G6-400 not seeing DVD/CD-RW drives at startup

[Phillip]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

I have an older Pentium II 400 mhz system that is not recognizing either the
DVD or CD-RW drive at startup (before Windows loads). Consequently, Windows
doesn't load the drives either. The has been a random issue for several
years. Sometimes the system boots fine, other times it will boot but just
without the two drives, making them inaccessible under Windows.

The BIOS in use is the latest version available (according to Gateway). I
haven't opened the case yet, but my guess is that the DVD drive is the
master and the other is the slave. The LED on the DVD drive doesn't come on
or doesn't open whereas the CD-RW still opens and lights up even when the
system boots up (and isn't recognizing the drives). Safe mode doesn't work
either since the drives aren't being recognized at startup.

The system is "as is" when shipped with the additions of RAM from 128 to 384
and the removal of the MPACT card that originally came with the DVD player.
The system worked fine for over a year without these so I don't think they
are the issue.

There is a firmware update for the DVD drive, but I can't use it if the Bios
doesn't recognize the drive which hasn't happened in the last fifty or so
times I have booted the system.

Has anyone experienced something like this before? Where do I go from here?

Thanks,
Phillip

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Phillip,

I haven't seen this problem except in the case of a loose/bad mechanical
connection. Suggest you try unplugging and replugging the cables connecting
the two drives. If that doesn't help I would suggest changing the flat
cable between the mother board and the drives (the old one may have gone
bad).

Also, given the age of your system (I have one also), have you ever changed
the battery located on the mother board? If the setup is lost you cqn get
some very interesting problems.

Good luck,
Tom

"Phillip" <phillip@msn.com> wrote in message
news:10c1srgbdn5v162@corp.supernews.com...
> I have an older Pentium II 400 mhz system that is not recognizing either
the
> DVD or CD-RW drive at startup (before Windows loads). Consequently,
Windows
> doesn't load the drives either. The has been a random issue for several
> years. Sometimes the system boots fine, other times it will boot but just
> without the two drives, making them inaccessible under Windows.
>
> The BIOS in use is the latest version available (according to Gateway). I
> haven't opened the case yet, but my guess is that the DVD drive is the
> master and the other is the slave. The LED on the DVD drive doesn't come
on
> or doesn't open whereas the CD-RW still opens and lights up even when the
> system boots up (and isn't recognizing the drives). Safe mode doesn't work
> either since the drives aren't being recognized at startup.
>
> The system is "as is" when shipped with the additions of RAM from 128 to
384
> and the removal of the MPACT card that originally came with the DVD
player.
> The system worked fine for over a year without these so I don't think they
> are the issue.
>
> There is a firmware update for the DVD drive, but I can't use it if the
Bios
> doesn't recognize the drive which hasn't happened in the last fifty or so
> times I have booted the system.
>
> Has anyone experienced something like this before? Where do I go from
here?
>
> Thanks,
> Phillip
>
>

 

[Phillip]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Tom,

> Also, given the age of your system (I have one also), have you ever
changed
> the battery located on the mother board? If the setup is lost you cqn get
> some very interesting problems.

No, I've never changed the battery on it.

Could it make a difference if I changed the CD-RW to master and the DVD to
slave? Since the CD-RW was still opening and showed a working LED (even when
the sytem doesn't recognize the drives) I thought this might give a clue to
the issues at hand. I didn't know if the DVD was taking the CD-RW down as
well per say.

Thanks for the advice on checking the cables. The system is currently with a
relative, but it's my job to get it working again one way or another.

If anyone else has any ideas (or have seen this happen before), please chime
in.

Take care,
Phillip

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Phillip,

Another thought, you might try disconnecting one of the drives (suggest the
DVD first since the CDRW shows signs of life) and then rebooting the system
with the other drive connected. I have had instances of bad tape drives
really impacting bootup and you could have something similar.

Flopping the master/slave id may prove something but I believe I'd try the
previous suggestion first.

Tom
"Phillip" <phillip@msn.com> wrote in message
news:10c3jhg1g13un60@corp.supernews.com...
> Tom,
>
> > Also, given the age of your system (I have one also), have you ever
> changed
> > the battery located on the mother board? If the setup is lost you cqn
get
> > some very interesting problems.
>
> No, I've never changed the battery on it.
>
> Could it make a difference if I changed the CD-RW to master and the DVD to
> slave? Since the CD-RW was still opening and showed a working LED (even
when
> the sytem doesn't recognize the drives) I thought this might give a clue
to
> the issues at hand. I didn't know if the DVD was taking the CD-RW down as
> well per say.
>
> Thanks for the advice on checking the cables. The system is currently with
a
> relative, but it's my job to get it working again one way or another.
>
> If anyone else has any ideas (or have seen this happen before), please
chime
> in.
>
> Take care,
> Phillip
>
>

 

[haltreacy]

my own Gateway G6-400 held the charge on its mobo 3-volt coin-cell until Feb of last year (2013). Since then coin-cells I installed keep losing their charge, (1) after 18 days; (2) after 110 days; (3) after 26 days; (4) after 6 months; (5) after 7 days; and (8) after 65 days. Your computer may be causing its own coin-cell to go bad. That would cause settings to change. Suggest replace with new coin-cell and check the voltage of the one you have removed.
If anyone can help me to understand about this, I will appreciate it. Hal