Tom Mayer wrote:
>I recently installed a new CDRW drive in an XP Home SP2(fully updated)
>machine. I now have the 'C' HD as 'master' and a DVD drive as 'slave' on
>the primary IDE. And I have a 'D' HD as 'master' and the new CDRW drive as
>'slave' on the secondary IDE. All are set for 'cable selection'.

It may be the system doesn't like the set up. You indicate you have a hard
drive and a CD or DVD on the same channel. You further state if you
disconnect one, "My Computer" and "Windows Explorer" will recognize them.

There are times that some Motherboards and BIOS's have a difficult time
deciphering the hardware in place.

A couple of things I would try are, put the hard drives on one IDE and the
CD and DVD on the other. I never mix the two. So far my experience has been
good.

I would start by attaching the primary drive and open the BIOS to see if
it's there. The shunt removed or in the master position as the case may be
according to the drive manufactures specifications. In turn, I would do the
same for the other drive. In suit do the same thing with the CD and DVD. On
this note you will have to select which is going to be the primary drive of
choice. In my system I have my CD first and my CDR second.

As you go through these drills set the jumpers to cable select first. If
there is a conflict then set them to primary and secondary respectively.

In the BIOS you may want to change the setting for plug and play to no plug
and play. This way the BIOS will set the hardware rather than the Operating
system which is the way I have been doing it for years. This doesn't
necessarily mean it is the right way to do it. I have experienced a minimal
about of problems doing it this way.

If what you wrote about the other machine is correct, is it the same
manufacturers motherboard and CMOS? Is it an older board? I have found that
what may work on one may not work on the other and so forth.

Sincerely,

Frank Suszka
netTek Computers
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