PCTech Forums

Just replaced the DVD/CD-R drive in a Sony laptop with the same model that was in a Toshiba just long enough to load the OS but it isn't found on power up. Drive does have power to it, opens and activity light flashes when cd or dvd is inserted. 'Find new hardware' doesn't detect it either.

Any suggestions?

I would start in the bios settings..Im not familiar with sony systems but you need to enter the bios and see if its listed.

You'll need to download the drivers from Toshiba. Then go to "Device Manager" and update the generic CD to the Toshiba drivers.
brad

Is it listed in "Device Manager"?
Which IDE cable did you install it? Which Jumper setting is it on: Master / Slave / Cable Select?
brad

It's on the same cable as the drive it replaced, it's in a laptop. I don't think it shows up on device manager, that's why I said it wasn't being found/recognized on bootup.

Guess I'm not doing to good at reading your specs. Sorry...
What is listed in "Device Manager" under CDRom?
brad

I'm not near it at the moment so can't say for certain - it seems to me there was no entry for CDrom.

I've just started using W2k so moving around the adminstative tasks isn't intuitive yet, but there's another place to look at system info other than device manager that had a class for removable storage and under that it did list a drive with an 'X' indicating a problem. By querying properties for the device, it identified it as a Matshida but left blank the model and serial number entries leading me to think it was referring to the original drive and was unable to retrieve this info from the newer drive.

If you have anything else, please get back to me. I'll let you know later about the device manager.

DVD-ROM does not show up in the BIOS nor in the Device Manager, so it's clearly not being seen at power-up. Other than the drive being defective, and I have no other reason to think it might be, why would it not be detected?

Is bios doesnt see it,you'll never get windows too.Is your bios set to auto detect?You may try that and also check the jumper on the back of the drive..if it doesnt share a cable with another drive it should be set to master,If it does one should be master and the other slave.

Try liljims Bios Auto-detect suggestion.
You might also want to try to utilize this fix I found:

CD Recorders
Operating Systems
Windows XP
External Site Location:

Uploader Notes:
"I got my UJDA720 working again for CD/CD-R/CD-RW/DVD by:
1. Running this driver update package from roxio's web site.

2. Uninstalling the driver for the device in the Device Manager

3. When I restarted, letting XP search for a driver for the "new hardware device."

It finds the driver files installed. Specifically, Device Manager now shows the files Cdr4_XP.sys and Cdralw2k.sys being used by the device. Othere than those two from Roxio and generic CD drivers from Microsoft, there is one other driver loaded from Veritas software called PxHelp.sys. I don't know how this one came to be on my system, whether it comes with XP, or whether it is actually required.But now it works"

brad

Guys please, I know you're trying to help but understand, it's in a laptop - so liljim, there's no master/slave setting or second drive on its cable. And Brad, it's not being detected so there's nothing to load or re-install drivers for.

I'm sending it back to the people I bought it from for them to re-install in a Toshiba. If it works, then I (and others) clearly don't have a clue as to what's going on. I'm betting at this point that the drive is dead even tho I believe it was working before they sent it to me. And just to rub the point in about how quick things can go belly up, the hard drive in one of my desktop PCs failed last nite and can't be revived. Man do I hate PCs right about now! I just can't figure out how to browse the 'net on an abacus!?

Sorry if I ranted on you guys, I was just hoping to find an answer and not have to send it back. Peace

Rant all you want. I'd run the .exe I pointed you to. I'd then go to Add New Hardware Wizard and manually try to install........
brad