CDROM listed as "unknown" in BIOS but Windows detects correct name

I discovered an interesting problem. Maybe someone can help me figure it out. My Dell Optiplex GX520 Desktop running Windosws XP SP3 had a bad CDROM drive which I replaced with a dusted off Sony CD-RW/DVD-ROM. This is what happens when I played with the master/slave/cable-select jumper pin.

1. When master pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom, windows doesn’t boot to desktop

2. When slave pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, windows boots to desktop and detects correct name of cdrom

3. When cable-select pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom, windows doesn’t boot to desktop

4. When no pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, window boots to desktop and detects correct name of cdrom.

The model of the cdrom is Sony CD-RW CRX320EE.

kev833 wrote:
I discovered an interesting problem. Maybe someone can help me figure it out. My Dell Optiplex GX520 Desktop running Windosws XP SP3 had a bad CDROM drive which I replaced with a dusted off Sony CD-RW/DVD-ROM. This is what happens when I played with the master/slave/cable-select jumper pin.

1. When master pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom, windows doesn’t boot to desktop

2. When slave pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, windows boots to desktop and detects correct name of cdrom

3. When cable-select pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom, windows doesn’t boot to desktop

4. When no pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, window boots to desktop and detects correct name of cdrom.

The model of the cdrom is Sony CD-RW CRX320EE.



Is the drive all by itself, or is there a second
storage device on the ribbon cable ?

IDE cables, you fill them from the end. If only
one storage device is present, it goes on the end
connector, not the middle one. The middle one is
only filled, if the end spot is occupied.

Other than that suggestion, I haven't a clue how the
detections would be different, between BIOS and OS.

Try the drive by itself on the cable, before giving up.

Paul

From: "kev833"

I discovered an interesting problem. Maybe someone can help me figure it
out. My Dell
Optiplex GX520 Desktop running Windosws XP SP3 had a bad CDROM drive which
I replaced with
a dusted off Sony CD-RW/DVD-ROM. This is what happens when I played with
the
master/slave/cable-select jumper pin.

1. When master pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom,
windows doesn’t boot to
desktop

2. When slave pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, windows
boots to desktop and
detects correct name of cdrom

3. When cable-select pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom,
windows doesn’t boot to
desktop

4. When no pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, window
boots to desktop and
detects correct name of cdrom.

The model of the cdrom is Sony CD-RW CRX320EE.


This is an ol platform. What is the system's BIOS version ?

--
Dave
Multi-AV Scanning Tool - http://multi-av.thespykiller.co.uk
http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp

On Sunday, June 9, 2013 5:59:50 PM UTC-4, Paul wrote:
kev833 wrote:

I discovered an interesting problem. Maybe someone can help me figure it out. My Dell Optiplex GX520 Desktop running Windosws XP SP3 had a bad CDROM drive which I replaced with a dusted off Sony CD-RW/DVD-ROM. This is what happens when I played with the master/slave/cable-select jumper pin.



1. When master pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom, windows doesn’t boot to desktop



2. When slave pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, windows boots to desktop and detects correct name of cdrom



3. When cable-select pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom, windows doesn’t boot to desktop



4. When no pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, window boots to desktop and detects correct name of cdrom.



The model of the cdrom is Sony CD-RW CRX320EE.







Is the drive all by itself, or is there a second

storage device on the ribbon cable ?



IDE cables, you fill them from the end. If only

one storage device is present, it goes on the end

connector, not the middle one. The middle one is

only filled, if the end spot is occupied.



Other than that suggestion, I haven't a clue how the

detections would be different, between BIOS and OS.



Try the drive by itself on the cable, before giving up.



Paul

The drive is connected by a single cable (by itself) to the PATA controller.. End to end. And there is only one IDE controller on the motherboard.

On 06/09/2013 04:39 PM, kev833 wrote:
I discovered an interesting problem. Maybe someone can help me figure it out. My Dell Optiplex GX520 Desktop running Windosws XP SP3 had a bad CDROM drive which I replaced with a dusted off Sony CD-RW/DVD-ROM. This is what happens when I played with the master/slave/cable-select jumper pin.

1. When master pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom, windows doesn’t boot to desktop

2. When slave pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, windows boots to desktop and detects correct name of cdrom

3. When cable-select pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom, windows doesn’t boot to desktop

4. When no pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, window boots to desktop and detects correct name of cdrom.

The model of the cdrom is Sony CD-RW CRX320EE.




