200N DVD not seen

[Hugh Jass]

OK so all of a sudden the DVD RW can't be read by Windows

It used to work intermittantly (that's how I managed to load OS and some games)

DVD RW = dual
CDRW = Adaptec

no cd's will even 'spin-up' when slotted into the drive anymore

have tried another device (cd-rw) but also no joy (just a clicking noise) - both devices work fine in my other tower system BTW

On boot - it sees it as the secondary master

have fed a power supply to it from my other pc (450 watt) and no difference so not a PSU issue

have taken out the graphics card so using system resources - no change

have tried setting the bios so the system boots from cdrom but doesn't see my XP disk as a system disk?

Have tried different IDE settings in the bios

Have tried other cables

have reset to optimised settings in bios

have cleared cmos (move jumper over 5 seconds etc.)

both cd's definitely set to master jumper settings

have tried uninstalling the nforce IDE driver (on mobo CD) so using simple Microsoft one but no change

I don't have a floppy to update bios (my current one is 1125)

any help apreciated as can't play games or load/copy anything ATM

[Hugh Jass]

200N DVD not seen

[SFFtinkerer]

Hi - I am having same problem with an ideq200NB.  I am using an NEC ND-2500A DVD RW ODD.  Works in my ideq210V, but not in the 200NB.  NEC ND-2510 and ND-3500 drives both work in 200NB.

I have installed at least three levels of BIOS, reset the CMOS (which let the machine SEE the drive, and sometimes Explorer will show the files on it, but trying to read the files hangs the machine - yes, I'm serious), disabled it the drive in Device Manager, uninstalled it in DM, used the IDE drivers from the 200N distribution CD, upgraded to the newest ones on the Biostar-USA website, went back to the distribution CD, and replaced the IDE cable.  Most of the time now the drive spins up when a disk is inserted, but the whole machine remains hung until I eject the disk.

The other drives always work in the 200NB.  The 2500A works plugged into the 200NB's HDD IDE cable (I am using a SATA drive so that cable is free).  To get this machine back to my buddy I am thinking of either leaving the HDD IDE cable attached to the ODD, or upgrading his drive for him and using the 2500A in one of my own machines.

Any other ideas out there?  I was happy (torn about that, but I must admit it's nice to not be the only one having this issue) to hear someone else having the same problem.  Sorry for the both of us, though.

Thanks for any help that might be offered.

[Hugh Jass]

Resolved it yesterday - bought a philips CDRW for £20 ($40) out of desperation (silver fronted caddy/loader so matches the Ideq and it works - I didn't want to pay out for a new DVDRW - too much of a risk for me.

The only thing I didn't try with the old drives in hindsight was to try cleaning the lasers inside the units.

Strange though as the DVDRW worked fine when my Ideq was new - Good thing I got HL2 loaded first as that game came on a DVD..

Good luck - wish I had a repair solution to offer you

[rrussell]

Check out NEC's website. Maybe you can RMA it and get a new drive.

Unrelated hardware-wise, I went through two Plextor drives in a year. They just kept crapping out on me.  But I was able to download a diagnostic that pinpointed the drive as having failed, so I didn't have to troubleshoot, I just got a new one.

[SFFtinkerer]

Thanks - I'd follow that route, but I feel bad doing that since the drive works fine in two other computers, so there's really nothing wrong with the drive.  I want to save my goodwill with the manufacturer for when something's really wrong with their gear.

I have seen some bizarre behavior with the ideq, and so have other people.  I wanted to resolve it just so I knew what caused it, but I'm coming to the conclusion that I'm going to have to keep that drive away from that computer.

[ChrisDay956]

SFFtinkerer, here's some things to check:
- Uninstall nVidia SW IDE driver and use Microsoft's default driver
- Or, if you keep the drivers installed try forcing a lower transfer speed (e.g. Multi-Word DMA)

Whatever you do, don't use the drivers on the original disc as early SW IDE drivers had issues with APIC enabled.  Similarly, do not use nVidia UDA 5.10 as it may have a hang-on-boot problem.  Try UDA 4.27 from nVidia's archives.

[SFFtinkerer]

ChrisDay956 - thanks a lot for your suggestion.  It did get my drive to work.  It also made everything take twice as long, but you definitely pointed me in the right direction.  I was away from that system for a while, but I'm playing with it again.

I noted that when installing the new IDE drivers from Biostar, whether they're from the website or the distribution CD, I get asked whether to replace certain existing files with older files.  I've been saying yes.  Since I now know how to go back and forth thanks to your suggestion, I am going to try keeping the 'older' files there instead of the new ones.

It baffles me that obviously a number of people are having issues with these drivers, and Biostar hasn't gotten reliably-working versions out since 2003.  Is Biostar paying any attention?  It's making me look for another motherboard for my next system.

[rotorwash]

ChrisDay956, what is this hang on boot problem? I downloaded and installed the Biostar 5.10 drivers, have a 2500A DVDRW, and do not have any the problems I've read others having here on their 200N. I am just curious... maybe you can point me to other posts.