Bios not seeing DVD drives

[kuurth]

About a month ago my computer stopped seeing my DVD drive and all virtual drives. I have built systems before so I tried a lot of stuff before coming here:
1. Checked to make sure the cables were tightly set.
2. Checked the capacitors to see if they were bad (some were so I had them all replaced.)
3. Tried a new IDE cable to connect them to the motherboard (still weren't seen by bios.)
4. Tried the drives on another computer and they worked fine there.
5. Installed updated drivers AND tried to roll back to previous drivers (that was before I installed the new drivers so it couldn't roll back to old drivers - there weren't any old ones.)

When I boot the computer up, the screen shows them listed, but when I go to Device Manager and check there, they are not seen. The computer tells me: "Windows successfully loaded the device driver for this hardware but cannot find the hardware device. (Code 41)"
A computer tech at work says that the bios isn't seeing them. How do I get it to see them??
I have a LITE-ON DVDRW SOHW-1693S and an Optiarc DVDRW AD-7170A. I am running windows xp.
Any help would be appreciated!

 

[smorizio]

as you say you had the mb repair and the drives work in another pc. the issue now is the ide controller on the mb may have gone bad. but before we go there have you checked the bios settings so that both ide ports are on. also try one drive at a time on the other ide port and set the drive as master. if the bios cant see the drive as master on the ide port then you have to change the mb or put in a new ide controller...

 

[scout_03]

check this for code 41 and do the fix it http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310123/en-us

 

[kuurth]

Smorizio, thanks I will try that out.

Scout_03, I looked at the webpage and this is what it says to do:
If the device was removed, uninstall the driver, connect the device, and then click Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the driver.
If the hardware was not removed, the driver files might be obsolete. In this case, update the driver from Device Manager. In the device Properties dialog box, click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver to start the Hardware Update Wizard. Follow the instructions to update the driver.
If the device is a non-Plug and Play device, you may have to install a newer version of the driver. To install non-Plug and Play devices, use the Add Hardware wizard. Click Start, and then click Run. In the Open box, type hdwwiz.cpl.

I hadn't removed the hardware when the computer stopped seeing the drives.
The driver files are up to date and the drives are Plug n Play devices. I forgot to mention that I had checked that page out before posting here. Thanks though!

 

[scout_03]

did you try that from microsoft http://fixitcenter.support.microsoft.com/Portal

 

[kuurth]

Smorizio, I tried what you suggested and the computer found and installed the "new" hardware but when I went into Device Manager I had the same problem. The computer had installed the driver but could not see the hardware.

Scout_03, I tried the Fixitcenter and it didn't help. I got the same answer from the hardware troubleshooter.

I noticed that when the computer is booting up that on a splash screen, it will show both the DVD drives, but when I go into the BIOS, all I see is the harddrive. It shows no other devices. Which if I'm not mistaken, it should show all drives that are connected.
Thank you for the help so far. I am hoping we can get this figured out soon!

 

[scout_03]

since both of those dvd writer are ide one must be slave and the other master check if you connect them correctly on the ide cable or use 2 ide cable and put both of them master

 

[kuurth]

I put the dip switch onto select, so it *should* have set itself.... and it didn't. I will get back in there and set them back to master and slave. As the cable is not marked as to which socket is master and which is slave; is the one on the end Master or slave?

 

[scout_03]

blue end is master then the second connector is slave ,see this how to do so put the master to master and slave to slave http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/confCable80-c.html

 

[smorizio]

if the error still there try powering off one cd-rom drive and see if the cmos see one of the drives. with ide drive sometimes the drives controllers dont like each other.

 

[kuurth]

I finally got it fixed! I had to go into Regedit; System; CurrentControlSet; Class; 4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318
Then I deleted the Upper and Lower (I can't remember the full name, but they are the only ones starting with Upper and Lower.) I then rebooted the computer and they were there!!
Thanks for all the help!

SOLVED!!