Problems on a computer I just finishing building.

The computer wasn't detecting the dvd drive at all. I check bios and the only thing it detects is the hard drive. So I spent hours trying to figure out the problem. I thought that maybe the dvd drive was messed up but I try it on this computer and it works fine. So I went and took the hard drive from my new computer and installed it on this computer. I install Vista 64 with no problem downloaded the latest updates for the dvd drive that I was having problems with. So after that I took the new dvd drive and new hard drive to my new computer and I'm getting a


1. I get a message saying "Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause.
To fix the problem:
1. Insert your Windows installation disc and restart the computer.
2. Choose your language settings and click next.
3. Click "repair your computer"
It also gives me the following options:
4. Safe Mode
5. Safe Mode with networking
6. Safe Mode with Command Prompt
7. Last known good configuration
8. Start Windows normally
I try safe mode and it loads a bunch of stuff than it restarts.
Last known good configuration does not work.
Start windows normally just makes it restart.

And since the bios still can't detect my dvd drive Vista can't repair the problem. I'm searching for a bios update but can't seem to find it on the amd site. According to some reviews on newegg.com there is a bios update out there. So gonna keep searching.

Also I try to see if it was a ram problem but this computer detects the new ram fine.

Is there a possiblity that its the motherboard or the cpu?
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400 Brisbane 2.8GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core black edition Processor Model ADO5400DSWOF - Retail
ECS A780GM-A AM2 /AM2 AMD 780G HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail (
OCZ 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2P8004GK - Retail
EXCELSTOR Jupiter Series ESJ9250S 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Retail
LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model DH-20A4P-04 - OEM

 

Finally found the bios update. Any ideas how to update it using a usb flash drive?

Also I just realize that the bios is detecting a floppy drive besides by Hard drive. Drive A: 1.44 mb 3 1/2.

Thing is that I have no floppy drive install.

 

I don't think you need a bios update at all. I think you need to solve your original problem so you can install Vista on the correct system not on another one then try to transfer the hard drive over. Its likely that your dvd drive is not being recognized for some simple reason. First I need to know, is the dvd drive an IDE rom drive or Sata? IDE has a ribbon like connector and Sata a flat 1/2" cable connector.

If your optical drive is IDE then you have to follow some rules when connecting it. If the drive is being connected to the terminating end of the ribbon then you have to set its jumper to master and if its being connected to the middle ribbon connector then the jumper must be in the slave position. The jumper is located on the back of the drive near the power connection and there should be a legend on top of the drive to tell you what position is what. All you have to do is remove the little plastic jumper and put it in the position that corresponds to your ribbon connection and you should be ok.

Of course now that you have put an os on the hard drive you might have to format it out to install Vista on it in the other PC. Just get the utilities from the hard drive manufacturers site.

 

The DVD drive is a IDE. I got the jumper in the correct settings. But bios still won't detect it.

 

may I also suggest trying this drive on another machine...

 

It sounds like you install the Windows on the hard drive on one PC, then moved the hard drive to another PC. This will not work, Windows will not boot and will only crash. However, the BIOS should still see the hard drive. I wouldn't worry about the floppy drive. BIOSes don't really "detect" floppy drives like they do hard drives. You can leave the floppy setting as is, or just set it to 'None' or 'Disabled'. If you get a message saying that "Windows failed to start" that is Windows telling you that. That means that Windows is trying to boot from the hard drive but it's crashing. This may be due to a bad hard drive (sometimes even brand new drives are bad). But, like I said, if you installed the Windows with the drive in a different PC, it will crash when it's hooked up to different hardware from what it was installed with. Boot to your Windows install disc and reload Windows on the PC where you want the hard drive to stay.

 

I was just re-reading your first post... so the problem is the PC isn't seeing the DVD... I misunderstood and thought the problem was with the hard drive. Clear the system BIOS with the DVD drive NOT connected and power up once or twice with ti not connected. Then unplug the power cord, re-connect the DVD drive, power up and go into the BIOS and see if it's recognized. If it still isn't, go thru every section of the BIOS and make sure everything for IDE is enabled or set to auto...

