Today i powered up my computer and my dvd burner(NEC ND 3540A)is missing.Its not listed anyware.I tried to auto detect from bios but nothing. Internal wireing and conections are ok.I tried to install new drivers from the nec site but they say that windows xp users dont need to so its not that either .Plese help meeeee!!

If it was working previously, and nothing has been changed etc inside, and the bios doesn't see it (at the hardware level of the machine), the drive has probably died. If you have access to another machine try it in there. Ensure the drive jumpers are set respective of it's position in the machine. (Master/Slave)

the drive is brand new i alreaddy check it before all conections are ok.Can i do something with the registry keys?And if so how to do it?

Originally Posted by Dan Penny

If it was working previously, and nothing has been changed etc inside, and the bios doesn't see it (at the hardware level of the machine), the drive has probably died. If you have access to another machine try it in there. Ensure the drive jumpers are set respective of it's position in the machine. (Master/Slave)

the drive is ok brand new .Can i do something with the registry keys?how?

The registry keys within the Operating System (O/S) will not do anything unless the hardware device is recognized at the machine hardware level. (bios)

If the drive is brand new..... well, even "new out of the box" devices can be bad.

Double check all connections to the drive, data ~and~ power connectors. I've seen the power connector female contacts being pushed back into (out of actually) the connector housing when attached to the drive, thus no connection on that drive power pin.

Also double check that the drive jumper is set correctly in relation to the other device on that data cable. If the other device is set as Master, the DVD-RW must be set as Slave. I should note that some elements of the computer world will state that a CD-RW or DVD-RW should be set as Master no matter what. I myself have seen them function properly when set as the Slave device. In any case, ensure the devices are set respectively. Avoid "Cable Select" unless you KNOW that both devices AND the data cable are indeed of that type. Cable Select requires a specific data cable. Just any 40 or 80 conductor cable won't do. As well, the device must be on the proper connector to work. If I recall correctly, the Master device must be on the farthest end of the cable.

Check the IDE data cables where they connect to the motherboard. In your efforts to install the DVD you may have partially pulled a cable from its mating connector.

If none of the above resolves the problem, try it in another machine to verify that the drive itself is functional.

Originally Posted by Dan Penny

The registry keys within the Operating System (O/S) will not do anything unless the hardware device is recognized at the machine hardware level. (bios)

If the drive is brand new..... well, even "new out of the box" devices can be bad.

Double check all connections to the drive, data ~and~ power connectors. I've seen the power connector female contacts being pushed back into (out of actually) the connector housing when attached to the drive, thus no connection on that drive power pin.

Also double check that the drive jumper is set correctly in relation to the other device on that data cable. If the other device is set as Master, the DVD-RW must be set as Slave. I should note that some elements of the computer world will state that a CD-RW or DVD-RW should be set as Master no matter what. I myself have seen them function properly when set as the Slave device. In any case, ensure the devices are set respectively. Avoid "Cable Select" unless you KNOW that both devices AND the data cable are indeed of that type. Cable Select requires a specific data cable. Just any 40 or 80 conductor cable won't do. As well, the device must be on the proper connector to work. If I recall correctly, the Master device must be on the farthest end of the cable.

Check the IDE data cables where they connect to the motherboard. In your efforts to install the DVD you may have partially pulled a cable from its mating connector.

If none of the above resolves the problem, try it in another machine to verify that the drive itself is functional.

The drive is allive mate i checked it out in another pc there must be something else going on but i thank you for your help anyway.

OK, let's go the other way. Will this (problem) machine recognize any other CDROM?

Are both IDE channels enabled in the bios?

(From your first post it sounds as though this drive was working previously, then just disappeared. Is this correct?)

yes all these are correct

Maybe redundant but, a Google search turned up that this drive requires XP Service Pack 2. Are you running this? (I imagine you are as you stated the drive worked before, but just to double-check that it is indeed running.)

Also, can you manually enter "CDROM" in the bios for the drives placement on the IDE channel/position? (Master/Slave)

yes i am running sp2.From the bios i can set it manually is only on auto detect mode.The board is foxconn 945P7AA