Missing DVD-RW Drive (E:)

Hi Edna

glad to be of help! The solution offered by Peter Foldes requires some
confidence into going into the registry and fixing the issue there. My
solution is the easiest and quickest - it forces XP to recognise the drive
again.

My DVD rewriter has a 40 (39effective pins) male IDE connector panel
situated roughly in the middle. Next door to it is the power connection (4
pins) to which a white female socket with black/red/yelow wires attached
must be connected to. There should be 2 separate cables that attach to the
back of your DVD writer.

You need to follow my instructions in regard to shutting down the PC cos if
you try and 'hot plug' the device, this can cause system corruption and
force the PC to shutdown and makes it do a CHKDSK- I know from bitter
experience trying to shortcut the process.!



"Edna" wrote in message
...

Kandinsky63, Your instructions were superb! I didn't follow them exactly
inasmuch as I didn't Shut Down and Booted up between unplugging and
replugging. Not a decision just that I carelessly forgot to do so. I was
mad at myself while waiting to get into Windows thinking the purpose for
doing so was to get the "Add New Hardware" window.

You said there should be a Power AND IDE connection. There's only ONE
plug
visible w a Red and a Yellow cable with four holes. I checked carefully
but
likely due to an inferior flashlight, I failed to see a Power connection.
This Drive sits at the top of the box so it could come from the Drive
underneath and into the bottom?? Hmm NOW thinking - I bet that one plug
with two cables is both IDE and Power. Pls confirm.

Ronaldo, Thx to u, I successfully used a super small screwdriver to loosen
the snick of a seal that appeared to have formed. The Slider then worked.
Re the Add New Hardware feature. Mine does list the DVD Drives but as it
was
a surprise to me to discover tonight there was such a program, I hadn't
tried
it. Great find! LOL Thx for this!

Anna, Yes the Drive used to show up and I know it was functional when I
purchased it. You asked: "What happens when you activate the power button
on
the optical drive? It opens and closes the drawer without any problem?"
Anna, I panicked when I discovered it didn't open and close. Unbelievable
I
had failed to try it prior to Posting. Anna your Post was Excellent. Thx
so
much for your effort. This part Ann I have no clue how to: "And check
the
jumper setting on the drive to ensure it's properly jumpered." I'll Google
this and find out. Must be correct though as it's working now. I
purchased
all the components myself (not my orginal intention) and had a Shop
assemble
it for me. Following all my software/backups installations the C Drive
"Fell" out of the casing. I'll not rely on anyone other than Dell in the
future.

What I did: I powered off, disconnected the one plug, plugged it in
again,
stood back and admired my work, Powered on expecting to see the 'Add New
Hardware Window" but it didn't appear. Disillusioned I opened WExpl. To
my
utter amazement there was my missing DVD Drive (E and it's visible in
Device Mgr and in Tweakui Drives void of a red question mark. I tried a
CD
and found it perfectly functional! T'was the first time the Computer
Gods
smiled down on this hopeless Tech Wretch! To others this seems a simple
procedure. To me it was a traumatic experience but ... now that I've
actually had my hands in there, I won't be so reluctant to try again.

Thx to ALL that contributed. Your response is truly appreciated. I don't
know what I would have done - called a Tech I guess at a cost of likely
$100.
Either that or just leave it inoperative. I no longer recall the purpose
I
thought was important to have two DVD Drives. ... Edna
PS What is the correct way to post a Reply? At the top or at the
bottom
of the Post you are responding to? I see both procedures used. I think I
prefer at the top therefore making it unnecessary to scroll to the bottom
of
numerous Posts.

"Ronaldo" wrote:

What can I say?... i'm only human... I should have read slower and not
miss
a word, but saw she mentioned the device "question mark" so immediately
assumed it was in the Device Manager...


-----------------------------------------
"Walt Thatcher" wrote in message
news
"Ronaldo" wrote:

Read ALL the messages and check the TIME for each one...

Umm... looks as if you needed to have read all of THE message that you
replied to (the OP's message).

-----------------------------------
"Hank J." wrote in message
. ..
On Sat, 6 Dec 2008 10:56:00 -0800, "Ronaldo"
wrote:

Right click on My PC\Manage\Device Manager\rignt click on the CD/DVD
Drive,

The one THAT DOESN'T SHOW ANYWHERE??


and select "Uninstall", next right click on the computer name (on top
of
the
devices list) and click on Search for New Hardware... waith for the
system
message that the Drive has been installed.


----------------------------------------
"Edna" escribió en el mensaje
...
One of two NEC DVD-RW Drives (E & F) the (E No Longer shows up in
WExplorer
or Device Mgr.

In Tweakui, My Computer, Drives, it's checked but has a Red
Question
Mark.

In Computer Mgmt\Storage\Libraries - and -
under Disk Mgmt - Only one NEC DVD_RW appears.

In Event Viewer\System - Very few errors and none of importance.

I doubt I've ever used it so I'm not aware how long it's been
missing.
Other than installing a Toshiba External HD (G a cpl months ago
nothing
has changed not even new software. I tried Kelli's Registry entry
but
that
was unsuccessful.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.