Optical drive vanished?

[uncle_rufus]

Hey all,

This is turning into "problem of the day" for me at the minute but I've got another slightly odd problem I'm not sure what to do about...

New machine, existing (internal) DVD/RW drive which was working fine. Used the drive successfully to install Windows 10 from disc. Fine so far. Applied initial raft of Windows updates, and installed a few other things from various installation discs (graphics card utils etc.) and then used ImgBurn to rip the image from the Windows 10 disc and imaged a USB drive with it (to install Windows 10 to a 2nd machine with no optical drive)...

A few days later I happen to need to install something else from a CD and I get no response from the drive - it doesn't eject when I hit the button or show any signs of life. Windows device manager reports that the drive is not connected. The BIOS also no longer appears to detect that the drive exists. I've checked all connections and nothing seems to be out of place (though how it would be when the machine hasn't been opened or moved since the initial install when the drive was working fine I don't know)...

What the heck is going on here? At first I suspected Windows 10 had screwed up but surely the BIOS should still see the drive if that was the case. I may try hooking the drive up to the other machine to see what happens but other than that is there anything I can try?

 

[Zefan]

No signs of life indicates either a dead drive or a PSU problem to me. The easiest thing is - as you've described - stick it in another system and see if it lives.

Aside from the above, if you have a multimeter, check the PSU for the correct output in to the drive. If no multimeter, you could try a different SATA power cable from the PSU to see if that brings your drive back to life, if so that would suggest your PSU or modular cable is goofed.

You could also check the PSU by swapping out different known serviceable SATA drives in, although I'd use this as a last resort, as if your PSU is faulty it could end up damaging components.

 

[uncle_rufus]

Let's hope it's just the drive that's dead - would prefer not to have to shell out on a new PSU but can do if needed... It seems odd that either would have suddenly developed a problem like this but I suppose that's the nature of electronics sometimes...

FWIW the PSU is an Antec CP-850 (the non-standard sized PSU produced by Antec specifically to fit in the P183 case)- think I've had it ~3 years or so

 

[uncle_rufus]

lol what a fool - tried it in the other PC when I got home and it was fine... took of both side panels of the original PC and traced back the cable to find it was completely unplugged!!! Not really sure how that happened inside a completely stationary PC but hey at least it means it was just my own stupidity and not indicative of a serious problem

 

[Zefan]

Gremlins!