DriverZone Forums

I've got a Dell computer with Windows xp software.
The drive is not much newer than the computer

The drive wont detect in bios or the windows software.
I know the drive works ( I tested it in another computer)
I know the cables work ( tested in another computer)
I currently am trying to set the dvd drive up as a secondary master (I have two other hard drives as primary master and slave).

Is it possible that I have a incorrect cable hookup? I currently have it set up on a drive cable as drive 0.
Any help at all would be great. (I really need to reinstall windows and could really use my cd/dvd drive!)

The reasons why your BIOS is not detecting your CD/DVD drive could be because you might have not connected it properly.
The link below provides a complete guide to how you can install your optical drive.
http://xlr8yourmac.com/G3-ZONE/hival52x/install.html

some drives ( older ones ) could be a bit buggy on the master slave settings

you best bet is to set both drives to cs
thats cable select , let the bios do the work for you.
i would also try the following

connect just one cdrom to the computer and see if the bios picks it up
if it don't check in your bios that secondary ide is enabled

as your just testing try the drive on the primary ide ( that would mean removing your hard drive cable.

if it picks it up i would have to say you have a dead secondary ide channel on your motherboard