Tired to install a new CD/RW

[drdingo21]

Originally posted by GeneralDzur
Isn't this in the Geek thing forum? Fortunatly I am a geek.

You need to make sure that you:

1) Go into the BIOS when your computer comes on
2) Designate the new drive as the secondary Master or secondary Slave, if you haven't already done so.
3) What version of Windows are you using?

- Dzur

You can't do this unless it is set to cable select.



pbateson,

The way it works in a computer is really simple, so rather than just tell you how to fix it, ill explain the way it works.

There are 2 channels on the motherboard (where the ribbon plugs into) you can add upto 2 devices on each channel.
There is the secondary channel and a primary channel. The primary channel is where the boot device sits (the hard drive) and its set to Master. The mother board goes to the master device to boot. You can stick any other device anywhere else on any of the cables, just as long as you follow the scheme. Master first, slave second.

Now if you fill up all the slots on the IDE cable (the ribbon), every device will work just as long as you have it set for master and slave. The motherboard will label the master device on the primary controller as the primary master, and the second device on the primary controller as primary slave.
When you fill up the devices on the second controller the mother board will label them as secondary master, and secondary slave.

Now for your problem. What do you mean by had two IDE connectors? Did you actually add a ribbon? Or do you have one ribbon in the computer? If the new CDRW is plugged into a cable that is also plugged into another device, then you have to set the CDRW opposite of what the other drive is. For example if the other drive is master, then make the CDRW slave.