Computer and Software Support


Troubleshooting Sata CD-ROM drives 

For information on CD-ROM drives, click here

There is numerous issues that can occur with CD-ROM drives and it is impossible to cover all of them here. However the steps here can guide to to determine if the CD-ROM drive, cable or the motherboard is the cause of the issue.

There are numerous configurations that a computer can have. The steps to troubleshoot can vary due to this.

Read the Safety Procedures before doing this troubleshooter!

For instructions on installing and removing parts, click here

For information on determining if you have an IDE or a SATA hard drive, click here

NOTE: During this troubleshooter, the drive will be called CD-ROM. CD-ROM replies to DVD as well as CD for this discussion.

The troubleshooter below is for systems that has only one  IDE port and one IDE cable.

To troubleshoot, follow these steps

  1. Remove drive from Device Manager by doing the following

    1. Go to Device Manager

    2. Highlight the CD-ROM drive

    3. Press the Delete Key

    4. Repeat steps A through C for any additional CD-ROM drives

    5. Turn off the computer (do not restart the computer but actually turn it off)

    6. Turn the computer on and see if the issue goes away

  2. If you have more than one CD-ROM drive, disconnect all the CD-ROM drives except one

    1. If the problem goes away, disconnect this CD-ROM drive and connect the other one

    2. If the problem shows up, continue to next step, if the problem still doesn't exist, see NOTE below

  3. Try the drives on a different SATA port

    1. If the problem goes away then it is a bad port

    2. If the problem continues go to next step

  4. Try the CD-ROM drive on a different SATA cable

    1. If the problem goes away then it is a bad cable

    5.

NOTE: If you have two drives and they both work fine independently on any connector but does not work when both are connected, then it is a compatibility issue between the two drives.