XP won't boot if DVDR is connected

[moothemagiccow]

I got a new motherboard and spent the last few days putting it
together, reinstalling windows, getting my two hard drives to work
properly (which took a long time), and reinstalling many programs. The
Lite-On DVDRW drive I have was working fine, but that was before I
tried to burn anything with it. I loaded up ImgBurn to burn an ISO
image, and it froze. I rebooted again, and it froze. I tried to look at
the properties in Device manager, and it froze. I don't remember what I
did first, but I got into it in device manager successfully,
uninstalled it with the intention of reinstalling it, and when I
restarted the computer, windows froze on the black screen just before
the Welcome screen. Now Windows won't load unless the DVDRW is
disconnected (even safe mode).

It is running alone on a Promise IDE controlling PCI card, and I've
tried every jumper setting since it stopped recognizing it (I don't
know what it was set on first, slave I think). I tried deleting the
hidden instances of it in device manager, but that hasn't made a
difference.

My CD drive, which wasn't connected before, is working fine (on the
other IDE slot of the same card). I went into CMOS but I had no idea
what I was doing (so I didnt change anything), and I didnt see anything
related to the DVD drive. It is still detected on the startup screen
with the other CD drive, I just can't get into windows. If the drive is
disconnected, everything else runs fine.

Any idea what the problem is, or how to fix it?

Thanks.

PS I do not suspect anything wrong with the drive itself. It is only
two months old, and it is plug and play - it took me a minute to
install in my previous setup. I mounted it, plugged it in and windows
detected it and installed it immediately.

 

[Guest]

Usually one sets the jumper pin on a IDE device to the 2 IDE connections
on the cable (1 device or 2),if only one is connected then set as master.As
far as booting,chk the BIOS & set the hd as 1st boot priority.You can/could
also move the dvdr to another IDE connection,set as slave or master
accordingly.
Also,just about 99% of liteonit hardware needs thier firmware update,go to
liteonit web site & locate the download for youre device.

 

[moothemagiccow]

Set it to master and there's no difference, only that it comes up
earlier in the controller card's list. I swapped the IDE cable with the
CD drive and no difference. I've been juggling connections all day and
there's no difference, and the card picks it up on the Dos-like startup
screen, so I figure it's got to be a windows problem. I upgraded the
firmware when it wouldn't write, back when it loaded up in windows. I
still have the upgrade program, but it won't do anything if the drive's
not connected. I did a system restore earlier today to Friday and it
still wouldn't boot up windows if the drive was connected.
Thanks.

 

[Anna]

I got a new motherboard and spent the last few days putting it
together, reinstalling windows, getting my two hard drives to work
properly (which took a long time), and reinstalling many programs. The
Lite-On DVDRW drive I have was working fine, but that was before I
tried to burn anything with it. I loaded up ImgBurn to burn an ISO
image, and it froze. I rebooted again, and it froze. I tried to look at
the properties in Device manager, and it froze. I don't remember what I
did first, but I got into it in device manager successfully,
uninstalled it with the intention of reinstalling it, and when I
restarted the computer, windows froze on the black screen just before
the Welcome screen. Now Windows won't load unless the DVDRW is
disconnected (even safe mode).

It is running alone on a Promise IDE controlling PCI card, and I've
tried every jumper setting since it stopped recognizing it (I don't
know what it was set on first, slave I think). I tried deleting the
hidden instances of it in device manager, but that hasn't made a
difference.

My CD drive, which wasn't connected before, is working fine (on the
other IDE slot of the same card). I went into CMOS but I had no idea
what I was doing (so I didnt change anything), and I didnt see anything
related to the DVD drive. It is still detected on the startup screen
with the other CD drive, I just can't get into windows. If the drive is
disconnected, everything else runs fine.

Any idea what the problem is, or how to fix it?

Thanks.

PS I do not suspect anything wrong with the drive itself. It is only
two months old, and it is plug and play - it took me a minute to
install in my previous setup. I mounted it, plugged it in and windows
detected it and installed it immediately.

moothemagiccow:
Just so we have a clear picture of your problem and system configuration...

