Dvd rom?

Can I upgrade my cd rom drives to dvd rom drives on my Dell Optiplex gx240? How do I best configure the jumpers? Will Windows XP detect them automatically or must I find drivers on the internet?

Almost Clueless

 

You can use any IDE DVD burner. No drivers are necessary. I don't know how the jumpers are set out of the box but you will set the jumpers according to how you have the drives connected to the cable. They will come with a diagram on how to set the jumpers Master or Slave or Cable Select. You want to use the diagram rather than copy the jumpers of your current drives. Different manufacturers have different jumper settings for M/S/CS so you must use the diagram.

Do you have more than one CDROM that you will be replacing? Is the CDROM(s) on its own cable?

 

Tower with two drives. They are both used drives. There's no documentation except one has the jumper positions stamped in the metal on the case. At present, the machine isn't seeing either one. I can play around with the jumpers, if I don't have to load drivers.

Thanks for your time and trouble.

 

Optical drives are plug and play so no drivers. Jumpers you will probably have to move. I don't know why but I have always had to play with jumpers when I replace an optical drive. They must come configured for a different set up than mine. Not that hard just take a few minutes to read the setup instructions. The drive on the end of the cable is Master and the one in the middle is Slave. (Your other drive should also have markings somewhere to specify the jumper settings even if they are hard to see).

***
Did your drives both stop being recognized recently? They don't show in My Computer at all (assuming you are using XP). There is a MS fix for when optical drives suddenly disappear from My Computer if you think it may be a software problem rather than a mechanical problem with the drives.

 

I forgot to answer that about the cable when you first mentioned it. They ARE both on the same cable. Knowing that in itself is a big help. The cd roms were working fine but they wouldn't read some software installation disks (dvd). I pulled 'em, made a guess on the jumpers and replaced with the dvds and the machine can't find either dvd drive.

I'll go with the cable select setting first and see what happens.
Thank you very much again.

 

If you still have problems you might try one at a time. Put one on the end of the cable and set it to Master. Then boot Windows and see if it is recognized.

EDIT: You don't have to fully install/mount them in the case while you figure out the configuration. You can lay them on top of the case or on the floor if the cables will reach.

 

SUCCESS! THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDLY ASSISTANCE, sach2 (A GENTLEMAN & SCHOLAR)

 

You are more than welcome!

Glad you got things sorted rather easily.