If the OS recognized the drive OK, I would not worry about how the bios
sees it. The bios really only has to properly recognize the boot drive
as the OS does not require a BIOS call for auxiliary drives.

On Sunday, June 9, 2013 6:15:29 PM UTC-4, David H. Lipman wrote:
From: "kev833"



I discovered an interesting problem. Maybe someone can help me figure it

out. My Dell

Optiplex GX520 Desktop running Windosws XP SP3 had a bad CDROM drive which

I replaced with

a dusted off Sony CD-RW/DVD-ROM. This is what happens when I played with

the

master/slave/cable-select jumper pin.



1. When master pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom,

windows doesn’t boot to

desktop



2. When slave pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, windows

boots to desktop and

detects correct name of cdrom



3. When cable-select pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom,

windows doesn’t boot to

desktop



4. When no pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, window

boots to desktop and

detects correct name of cdrom.



The model of the cdrom is Sony CD-RW CRX320EE.





This is an ol platform. What is the system's BIOS version ?



--

Dave

Multi-AV Scanning Tool - http://multi-av.thespykiller.co.uk

http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp


Yes the system is pretty old. Bought in an offfice auction. :-)
BIOS vendor: Dell
version: A07
firmwa 108.108
date: 03/31/2006

I searched the net for an image of the board but could not find one.

On Sunday, June 9, 2013 10:16:10 PM UTC-4, philo* wrote:
On 06/09/2013 04:39 PM, kev833 wrote:

I discovered an interesting problem. Maybe someone can help me figure it out. My Dell Optiplex GX520 Desktop running Windosws XP SP3 had a bad CDROM drive which I replaced with a dusted off Sony CD-RW/DVD-ROM. This is what happens when I played with the master/slave/cable-select jumper pin.



1. When master pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom, windows doesn’t boot to desktop



2. When slave pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, windows boots to desktop and detects correct name of cdrom



3. When cable-select pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom, windows doesn’t boot to desktop



4. When no pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, window boots to desktop and detects correct name of cdrom.



The model of the cdrom is Sony CD-RW CRX320EE.









If the OS recognized the drive OK, I would not worry about how the bios

sees it. The bios really only has to properly recognize the boot drive

as the OS does not require a BIOS call for auxiliary drives.


Correct. Just a strange thing to see the drive named "unknown" but Windows detects the right name. Oh well.

Correction. There are two SATA IDE controllers plus the one PATA IDE controller I've already mentioned.

On 06/09/2013 09:26 PM, kev833 wrote:
On Sunday, June 9, 2013 10:16:10 PM UTC-4, philo wrote:
On 06/09/2013 04:39 PM, kev833 wrote:







If the OS recognized the drive OK, I would not worry about how the bios

sees it. The bios really only has to properly recognize the boot drive

as the OS does not require a BIOS call for auxiliary drives.


Correct. Just a strange thing to see the drive named "unknown" but Windows detects the right name. Oh well.



Whenever I troubleshoot, all I usually worry about is getting it going.
No two machines have ever been the same
and so many times, I experience something that makes no sense...but
somehow works.

If I was going to try and figure out the reason, I'd have a backlog of
100 machines on my repair bench.


That said, I have seen my share of Dell Optiplexes that sure seemed to
have problems with two devices on the same IDE cable. I don't recall
seeing that issue anywhere else.

From: "kev833"

On Sunday, June 9, 2013 6:15:29 PM UTC-4, David H. Lipman wrote:
From: "kev833"



I discovered an interesting problem. Maybe someone can help me figure it

out. My Dell

Optiplex GX520 Desktop running Windosws XP SP3 had a bad CDROM drive which

I replaced with

a dusted off Sony CD-RW/DVD-ROM. This is what happens when I played with

the

master/slave/cable-select jumper pin.



1. When master pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom,

windows doesn’t boot to

desktop



2. When slave pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, windows

boots to desktop and

detects correct name of cdrom



3. When cable-select pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of cdrom,

windows doesn’t boot to

desktop



4. When no pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown, window

boots to desktop and

detects correct name of cdrom.



The model of the cdrom is Sony CD-RW CRX320EE.





This is an ol platform. What is the system's BIOS version ?


Yes the system is pretty old. Bought in an offfice auction. :-)
BIOS vendor: Dell
version: A07
firmwa 108.108
date: 03/31/2006

I searched the net for an image of the board but could not find one.

The BIOS is at A11.