First of all, we're assuming in all this that you have properly installed
and configured all your devices. All connections are secure; jumper settings
are what they should be, etc. etc.

1. You stated "The Lite-On DVDRW drive I have was working fine, but that was
before I tried to burn anything with it." How could it be working "fine" if
you hadn't tried burning a CD/DVD?

2. If I understand your present system, you have two HDDs and two optical
drives, right? You indicate the Lite-On drive is connected to a IDE
controller card. Is there some particular reason you're connecting that
device to a controller card rather than an available IDE channel on the
motherboard? Have you tried connecting it either as a Slave on the Primary
IDE channel or anywhere on the secondary IDE channel? Do you run into the
same problem with the device when you do?

3. Is there any possibility of installing the Lite-On on another computer to
see if you run into the same problem?

4. You also indicated that after you installed your new motherboard, you
apparently had a problem "getting my two hard drives to work properly (which
took a long time)...". Might whatever problem you experienced in that regard
have any possible connection with your present problem?

5. The fact that your Lite-On optical drive is only two months old is of no
significance in concluding that a device that new would not be defective.
Maybe it is and maybe it isn't. And the fact that it's "plug and play" is
really irrelevant.

6. The fact that the system will not boot when the Lite-On is connected
would not be particularly surprising should that drive be defective. Many
motherboards will balk at a normal boot when a defective device (HDD or
optical drive) is connected in the system.

All things considered, it really would be best if you could temporarily
install the Lite-On in another PC. Should it not work there, that would be
definitive evidence that you're dealing with a defective device and
consequently RMA time.
Anna

 

[moothemagiccow]

moothemagiccow:

Just so we have a clear picture of your problem and system configuration...

First of all, we're assuming in all this that you have properly installed
and configured all your devices. All connections are secure; jumper settings
are what they should be, etc. etc.

1. You stated "The Lite-On DVDRW drive I have was working fine, but that was
before I tried to burn anything with it." How could it be working "fine" if
you hadn't tried burning a CD/DVD?

It could read discs, and it loaded on bootup without complaint error.
Once I realized it couldn't write, tried to repair it, and now it does
neither. I did not have DVDR discs before, or CDRs, so I couldnt find
out that the writing capabilities weren't working.

2. If I understand your present system, you have two HDDs and two optical
drives, right? You indicate the Lite-On drive is connected to a IDE
controller card. Is there some particular reason you're connecting that
device to a controller card rather than an available IDE channel on the
motherboard? Have you tried connecting it either as a Slave on the Primary
IDE channel or anywhere on the secondary IDE channel? Do you run into the
same problem with the device when you do?

You have the setup right. 2 hdds and two optical drives.

There is one available IDE slot on the mobo. It's taken up by the two
HDDs. I've tried it as a slave on the main IDE, with the master being
the boot HDD (C, and windows still won't load. I've put it in every
possibility you've mentioned, changed cables and power cables and the
problem persists.

3. Is there any possibility of installing the Lite-On on another computer to
see if you run into the same problem?

I don't have another desktop, so no. The only other computers available
to me now are laptops, and I dont have a clue how to hook up an IDE
device to one, and I won't try.

4. You also indicated that after you installed your new motherboard, you
apparently had a problem "getting my two hard drives to work properly (which
took a long time)...". Might whatever problem you experienced in that regard
have any possible connection with your present problem?

It certainly might, but I have no idea what caused it or how I really
fixed it. I have two hard drives, a 30gb with the OS on it, and a
200gb. When I first installed Windows, it recognized the 200gb as a
133gb, and would not open one of the 63gb partitions. The PCI
controller card came with the 200gb HDD, though it did not cooperate
with it. I messed around with the setup until I got it in the
configuration it is now. The motherboard IDE goes to the two HDDs, and
the PCI card has two IDE slots, one for the DVD and one for the CD.
I've switched them around, traded cables, etc, hosted them on the same
IDE as master/slave, but it won't function.

