[Flapperkewiet]

Hi there,
I recently built in a Plextor PX-860A DVD writer (IDE) next to a LG DVD writer (SATA). The LG kept on working as before, but the Plextor only accepts CD's... as soon as I enter a writable disc in the Plextor , my Vista SP2 PC starts a never-ending process (trying to detect what type of disc was entered ? I don't know). When in this loop, I can't even launch the Taskmanager to stop the program/process. This never ending loop blocks Windows Explorer, Nero,.. all HD./CD/DVD depending programs. I can however start f.i. a web-browser. But shutting down my PC in a descent why via the Start button is no longer possible. Only switching of the power off via the power switch is possible.
Mounting a friends PS-860A in my PC shows the same behavior.
Anybody any ideas what I'm doing wrong ? Is it allowed to operate a DVD writer via SATA and IDE simultaneously ?
Flapperke

[Alex Ethridge]

Yes, you can use SATA and PATA (IDE) in the same system and they will work fine provided the PATA device in jumpered properly.

I assume the same CDs will work in the SATA drive and not in the PATA drive. Is that correct?

[Compiler]

If the Plextor is jumper-ed correctly and you still have this problem, pull it.

SATA is still IDE. But we still refer to IDE as PATA too

We don't know the rest of your computer, but intel mobos for the past few years don't natively support PATA. Its an ADD-ON chip. Since almost all IDE drives are now SATA, there is less focus on PATA. The drive itself may also have problems.

I have an odd-ball problem with Win7 and a PATA DVD drive. if a disc is inside, it won't boot or shutdown... something odd (I don't remember, I pulled the drive a long time ago)

[Flapperkewiet]

Hi Compiler,
Thanks for the reply.
Since Plextor promptly delivered a new unit , I don't think there something wrong with the drive itselve (or they have a epidmic failure at hand :-) .
But like you wrote , if there is a disc in the Plextor , booting or shutting down is not possible (tried with both units). It's like if the BIOS is stuck somewhere in an endless loop with the DVD Device. Since even the reset button -> Taskmanager is no longer working. ...
The PC I'm using is an (Aldi) Medion MD8833.
With Vista SP2.

[Compiler]

I doubt its the Plextor.

[Alex Ethridge]

Plextor is supposed to be a better-than-average product; but, my experience with Plextor has been consistently bad. All three I've owned have failed in warranty and again just out of warranty. I don't have that kind of trouble with other brands.

Just my experience. So don't dismiss the possibility of a bad drive.

[Compiler]

Agreed... about Plextor. You've got bad luck on them I think. I've done pretty good with todays $30~60 drives for the past 5 years. Like SONY, Pioneer, Samsung and LG. For $25~30... and light usage thanks to Flash Drive keys, these drives should last 5+ years.