Since it is the BIOS that interacts witrh the hardware connecting to the motherboard and
the OS, I suggest going to http://support.dell.com
and obtaining the BIOS A11 for the Optiplex GX520.

--
Dave
Multi-AV Scanning Tool - http://multi-av.thespykiller.co.uk
http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp

In message , philoÂ*
writes:
On 06/09/2013 04:39 PM, kev833 wrote:
I discovered an interesting problem. Maybe someone can help me figure
it out. My Dell Optiplex GX520 Desktop running Windosws XP SP3 had a
bad CDROM drive which I replaced with a dusted off Sony CD-RW/DVD-ROM.
This is what happens when I played with the master/slave/cable-select
jumper pin.

1. When master pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of
cdrom, windows doesn’t boot to desktop

2. When slave pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown,
windows boots to desktop and detects correct name of cdrom

3. When cable-select pin is jumpered: bios detects correct name of
cdrom, windows doesn’t boot to desktop

4. When no pin is jumpered: bios detects cdrom name as unknown,
window boots to desktop and detects correct name of cdrom.

The model of the cdrom is Sony CD-RW CRX320EE.




If the OS recognized the drive OK, I would not worry about how the bios
sees it. The bios really only has to properly recognize the boot drive
as the OS does not require a BIOS call for auxiliary drives.

Until the OS won't boot one day and you have to use a recovery CD (-:.
But the OP knows what link to change (though it may be worth checking
that it will actually boot from a CD, not just "recognise the drive").
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

The summit of Everest is marine limestone.

[snip]

Update. This seems to be a Windows XP SP3 problem after all. Though I haven't been able to pin point what area this problem exist in Windows. I confirmed it this way. I placed the jumper on the master pins of the CDROM drive. The proper cable connections were already made. Boot to BIOS to make sure the BIOS detected the drive. Then I booted the PC from a Fedora Linux USB stick. Confirmed that the CDROM was detected by the Linux XFCE desktop and even played some DVDs. But from Windows, the PC freezes while it is trying to load the desktop. So it's not the drive, the controller, the BIOS, the jumper, or the cable. Windows won't even boot to safe mode.

From: "kev833"

[snip]

Update. This seems to be a Windows XP SP3 problem after all. Though I
haven't been able to
pin point what area this problem exist in Windows. I confirmed it this
way. I placed the
jumper on the master pins of the CDROM drive. The proper cable connections
were already
made. Boot to BIOS to make sure the BIOS detected the drive. Then I booted
the PC from a
Fedora Linux USB stick. Confirmed that the CDROM was detected by the Linux
XFCE desktop
and even played some DVDs. But from Windows, the PC freezes while it is
trying to load the
desktop. So it's not the drive, the controller, the BIOS, the jumper, or
the cable.
Windows won't even boot to safe mode.

No matter what, I still suggest upgrading the BIOS to A11 especially since
there are fixes dealing with CD/DVD drives.

--
Dave
Multi-AV Scanning Tool - http://multi-av.thespykiller.co.uk
http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp

On Monday, June 10, 2013 11:58:14 AM UTC-4, David H. Lipman wrote:
From: "kev833"



[snip]



Update. This seems to be a Windows XP SP3 problem after all. Though I

haven't been able to

pin point what area this problem exist in Windows. I confirmed it this

way. I placed the

jumper on the master pins of the CDROM drive. The proper cable connections

were already

made. Boot to BIOS to make sure the BIOS detected the drive. Then I booted

the PC from a

Fedora Linux USB stick. Confirmed that the CDROM was detected by the Linux

XFCE desktop

and even played some DVDs. But from Windows, the PC freezes while it is

trying to load the

desktop. So it's not the drive, the controller, the BIOS, the jumper, or

the cable.

Windows won't even boot to safe mode.



No matter what, I still suggest upgrading the BIOS to A11 especially since

there are fixes dealing with CD/DVD drives.



--

Dave

Multi-AV Scanning Tool - http://multi-av.thespykiller.co.uk

http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp


Hmmm, I'll consider it. Thanks.

In message , philo*
writes:
[]
I've also gotten in a lot of Dells with bad caps.
Once I see that I scrap out the machine.

As opposed to scrapping it in?
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

One death from beef on the bone might be expected every 20 years at the current
rate, but 40,000 people will die falling downstairs in that time. Should we make
bungalows compulsory? ("Equinox" on Risk, April 1999, paraphrased by Polly
Toynbee in Radio Times)