Mysterious DVD-ROM and CD-R/RW

Hi,

My PC behave strangely. The DVD-ROM and CD-R/RW often behave strangely. It often disappear periodically. Sometimes, the BIOS can not detect one or both of them. Today, BIOS can detect both of them, but Windows can not detect them. Later, BIOS can not detect both of them. I already replace the ribbon cable with the new one. I don’t understand what’s wrong with the system. Please help how to solve the problem.

Following is the specifications of the system:

Mobo: Intel D845EPI
Processor: Intel P4A 2 GHz
Memory: 256 MB DDR PC2700
Video Adapter: nVIDIA GeForce2 Ti
Audio Adapter: C-Media CMI8738
Intel AC’97 Onboard (Disabled)
Hard Disks: Maxtor 40 & 80 GB
DVD-ROM: LG 16X GDR81638
CD-R/RW: Samsung TS-H292A (Manufactured by Samsung or Toshiba? since TS is a code for Toshiba product).

Any guidance and solution is much appreciated.

Thank you.

Hushni

 

I would go with it being a power supply issue.
Try connecting the Master drive to a molex power connector with a short run (one of the first nearest the Power supply itself) and the slave drives to further ones.
Sometimes this works, sometimes going to my computer and right click and choose refresh.
In the end, the solution is to get a more powerful power suppply.

 

I'd try to follow your guidance. And will consider to replace the old 350 W Power Supply with the 450 or 550 Watts power supply.

Fyi, I use Windows 98 SE on first hard disk and Windows XP Professional SP2 on second hard disk.

Thanks.

 

I would definitely upgrade a power supply if I were adding additional drives or upgrading a graphics card.
So your description sounds like it is a power issue.
I presume it behaves similarly , no matter which you boot to.

 

Thanks for the assurance. I'll replace the power supply with the bigger power, 450 or 550 watts.