Hello,

My computer (HP, XP, 5-6 yrs old) has 2 cd drives, D: (RW) and E: (R only). I have not changed anything on my computer. It had intermittent problem of not recognizing the CD drives but if I kept restarting it eventually would. Now it will sometimes recognize the E drive but never the D. No light, door won't open. Does not come up in device manager, not listed in setup. If I change info in setup, it changes back to NONE.
I would like to be sure it is a problem with the drive before I replace it. I don't have another computer I can install it into to see if it works.
I am not sure how to work with the master/slave jumper stuff, so if you think that is the problem please give lots of details on how to fix.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Thank you.

if it is under garentee, send it back.

if not, then i would checkthat the cables are plugged into it properly, take the side panel off and make sure that both the 4 pin molex and the 40 pin ide cables are plugged in properly, also, check it is plugged into the motherboard properly, see if it will open now. if not, try plugging in a different molex connector, preferabley one that is plugged into a device that works, i.e the HD remember to plug another one into the HD (can be the one you took out of the cd drive if none others will reach)

if it still wont open, it is the drive.

One more thing - the light is on and door opens on the E drive, but not the D. Does not recognize either one.
I switched the power cords on D and E and it did the same thing.
I had replaced the D drive about a year ago and still had the old one so I put that one back in. Now it has power, door opens, but computer still does not see either drive.
Shouldn't I have gotten a New Hardware Installed message when I turned the computer on?
I put a CD in the D drive and it did what it used to do when it was busted. I put CD in E and it spun, acted like normal but computer does not find it.

Are they both on the same cable? Secondary IDE Channel Master & slave?

Do you have another IDE cable to try? And verify jumpers. They will be marked on the rear of the drive. The Master is at the end of the cable (black) and the slave in the middle (grey) or set both to Cable Select.

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6603_7-5118840-4.html

I would try one at a time just to see what happens and if that doesn't work try a new cable.

You could also try on the Primary channel to test the IDE slot. i.e. put the CD drive as Primary slave with the proper jumper setting.

If the BIOS is not recognizing the drive(s) it is either the cable; the slot; or the drives.

I put another cable in and it started working. But then later it stopped working. The E drive is still ok but the D drive stopped working. There is a light on it, sometimes red sometimes yellow, on steadily, door won't open, computer not finding D. Needs more work but I think I am on the righ track. Thanks for help. Will monkey around with it some more and post follow-up question if I can't get it to work.