DVD Drive Problem with new build.

thingupstairs · 8 Sep 2007 at 13:01

I've just upgraded my system with the following:

Intel CPU Core 2 Quad Pro Q6600 95W Energy Efficient 2.4GHz SLACR G0 Stepping
Asus Motherboard P5K Intel P35 LGA775 ATX
Geil Ultra DDR2 2.0GB PC6400 Dual Channel memory kit (2 x 1GB) 800MHz (4-4-4-12)

Everything is working fine, and Windows XP recognises all the upgrades but the DVD Drive light is always on and won't open. I've tried a couple of drive and the same thing happens. The DVD drive is IDE and my hard drive is SATA so it's only the DVD drive on the IDE cable. I've tried different jumper settings on the drive but im still having problems...

any idea?

Wiggins · 8 Sep 2007 at 14:03

The chances are that you have put in the IDE lead the wrong way round into the IDE Socket on the motherboard. Turn it around and try again. The lights always on is generally because of that.

If all else fails, reset the bios.

thingupstairs · 8 Sep 2007 at 15:31

Checked the cables, they're all fine. Same problem still. Will try and reset the bios, but does anybody have any other ideas in the mean time?

Teaf · 8 Sep 2007 at 15:40

Definetly checked the cables properly? Just wanted to re-itterate this, as "always on" light is a design feature to tell you the cable is in wrong. Flip the drive connector over, try again. Then if it fails, flip the motherboard one over and try again. If no joy that time, then change the cable around and plug the side that currently is in the drive into the motherboard, and the motherboard one into the drive. Then try the mid-way/slave connector instead. Then change the cable

thingupstairs · 8 Sep 2007 at 16:04

i assume the connectors only go in one way? if so i've tried multiple cables and 3 different drives all connected at different stages of the cable with the cables different ways. (ie. blue end in motherboard and then blue end in drive).

Still having problems...

thingupstairs · 8 Sep 2007 at 16:07

oh and for some reason, windows xp is showing i have a cd drive connected when i don't :S is this related in some way?

Teaf · 8 Sep 2007 at 16:09

Well that's bizarre. I would have said it was the DVD drive but it can't be the drive if you have had 3 drives in it. Only other thing I can think of is the channel itself, unless it's some dodgy BIOS option (maybe one that controlls the operation of the channel).

thingupstairs · 8 Sep 2007 at 16:17

I tried a hard drive on the IDE too and that doesn't get recognised either. I can't find any IDE settings in the BIOS apart from under SATA configuration which says: Configure SATA as [IDE].

Apparently once the motherboard realises the Drive is there it should show IDE options, but that doesn't really help me.

thingupstairs · 8 Sep 2007 at 17:10

solved it. Turns out if you connect the USB headers for the chasis it doesn't recognise the IDE ports, you have to attach the USB headers afterwards... not to sure why! very, very, strange!