 

I have had some optical drives that the legend on top was so poorly thought out that it was not well suited for determining position. In fact, one I have the picture is upside down, and if you didn't look close you would get the jumper wrong. Moving the jumper to the wrong place cannot hurt anything so you can try what I used to do with dvd drives that had no legend. start at one end of the jumper pins and try them all. Look to see if its recognized and if not move to the next set of pins. One of the sets has to work. Either that or your new drive was toast from the begining and needs to be RMAed.

Or the power connector your using is not right. I once had to use a power splitter to reach my optical drive and I didn't notice I had plugged the splitter into a fan only connector (has only two wires yellow and black in the four pin type molex) and since the splitter had all four colored wires, I would look at it and assume it was correct until I went to remove the splitter then I saw my mistake. I know its a shot in the dark but it did happen to me and I consider myself a pretty good PC Builder.

 

I have try that on the computer I'm typing this message from and it works perfectly fine.

Ok I will try this. But how do I clear the system bios?

I have try the try the jumper in different places and it didn't work. I don't think the dvd drive is toast since I have try 2 other dvd drives and bios won't detect them either.

Thanks for the support.

 

Bump can anyone explain how do I clear the system bios?

 

To clear the bios look on the motherboard near the little button battery for a set of 3 jumper pins with a marking that says something about CMOS. The position the jumper is in is the normal position and moving it to the other two is "clear cmos". Turn the pc power off completely either at the back of the power supply or unplug from the wall. Move the clear cmos jumper to the other pins and wait 30sec and then move it back to normal position and powerup. The bios should be in default setup. Follow dlb's advice and remove the dvd drive during this time (or at least disconnect its connectors) and reboot several times before reconnecting it.

 

I was just reading your motherboard manual at this link and found that the clear BIOS jumper is most likely red and is indeed right next to the flat round battery. It's labeled CLR_CMOS on the board. Be sure the power cord has been unplugged from the PC for at least 60 seconds before moving the jumper and removing the data nd power cables from the DVD drive. With the jumper on pins 1 & 2 is 'Normal' and where the jumper would be for regular PC operation. Move the jumper so it connects pins 2 & 3. Leave it there for 30-60 seconds. Then move it back to the 'normal' position on pins 1 & 2. Then plug in the power cord and boot up and power down a couple of times. Then unplug the power cord again and reconnect the DVD drive (both power and data). Plug the power cord back in, and power up, go into the BIOS and do what I suggested earlier.... let us know how it goes!

 

Re: installing new disc drive

I have an AMD Athlon w/XP Pro (2002)
I had to replace my one disc drive CD/DVD Burner) with an LG
from Newegg so I bought an extra exactly like it so
I could install it to have a dual drives.
What I cant figure out is how to get them both to work.
I am NOT real computer saavy (terminology) but I have installed
the one main drive it works great but I am not exactly sure how to hook
up the other one. I dont have a digital camera yet so I cant take a pic
of the inside to show you what I have
I need to know if I need something else to get them both to work.
there are 3 things to plug in back of main drive but only 2 (long IDE?)
and plug w/4 pins) to go into back of the second drive.

Hope this explaination is acurate enough, Can anyone please Help me ??

Thanks Angie :confused

 

Re: Installing Hardware Problem HELP

see previous post

 

Remrafka, start your own thread for your issue.

 

This is indeed the best way to clear your BIOS and will resolve 99% of BIOS issues. In extreme cases you will want to remove the watch battery (BIOS Battery) and unplug the system for at least 10mins, while everything has been removed hit your power button again to remove all residual power. I had a friend recently who had tried all of the above and tried his system again to no avail. He thought it was all dead and left the battery out for >24hours and then thought what the hell and suddenly it worked again! Dbl has provided the best advice but in extreme cases remove that battery and leave it out for at least 10mins, even better replace the battery but ensure you have "removed all residual power" firstly.

 

With battery out or no, as long as the PC is plugged into a true grounded three prong outlet with the Power supplies switch in the back turned off, it will take no more than 30 sec to clear the cmos. If it takes 24 hours with the battery out to solve a problem, its most likely a static electricty problem. DC voltages can be eliminated in seconds not so for static, it can take alot longer than 24 hours and in some cases it will destroy the controlling chips permanently.

 

Wow excellent explanation .