Windows XP does not detect optical drive connected to secondary slave IDE

[Rob Irwin]

I'm trying to add a DVD reader to my computer which already has a CD-RW
drive. I connected the DVD to the secondary IDE channel as slave - the CD-RW
is master. I have checked that the jumpers on both drives are set correctly.
Both drives are correctly detected by the BIOS, but Windows does not detect
the drive. Have tried the Add Hardware Wizard, but no luck.

If I swap the DVD and CD-RW around (ie. make DVD master and CD-RW slave) the
DVD is detected by Windows, but not the CD-RW. BIOS detects them correctly.
I've also tried a couple of different IDE cables with no luck.

Any suggestions?

CD-RW drive is an MSI 48A and the DVD is a Pioneer DVD-115. Motherboard is
MSI K7T266Pro2.

 

[Anna]

I'm trying to add a DVD reader to my computer which already has a CD-RW
drive. I connected the DVD to the secondary IDE channel as slave - the
CD-RW
is master. I have checked that the jumpers on both drives are set
correctly.
Both drives are correctly detected by the BIOS, but Windows does not
detect
the drive. Have tried the Add Hardware Wizard, but no luck.

If I swap the DVD and CD-RW around (ie. make DVD master and CD-RW slave)
the
DVD is detected by Windows, but not the CD-RW. BIOS detects them
correctly.
I've also tried a couple of different IDE cables with no luck.

Any suggestions?

CD-RW drive is an MSI 48A and the DVD is a Pioneer DVD-115. Motherboard is
MSI K7T266Pro2.

Rob:
When the device occupying the Slave position is not detected by the OS, what
do you see when you access Disk Management. Is the device listed there, and
if so, can you assign it a drive letter?

If still no go, try setting the two devices in a Cable Select configuration,
ensuring that whatever device is set as Master is connected to the IDE
cable's end connector and the device occupying the Slave position is
connected to the cable's middle connector. Same problem?
Anna

 

[Rob Irwin]

Disk Management doesn't show the second optical drive at all, so can't
assign it a drive letter.

Have tried setting both drives to CS as you suggested, but same result.
Whatever drive is in the secondary master position is detected, but no the
slave.

Rob.

 

[Anna]

Disk Management doesn't show the second optical drive at all, so can't
assign it a drive letter.

Have tried setting both drives to CS as you suggested, but same result.
Whatever drive is in the secondary master position is detected, but no the
slave.

Rob.

Rob:
And you say you've tried at least one different IDE data cable but with the
same results, right? And you're *absolutely* sure you've properly
connected/jumpered the problem drive, right?

As a temporary workaround, can you connect the non-detected optical drive as
a Slave on the Primary IDE channel, or is that connector occupied? In the
event you *do* have a secondary HD connected as PS, try installing that
device at the SS position and see if the same non-recognition problem also
occurs. Also, try connecting your boot drive (I assume it's connected as PM)
at the SS position. What happens then?

I honestly can't think of a solution to your problem or why it's happening
in the first place. Of course we've encountered many times a motherboard's
defective IDE channel, but I can't recall a single instance where the
problem arose only as a consequence of the device being connected at the
Slave position, *assuming* the device and its IDE data cable was
non-defective and it was properly connected & configured, as it appears to
be based upon your description.

Review your motherboard's user manual to see if there's anything in the BIOS
settings that might shed some light on this problem. Also, access MSI's site
to see if there's any info there re this problem.

I'll give this some further thought and let you know if I come up with
anything. And perhaps others may have a possible solution to your problem.
Anna

 

[Rob Irwin]

Thanks Anna,

It's got me stumped as well. I've tried connecting one of the drives on the
PS but same result. BIOS knows it's there and reports the correct model, but
it doesn't show up in Windows. Each drive is working fine when connected to
the SM, but the second drive connected to the slave does not show up. I've
checked the bios. The only setting I can see that is relevent is having On
Board IDE Controller set to Both, which it is. Like I said, the bios seems
to detect both drives fine.

My only other thought is to use device manager to delete the secondary IDE
channel controller and have Windows redetect it, but I'm not sure if that's
a good idea or not.

Rob.

 

[Anna]

Disk Management doesn't show the second optical drive at all, so can't
assign it a drive letter.

Have tried setting both drives to CS as you suggested, but same result.
Whatever drive is in the secondary master position is detected, but no the
slave.

Rob.

Anna writes...
Rob:
And you say you've tried at least one different IDE data cable but with the
same results, right? And you're *absolutely* sure you've properly
connected/jumpered the problem drive, right?

As a temporary workaround, can you connect the non-detected optical drive as
a Slave on the Primary IDE channel, or is that connector occupied? In the
event you *do* have a secondary HD connected as PS, try installing that
device at the SS position and see if the same non-recognition problem also
occurs. Also, try connecting your boot drive (I assume it's connected as PM)
at the SS position. What happens then?

I honestly can't think of a solution to your problem or why it's happening
in the first place. Of course we've encountered many times a motherboard's
defective IDE channel, but I can't recall a single instance where the
problem arose only as a consequence of the device being connected at the
Slave position, *assuming* the device and its IDE data cable was
non-defective and it was properly connected & configured, as it appears to
be based upon your description.

Review your motherboard's user manual to see if there's anything in the BIOS
settings that might shed some light on this problem. Also, access MSI's site
to see if there's any info there re this problem.

I'll give this some further thought and let you know if I come up with
anything. And perhaps others may have a possible solution to your problem.
Anna


Rob replies...
Thanks Anna,

It's got me stumped as well. I've tried connecting one of the drives on the
PS but same result. BIOS knows it's there and reports the correct model, but
it doesn't show up in Windows. Each drive is working fine when connected to
the SM, but the second drive connected to the slave does not show up. I've
checked the bios. The only setting I can see that is relevent is having On
Board IDE Controller set to Both, which it is. Like I said, the bios seems
to detect both drives fine.

My only other thought is to use device manager to delete the secondary IDE
channel controller and have Windows redetect it, but I'm not sure if that's
a good idea or not.
Rob.


Rob:
So you're saying that if either one of your optical drives is connected as
Primary Slave it will *not* be detected by the OS? So that the problem goes
beyond the one you raised with respect to the Secondary IDE channel. Is that
correct? In effect, *any* device that's connected as a Slave, whether on the
Primary *or* Secondary IDE channel will not be detected by the OS. Is that
the situation?

So if you connect your boot HD as Primary Slave, the system will not boot?

Yes, using Device Manager, you could uninstall the controllers for the
Secondary IDE channel and reboot. But if I understand you correctly you're
having the *same* problem with the Primary IDE channel, aren't you?
Anna