strange NEC CD-RW drive problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Holder
  • Start date Start date
I hadn't thought of that, although maybe Gateway's Tech Support
guy had that in mind when he suggested shipping the tower back
to them.
Click to expand...

They are just following a script, no thinking is involved or
wanted. I believe you have been talking to India.

Consider that buying and trying a new drive will, if it fails,
leave you a spare drive for any future machines or future
failures.

Please don't indent your replies. The results don't stand many
quotation cycles, and foul up any quotation reformatters.
 
BTW, my old CDRW was doing everything you described -- right down to the
variable self identification to the system -- e.g., your NEC's being
identified with different characters -- 1.23 or 2.0 I think you posted above
in this thread. In my case, sometimes it showed up in the BIOS, sometimes
not, and sometimes it showed up in Windows ("properties") with parts of its
description mangled or missing. So, presently, I'm betting a new CDRW will
solve your problem -- definitely do post back. I'd like to know how it
turns out.
Click to expand...

I've seen this with several old cd drives.. the exact problem as described
in this thread (works fine warm boot, intermittent failure cold).. last one
I saw I think was even an NEC.. something like an old 24x..

Regards,
Chris
 
Well, I've done the next round of experiments, and I'm still at
a loss. Based on suggestions from this thread (and other places),
I tried the following:

1. Switched the IDE data cable to CD-RW drive. Result: no
change - CD-RW drive still fails on power up even with
a different cable.
2. Disconnected 2nd HDD (to see if a power issue). Result:
no change - CD-RW drive still fails on power up.
3. Disconnected IDE data cable to CD-RW. Result: CD-RW drive
comes up OK on power up (LED blinks twice then goes out,
open/close button functions properly). (Reconnecting IDE
data cable causes CD-RW to fail on (powerup) reboot.)

I think these rule out a faulty IDE cable and possible power issues.
I was hoping the CD-RW drive would fail (blinking LED, open/close
button not working) on #3, and that would pretty much indict
the drive. However, since the drive _seemed_ to work when the
IDE data cable was detached, it's looking more like a IDE
controller (motherboard) problem. I suppose it could be a
connector problem on either the motherboard or the drive (but
that doesn't seem too likely).

Now that things are put back together, the symptoms have changed
somewhat. Now the drive never works, even after restarts (warm).
Restarts used to make the CD-RW drive work OK.

So, two further questions:
1. Does it still look like a CD-RW drive problem? (I.e., should
I just go out and buy a new one?)
2. I'm still curious as to why any peripheral (CD-RW or otherwise)
would ever report different PNP Device IDs (part of which is
what the BIOS is displaying - the "_NEC NR-7700A" when things
work or the "NEC CDROM DRIVE: IDE" when things fail) and/or
firmware versions (the "1.23" when things work or the "2.0"
when things fail. Anybody have any insight into this? A
couple of postings in this thread confirmed seeing similar
identification discrepancies, but it still seems strange that
a peripheral's firmware would ever report two different values
for its identity.

Thanks again for everybody's suggestions.

Mike Holder
 
I was hoping the CD-RW drive would fail (blinking LED, open/close
button not working) on #3, and that would pretty much indict
the drive. However, since the drive _seemed_ to work when the
IDE data cable was detached, it's looking more like a IDE
controller (motherboard) problem.
Click to expand...

99% certain it's the drive.. as I posted previously, I have seen the exact
symptoms you describe with other drives... right down to the name/revision
changing when it fails..

Just because it doesn't flash when you unplug the IDE cable, doesn't mean
much. I've seen that too.. you can still apply power to it and eject the
tray, nomatter how screwed it is..

I've seen this problem mainly on just standard cd-roms, though I've had it
occur once with a cd-rw..

Regards,
Chris
 
Here's my last stab at it...in no particular order...

You said earlier that you tinkered with the BIOS...to get it to
display the cdrw drive properly. Why did you do this?...after 2 years
with that drive?