5. The fact that your Lite-On optical drive is only two months old is of no
significance in concluding that a device that new would not be defective.
Maybe it is and maybe it isn't. And the fact that it's "plug and play" is
really irrelevant.

It worked flawlessly before the new motherboard was installed and I
have no concrete reason to think it has been physically damaged. Before
the switch, I used it many times with minimal errors. It was not moved;
the IDE and power plugs were replaced in its mounted position, and
there is no evidence of damage. It appears to basically function - it
lights up, and the drive can be opened and closed.

6. The fact that the system will not boot when the Lite-On is connected
would not be particularly surprising should that drive be defective. Many
motherboards will balk at a normal boot when a defective device (HDD or
optical drive) is connected in the system.

Thanks. I had no idea about this. I can rule out the motherboard, at
least. I don't know about the PCI controller card, since the CD drive
works, but the HDDs don't.

All things considered, it really would be best if you could temporarily
install the Lite-On in another PC. Should it not work there, that would be
definitive evidence that you're dealing with a defective device and
consequently RMA time.
Anna

Thanks for your help.

 

[Anna]

It could read discs, and it loaded on bootup without complaint error.
Once I realized it couldn't write, tried to repair it, and now it does
neither. I did not have DVDR discs before, or CDRs, so I couldnt find
out that the writing capabilities weren't working.

You have the setup right. 2 hdds and two optical drives.

There is one available IDE slot on the mobo. It's taken up by the two
HDDs. I've tried it as a slave on the main IDE, with the master being
the boot HDD (C, and windows still won't load. I've put it in every
possibility you've mentioned, changed cables and power cables and the
problem persists.


I don't have another desktop, so no. The only other computers available
to me now are laptops, and I dont have a clue how to hook up an IDE
device to one, and I won't try.

It certainly might, but I have no idea what caused it or how I really
fixed it. I have two hard drives, a 30gb with the OS on it, and a
200gb. When I first installed Windows, it recognized the 200gb as a
133gb, and would not open one of the 63gb partitions. The PCI
controller card came with the 200gb HDD, though it did not cooperate
with it. I messed around with the setup until I got it in the
configuration it is now. The motherboard IDE goes to the two HDDs, and
the PCI card has two IDE slots, one for the DVD and one for the CD.
I've switched them around, traded cables, etc, hosted them on the same
IDE as master/slave, but it won't function.

It worked flawlessly before the new motherboard was installed and I
have no concrete reason to think it has been physically damaged. Before
the switch, I used it many times with minimal errors. It was not moved;
the IDE and power plugs were replaced in its mounted position, and
there is no evidence of damage. It appears to basically function - it
lights up, and the drive can be opened and closed.

Thanks. I had no idea about this. I can rule out the motherboard, at
least. I don't know about the PCI controller card, since the CD drive
works, but the HDDs don't.


Thanks for your help.

moothemagiccow:
You mentioned that "Once I realized it (the Lite-On optical drive) couldn't
write, tried to repair it, and now it does neither." How did you try to
"repair" it? Might something have gone awry here? Anyway, what's done is
done.

At this point I really don't know what else to suggest other than installing
the drive in another machine to determine if it is defective. (The fact that
it's apparently mechanically sound as you've reported is not definitive of
course. You could still be dealing with a burned-out laser or some such - a
common occurrence with optical drives).

I realize you don't have another desktop available, and I would *not*
recommend installing the drive in a laptop unless you were very experienced
with this type of operation.

Since you've apparently exhausted all available diagnostics, perhaps your
best bet would be to determine if you can RMA the unit back to Lite-On.

BTW, you mention your motherboard has only a single IDE channel. Is that
because the board is a SATA-connector designed board? Anyway, giving it one
more shot - try connecting the optical drive as Primary Master with your
boot drive connected as Slave. It may not boot, but give it a try.
Anna

 

[anno_triangle]

Well you might wish to try other burning tool such as ISO-burner free
utility. It is extremely easy ot use and relaible ( it never failed me
before) You might wish to give it a chance, that might help
http://www.ntfs.com/iso-burning.htm