Why Does My CD Drive spin, not access?

yes, well we just got a cable modem installed on to our computer yesterday, and now our cd-rw drive is whacked out, in this case the power light to it is always on, except when the computer is off, and the door to it will not open or close. and for some reason it alwayls seems to sound like it is running, but there is no cd in the drive. and it took the cable company almost 2 hrs to install the software for the cable modem. i even took the tower case off and looked to see if anything had gotten loose or anything but it hadn't. i even hooked up our older cd drive and it worked perfectly. but the thing is, the cd-rw drive is only 8 months old.

This question was answered on December 5, 2002. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

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I can point you in a couple of directions with this problem.

Be sure there isn't a CD stuck in that drive Your manual will indicate how to insert a heavy paper clip into the small opening and release the drawer Be sure the power is off before attempting this.

Call up the company that installed your cable modem This is assuming the problem was there immediately after the technician left They might help you fix the problem over the phone Chances are, it isn't the first time this has happened.

Before even calling, open the device manage on your PC Access it by clicking Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Device Manager tab See if there are any black exclamation point icons, especially next to the screen indications for your modem or your CD drive This would problay indicate a configuration problem If you don't do this, the cable company phone support will probably ask you to, anyway.

Peruse the Microsoft Knowledge Base Article Q133240: Troubleshooting Device Conflicts with Device Manager Do a Google search to find the exact internet address.

Could be a conflict between IRQ or DMA settings involving the two devices If this seems over your head, don't feel bad It's pretty technical

I'd be pretty insistant with that cable company But remember, you may have a hardware problem which just coincidentally presented itself about the time you had the cable modem installed Still, a service call might be in order Remember, they have you under contract for about 40 dollars a month You deserve good service.

Your profile mentions a CD drive and a CD-RW, both Is the master/slave relationship intact? Consult your manuals Better yet, remove the CDROM and use your hard drive to copy files Hard drive full? Could be upgrade time.

Be sure the CD-RW drive cable connector did not somehow become loose, miskeyed, or reversed There is a red wire or a small mark indicating pin 1, and both ends need to be properly inserted This can happen on older drives with cables that are not "keyed"

If the CD-RW drive is only 8 months old, it may still be under warranty The manufacturer will insist you test the drive with the software they shipped with it Do not install more than one CD-RW software package at a time, as these programs can exhibit incompatibility problems.

CD-RW drives are one of the least reliable of PC Components Over time, dust and age tend to eat the life out of them, and more than a few arrive either DOA, or die soon after installation If it is indeed dead, and not under warranty, a new drive can be had for about fifty dollars.

The whole incident might work out to your advantage There is a lot to download over cable Great file storage facilities can be a joy.

RG

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Posted by Robert of Mesa Community College on December 5, 2002

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