Go to NEC's site...download the latest firmware for that drive and
install it.
Well, I've done the next round of experiments, and I'm still at
a loss. Based on suggestions from this thread (and other places),
I tried the following:

1. Switched the IDE data cable to CD-RW drive. Result: no
change - CD-RW drive still fails on power up even with
a different cable.
Click to expand...

To check drives and controllers...

Take out that 2nd drive. Make SURE you change the jumpers on the
drive on the primary controller. Then put that 2nd drive on the
secondary controller...again making sure you set the jumpers properly.
Then boot into the CMOS only...don't let it boot into the operating
system. You should see both drives as master on their particular
controller. If you do, you don't have a problem with the mb,
controllers, or IDE drives.

One potential problem that you and Albert both have in common...

You've got more than 1 partition booting up. If something happens to
one of the partitions, the drive letters get changed...and that OFTEN
confuses the hell out of Windows. To get around this, you should
always letter your optical drives at the end of the alphabet. I use R
for the rom's and W for the writers.

Also, see if your BIOS has the option to delay the booting of the
drives. If it does, set one or both back a few seconds.

Here's what I think might be happening...

The 2nd IDE drive (older drive?) doesn't always boot up quickly enough
when its cold. So its not recognized on boot...and its normally the D
drive. When it doesn't boot properly, your cdrw then becomes the D
drive...and confuses Windows...which is not hard to do! lol
2. Disconnected 2nd HDD (to see if a power issue). Result:
no change - CD-RW drive still fails on power up.
Click to expand...

Put it in as slave on the primary. Make sure you change the jumpers
on both drives. See what happens. Then put the 2nd IDE as the master
on the secondary. See what happens.

REMEMBER...you've got TWO issues here...the BIOS...and the operating
system. See how all this works in BOTH areas...BIOS and then
operating system.
I think these rule out a faulty IDE cable and possible power issues.
I was hoping the CD-RW drive would fail (blinking LED, open/close
button not working) on #3, and that would pretty much indict
the drive. However, since the drive _seemed_ to work when the
IDE data cable was detached, it's looking more like a IDE
controller (motherboard) problem.
Click to expand...

Only the power seemed to work...and the POWER is not your problem.
Your problem is a data/IDE problem.

Check the controllers per above.
Now that things are put back together, the symptoms have changed
somewhat. Now the drive never works, even after restarts (warm).
Restarts used to make the CD-RW drive work OK.

So, two further questions:
1. Does it still look like a CD-RW drive problem? (I.e., should
I just go out and buy a new one?)
Click to expand...

Possibly. But watch the CMOS boot. If the cdrw is recognized in a
boot, the data and the power for the drive...and the
controller...would seem to be working properly.

Make sure you have the controllers set up properly in the BIOS.
'Auto' is usually the best setting.
2. I'm still curious as to why any peripheral (CD-RW or otherwise)
would ever report different PNP Device IDs (part of which is
what the BIOS is displaying - the "_NEC NR-7700A" when things
work or the "NEC CDROM DRIVE: IDE" when things fail) and/or
firmware versions (the "1.23" when things work or the "2.0"
when things fail. Anybody have any insight into this? A
couple of postings in this thread confirmed seeing similar
identification discrepancies, but it still seems strange that
a peripheral's firmware would ever report two different values
for its identity.
Click to expand...

That's what I didn't understand...from your initial post. When did
this start happening? That's unusual. That's why I suggest you get
the latest firmware upgrade and flash it.

Any software upgrades/installs lately...that may have caused the
problem. Norton? If yer runnin' realtime anti-virus protection, turn
it off for this drive.

Also, have you looked into your Event Viewer?

Can you try the drive in another machine?

Good luck, Mike...let us know.



Have a nice week...

Trent©

NUDITY...birth control for folks over 50!
 
Well, here's the latest on this problem.

