How can one tell if a ribbon cable is burned out?Could this cause my cd-rom to not light or read data?
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How can one tell if a ribbon cable is burned out?Could this cause my cd-rom to not light or read data?
If the CD is on a different cable you could try putting it on the same one as thr hard drive, although you will need to set the jumpers on the CD to slave.
Alternatively try a new cable !
Thanks very much for responding I am assuming that if it is already a slave then the cable is intact.Quote:
Originally posted by shiela:
How can one tell if a ribbon cable is burned out?Could this cause my cd-rom to not light or read data?
Hello, Shiela,
I hope I can help you with some guidelines. In your post you said that the CDROM light is off and it does not read data.Did you recently inatall any program or hardware ? If so unnistall it. Please, make sure that it is recognized by the BIOS, so check the setup program and make sure that it shows the CD there. Also make sure it shows under device manager (if you are using Windows) and there is not a conflict or missing drivers ( a yellow or red mark ). If the CD is installed correctly on the software side, them it is time to check if it is receiving power from the power supply.
At the back of the CDROM there is a ribbon cable, usually used for data, a power connector and a sound card wire. Please understand that if you are not so confortable to work inside the case, do not do it, there is a big chance of damage to the internal parts and to you in there. Please use an electrostatic protection kit and unplug the Pc from the receptcle, then open the case. at the back of the CDROM you will find those cables, make sure that they are tightly conected ( do not force them into the CDROM to not break the circuit board inside it). If your floppy drive is working, remove its power connector and insert it on the CDROM. Close the case and boot the Pc ( you may receive an error message from the Pc, just ignore it). If now it works, the problem is the power connector from the power supply - inspect it ( look for a burn wire or anything strange ). Please post results and if you need more help.
Mac.
Hello, Shiela,
I hope I can help you with some guidelines. In your post you said that the CDROM light is off and it does not read data.Did you recently install any program or hardware ? If so unnistall it. Please, make sure that The CDROM is recognized by the BIOS, so check the setup program and make sure that it shows the CD there. Also make sure it shows under device manager (if you are using Windows) and there is not a conflict or missing drivers ( a yellow or red mark ). If the CD is installed correctly on the software side, them it is time to check if it is receiving power from the power supply.
At the back of the CDROM there is a ribbon cable, usually used for data, a power connector and a sound card wire. Please understand that if you are not so confortable to work inside the case, do not do it, there is a big chance of damage to the internal parts and to you in there. Please use an electrostatic protection kit and unplug the Pc from the receptcle, then open the case. at the back of the CDROM you will find those cables, make sure that they are tightly conected ( do not force them into the CDROM to not break the circuit board inside it). If your floppy drive is working, remove its power connector and insert it on the CDROM. Close the case and boot the Pc ( you may receive an error message from the Pc, just ignore it). If now it works, the problem is the power connector from the power supply - inspect it ( look for a burn wire or anything strange ). Please post results and if you need more help.
Mac.
Hi
just a tip unrelated to your original query.... I have heard (yet 2B confirmed) that if you put your CD on the secondary IDE channel (with the HDD on the primary channel of course)then the cd can write direct to the HDD and vice versa. According to my info, (again yet 2B confirmed), if the devices are on different channels, the data transfers directly to the device instead of being buffered to RAM then being written to the receiving device when the writing devce releases the IDE channel / bus.
I suppose this suggestion will generate considerable comment
cheers
jeffc
Thanks Joe! The procedural info was very helpful. I am awaiting a 48xIDE from Digital Research. If I can get the current one working, I will install it in the other computer.Quote:
Originally posted by Macmillium Joe:
Hello, Shiela,
I hope I can help you with some guidelines. In your post you said that the CDROM light is off and it does not read data.Did you recently install any program or hardware ? If so unnistall it. Please, make sure that The CDROM is recognized by the BIOS, so check the setup program and make sure that it shows the CD there. Also make sure it shows under device manager (if you are using Windows) and there is not a conflict or missing drivers ( a yellow or red mark ). If the CD is installed correctly on the software side, them it is time to check if it is receiving power from the power supply.
At the back of the CDROM there is a ribbon cable, usually used for data, a power connector and a sound card wire. Please understand that if you are not so confortable to work inside the case, do not do it, there is a big chance of damage to the internal parts and to you in there. Please use an electrostatic protection kit and unplug the Pc from the receptcle, then open the case. at the back of the CDROM you will find those cables, make sure that they are tightly conected ( do not force them into the CDROM to not break the circuit board inside it). If your floppy drive is working, remove its power connector and insert it on the CDROM. Close the case and boot the Pc ( you may receive an error message from the Pc, just ignore it). If now it works, the problem is the power connector from the power supply - inspect it ( look for a burn wire or anything strange ). Please post results and if you need more help.
Mac.
Shiela
Thanks Paul! The cd is already a slave and the hard drive works, but I am going to check the bios next. This site has been very helpful for me. I've had some quirky thing go on with this computer So its been a mystery for most of the time I've hade it.Quote:
Originally posted by paul cunningham:
If the CD is on a different cable you could try putting it on the same one as thr hard drive, although you will need to set the jumpers on the CD to slave.
Alternatively try a new cable !
Shiela:
Your post did not say if this was a new CD.
If it is (or not) try uninstalling the CD's software and reinstalling it (the driver that came with the cd-rom).
If you just installed it does the light come on at all ( check at boot up)? All IDE devices should "light Up" when the computer first starts booting.
Check to see that the cable in attached properly ( I know it sounds dumb but I can not tell you how many computers I work on that have the ribbon cable off by one or two positions (2 or 4 pins not attached ~ device will not communicate)).
Try switching the HD and your CD position on the cable (as long as you are not using cable select). Fixed problem? If Hd not working now replace cable. If hard drive working and CD not~~~~.
The basics were covered (especially the led "light Up" on boot. Then it is possible that the cd-rom is "DOA" (expected life of CD-ROM drive is ~< 2.5 years depending on use-- use of audio or cd intensive games may wear out the drive faster).
Good luck!
Further ???
Just ask
Garfeild_Cat
Thanks all for your help .I will post results when I have completed the steps suggested. My new cdrom hasn't arrived yet [any info on Digital research company?] I am going to a show this weekend to buy cables .
I know I will be back, you're Great!!!!!!!!!