Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)
I have a Dimension 4550 which is out of waranty.
Machine came with on DVD-R drive and one 30GB disk.
I added one additional 200 GB disk
and a CD-RW drive. I started having a
problem where DVD-R drive shows as a device
but no program recognizes a DVD or a CD in it.
They all say, insert a disk.
I called Dell twice and they solved it by asking me
to do the following.
Get into the setup menu via F2.
Press caps lock and scroll lock.
Press alt+F (it clears drive entries)
Press alt+E
Press alt+B to boot the machine.
When the machine boots up, DVD is recognized.
It happens very often and I do this sequence.
What I noticed that DVD is recognized only
once in the sense that if I take out the DVD and
insert it back, it is no longer recognized.
Someone told me that the sequence alters
the EEPROM and there are finite number of times
I can do it before the system becomes useless.
I vaguly recall Dell guy telling me that problem
is because I added additional devices.
Is there any thing I can do in terms of
some settings, cabling or something
to overcome this situation. Now I am using
my drive exrensively and it is really annoying.
Thanks.
I have a Dimension 4550 which is out of waranty.
Machine came with on DVD-R drive and one 30GB disk.
I added one additional 200 GB disk
and a CD-RW drive. I started having a
problem where DVD-R drive shows as a device
but no program recognizes a DVD or a CD in it.
They all say, insert a disk.
I called Dell twice and they solved it by asking me
to do the following.
Get into the setup menu via F2.
Press caps lock and scroll lock.
Press alt+F (it clears drive entries)
Press alt+E
Press alt+B to boot the machine.
When the machine boots up, DVD is recognized.
It happens very often and I do this sequence.
What I noticed that DVD is recognized only
once in the sense that if I take out the DVD and
insert it back, it is no longer recognized.
Someone told me that the sequence alters
the EEPROM and there are finite number of times
I can do it before the system becomes useless.
I vaguly recall Dell guy telling me that problem
is because I added additional devices.
Is there any thing I can do in terms of
some settings, cabling or something
to overcome this situation. Now I am using
my drive exrensively and it is really annoying.
Thanks.