Problems and temporary freezing using CD/DVD-RW drive

[daveUK19]

Hi TSG,

I've been having problems with my computer and CD/DVD-RW drive. When I start up my computer sometimes it doesn't get past the BIOS screen and asks me to reboot or insert a startup disc. Other times it doesn't seem to be able to detect the CD/DVD-RW drive. I think that when I push the CD drive in it tends to detect it. Also, if I leave the computer on for a while it sometimes seems to forget that it has a CD/DVD drive and when I try and access it via a shortcut, I get a box telling me that the target of the shortcut no longer exists. It can also take a long time (upto a minute or a little longer!) to read a CD/DVD. This gets really, really annoying! Sometimes, if I put a different CD or DVD in the drive and open it, it seems to think that the CD or DVD in the drive is the one that I just took out. Weird and definitely annoying as I have to restart to get the computer to read the newly inserted CD/DVD.

I have a laptop (made by Tiny) wih 3.4GHZ P4, 1024 Mb RAM, 80GB HDD (see below), CD-DVD-RW (made by Quanta, I think- see below), 128MB ATI 9700 Mobility Radeon and I'm running Windows XP SP2 Home edition. I use Sophos anti-virus and Spybot S&D and I've updated both and also I've got the latest windows updates. I use an HP printer and have an MSIPVS VOX TV-tuner.

CD-DVD/RW drive (as listed in device manager): QSI DVDRW SDW-042
HDD (as listed in device manager): TOSHIBA MK8025GAS

I'd really appreciate any help and suggestions about what to do. Many thanks ,
Dave

 

[kiwiguy]

If it was a desktop, it would have all the hallmarks of a faulty IDE bus or IDE cable, or a connection problem on the IDE. The stratup disk request suggests that the HDD cannot be found at times. Just like the CD-RW.

As a laptop, it's not that easy to look at though, presumably the IDE connections are still similar, just not accessible.

It sounds more like an IDE problem as it affects both devices (HDD and CD). It could be an embedded problem on the motherboard, which would be a bit serious.

Unless you have microsurgery skills I would suggest a service call may be needed.

 

[daveUK19]

I've been turning my computer on to see exactly what happens.
1. If I turn it on with the CD-DVD drive in, then the computer doesn't recognise it or the HDD and asks for a reboot or startup disk to be inserted.
2. If I take the CD-DVD drive out and start the computer up then everything's ok (apart from the fact that the CD-DVD drive isn't in, so I can't use it)
3. If I have the CD-DVD drive in and when I startup I push the drive in (basically applying a bit of pressure to the outside of the drive, which is already inserted) then the computer recognises both the CD-DVD drive and the HDD. I can then stop applying pressure (as soon as the CD-DVD drive is recognised) and everything's ok.
Strangely, if I apply the pressure before I've pushed the 'on' button and take the pressure off before I press the on' button, it can't find the CD-DVD or hard disk (like in point 1, above).
Also, sometimes it seems to forget that it has a CD-DVD drive.
I was wondering if this helps as it seems to me that there could be a faulty connection between the CD-DVD drive and the rest of the computer (but if that was the case, why would the computer not recognise the CD-DVD drive when I apply pressure just before turning on, when it is possible to use the CD-DVD drive if pressure is applied when I turn the computer on, and it carrys on working even when I take the pressure off (like in point 3)?)
Do you still think it's an IDE problem or something else? Thanks for your help! Dave