Bizarre problem with optical drive

[AD-15]

hello,

Yesterday morning I came to switch on my new build, but it wouldn't post, the screen remained blank. I noticed that the DVD/CDRW drive was making some strange sounds. It's kind of like the sound you get when you first insert a disc into some drives, almost like hearing a spring. Anyway, this continued for about 20 seconds I think, and the system switches off. It then switches on again, and then the process repeats. I tried switching it off manually using the power button, but it just switched back on again after a few seconds if the power plug was still plugged in. When I unplugged the drive, the system booted fine, no problems. When I plugged it back in, again, no problems. I could shut down and turn on the system again from that point with no problems, so I presumed it was fixed. However, I woke up this morning to find the same is still happening. Any ideas on why this is going on?

I've checked all the connections, everything is fine in that respect. I'm using a 380W PSU, and have checked it's OK for the system.

[Funkstar]

I would suspect a dead drive.

Have you tried using it since the problems started? Considering how cheap optical drives are these days, I'm surprised they don't break more often.

[AD-15]

hello,

That's why I thought, but I don't anymore.

When I tried fixing it this morning, I again unplugged the suspect drive. However, the exact same problem decided to transfer to the next drive. I couldn't fix it no matter how many times I unplugged/plugged in cables, and the different combos of setting master and slave didn't work either. Like last time (I didn't mention this in my last post BTW), I had to clear my CMOS to get it to post.

[Funkstar]

Ah, yes, I should have sugested trying another drive

So is it all working now?

How about trying a different connector on the motherboard?

[AD-15]

hello,

Unfortunately I'm using IDE drives, and so there's only one connector I can use. Shall I try changing the cable for another one?

[Funkstar]

worth a shot

[Webby]

Yeah change the cable if that doesn't work buy a SATA drive £15 is not going to break the bank (well it might in the current climate!)

[smargh]

Buy a cheap multimeter to test the voltages which your power supply is putting out. Should be within 5%.

[AD-15]

hello,

It happened again this morning, except this time, despite doing everything I did before to fix it, and in addition also swapping the IDE cable, it doesn't work. I've spoken to SCAN, and they told me to perform a barebones test (basically trying as little hardware as possible and progressively adding hardware). I could get on with this, except for one problem. It needs to have a functioning internal case speaker. During the build process, the cable running from the speaker somehow broke (I have no idea how). Rather foolishly, I threw the cable away, not realising the motherboard, unlike my previous one, does not have an internal speaker mounted on it. So now I'm stuck without a speaker. Can I purchase these from anywhere? Or should I just snip the "GND" wires from my case connectors and solder them onto the speaker?

I feel so stupid.