I called up Gateway Tech Support and talked to them a little
while and apparently convinced them that it was the CD-RW drive.
(The experiments I did based on suggestions from this newsgroup
helped.) So, in 7-8 business days, I should be receiving a
new drive. (I'd hoped for a brand new 52x/24x/52x (or so) drive,
but they're just sending the same old NEC NR-7700A out.)

Thanks, everybody, for the suggestions, ideas, etc. I'll post
when I get the drive and get it installed. Hopefully, it'll
be a success story.
 
Mike said:
Well, here's the latest on this problem.

I called up Gateway Tech Support and talked to them a little
while and apparently convinced them that it was the CD-RW drive.
(The experiments I did based on suggestions from this newsgroup
helped.) So, in 7-8 business days, I should be receiving a
new drive. (I'd hoped for a brand new 52x/24x/52x (or so) drive,
but they're just sending the same old NEC NR-7700A out.)
Click to expand...

Well, Gateway sent the replacement CDRW drive via UPS and it
arrived yesterday (i.e., 4 business days after I called them).
It turns out they didn't send the exact same (NEC NR-7700A) drive,
they sent a drive whose label indicates it's a Hitachi-LG Data
Storage GCE-8483B (with a Gateway part number added on). When
I looked the Gateway part number up on the Gateway support web
site, it indicates the drive is a "RPL HLDS Grey 48X/24X/48X
IDE CD-RW Drive R0", which, while somewhat cryptic, tells me
they did send a drive that's a little more recent (and quite a
bit faster) than the 12x/8x/32x NEC NR-7700A. I installed the
new Hitachi drive today, and everything seems to work OK. The
BIOS identifies the drive (on power up and on restarts), WinXP
recognizes the drive: I can play audio CDs OK and I can browse
data CD-Rs OK. (I haven't tried burning any CD-Rs yet, but I'm
confident that will work OK when I try that this weekend.)

So thanks people for the suggestions posted on this thread that
helped me convince Gateway to send me the drive. (And I guess
I should thank Gateway as well for finally "doing the right thing".)

My next task is to box up the old NEC drive and send it back to
Gateway. At least they included a return UPS shipping label, so
that's not going to be an issue.
 
Mike said:
Well, Gateway sent the replacement CDRW drive via UPS and it
arrived yesterday (i.e., 4 business days after I called them).
It turns out they didn't send the exact same (NEC NR-7700A) drive,
they sent a drive whose label indicates it's a Hitachi-LG Data
Storage GCE-8483B (with a Gateway part number added on). When
I looked the Gateway part number up on the Gateway support web
site, it indicates the drive is a "RPL HLDS Grey 48X/24X/48X
IDE CD-RW Drive R0", which, while somewhat cryptic, tells me
they did send a drive that's a little more recent (and quite a
bit faster) than the 12x/8x/32x NEC NR-7700A. I installed the
new Hitachi drive today, and everything seems to work OK. The
BIOS identifies the drive (on power up and on restarts), WinXP
recognizes the drive: I can play audio CDs OK and I can browse
data CD-Rs OK. (I haven't tried burning any CD-Rs yet, but I'm
confident that will work OK when I try that this weekend.)

So thanks people for the suggestions posted on this thread that
helped me convince Gateway to send me the drive. (And I guess
I should thank Gateway as well for finally "doing the right thing".)

My next task is to box up the old NEC drive and send it back to
Gateway. At least they included a return UPS shipping label, so
that's not going to be an issue.
Click to expand...

I'm glad that it has worked out for you. Good luck with the new drive.
 
I installed the
new Hitachi drive today, and everything seems to work OK. The
BIOS identifies the drive (on power up and on restarts), WinXP
recognizes the drive: I can play audio CDs OK and I can browse
data CD-Rs OK. (I haven't tried burning any CD-Rs yet, but I'm
confident that will work OK when I try that this weekend.)
Click to expand...

Mike--

I am glad to hear you have resolved the problem. Enjoy the new drive.

albert
 
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