local cable installer here to upgrade my external modem (high speed access) to one that is a dual unit because we now have our telephone service through the cable company and he went to install the new software via an install cd and he told me that my drive was bad, so I went and bought a new drive because I had the old cdrw only and I wanted dvd capability. I followed the directions for the nec drive that only tell you how to swap out your drives and make sure your jumper is set to the same as the drive you just replaced. I followed the directions, then swapped the jumper to all possible connections totalling 3, and nothing changed, XP never saw the new hardware.

I am not familiar with BIOS nor how to mess with that, like I said, I need real detailed " dummy" directions.. ha ha... I know when I reboot that I do see the "hit the spacebar to correct problems" and that is just before the windows splash screen that comes on next.... once I hit the bar I end up in "unknown territory."
I have had my Dell Dimension 4600 for about 3 years now, and in the first year the hard drive went, so Dell sent out a technician and he replaced that, and everything was fine, then all of a sudden my cdrw drive wouldn't eject with out a paper clip assist, so I decided to buy a new dvd/cd drive and now it is acting almost like the old cdrw optical drive did with the exception that my new NEC will open, eject, spin, and the light comes on.... it has to be something that I don't know how to work on in the software or OS itself...
I'm just so mad that I spent hard earned money ( I'm unemployed since October), and now I still don't have a drive that allows me to copy all my digital pictures of my children and save them. I'm worried I'll loose the hard drive again and 2 years worth of pictures will dissapear and that would bring me to tears.
When I looked in the task manager, and even with my Norton antivirus software it sees the old part no. from the o.e. drive and I thought that unistalling the driver for that old drive might help xp see the new one, but no....
I need more detailed and non abbreviated (please) step by step directions once I go into the BIOS and I don't know how to pull the hard drive or boot from the dvd/cd like someone just suggested....sorry, but I am real green to this "fix your own" computer when it comes to something this deep.
thanks again, sorry for the long post, I just wanted to be thorough is all so I don't miss a detail. I don't know if something I say might bring a different diagnosis or symptom that would create a different cure.
thanks guys.

[stiffy]

Bios did not boot from the drive, what's next?

[rodgermat]

Sorry for this late reply. And unfortunately, I’m in a little hurry, so I’ll make it short and get back to you later.
First of all: You described the cable to the floppy drive, then the “thin cable with the red stripe on it”. I want to know if you have a second cable, similar to the cable with the red line, that goes from the motherboard to your hard drive? I just want to make sure you still have your hard drive connected and that it’s up and running.
I did some googlin’ for your NEC 3550A , and realized there used to be some issues with it. However, that’s 4 – 6 months ago, and hopefully the new ones are OK. But if it’s a bad one, you’ll have to get an RMA from Newegg. Newegg is great, so no worry there.
Of course, it could also be the cable that’s at fault. I’ve had that happen to me. Did the drive come with a cable? (The flat one with a red stripe). One way to check the cable, is to swap it with a new one. Or use it to connect to the hard drive and see if the hard drive still works. Hm, you could also try the other connector on the IDE cable and use that one to connect to the DVD drive. It doesn’t matter which you use, but if the cable is at fault, and the break is between connector one and two, the first one would work, the second wouldn’t. It’s worth a try.
If you manage to/feel comfortable with going into BIOS, you could try to change the boot sequence so that the computer attempts to boot from the CD drive(the DVD drive). That way you’d be able to tell if the drive works, in a way. BIOS could be a little intimidating if you’re not familiar with it tho.

Some possible issues:
1: The IDE cable is bad.
2: The NEC 3550A is bad.
3: You don’t have BOTH the hard drive and the NEC 3550A connected at the same time. (Although you’re obviously good if you use your computer to connect to Resellerratings.)
4: The IDE cable isn’t properly seated/connected to the motherboard and/or DVD drive. (It’s sometimes hard to tell).

Btw, I have a NEC 2500, and a NEC 2510 (I think) myself, and they both run fine and give me no problems.

Keep us posted