CD Writer Problem on Dell Optiplex GX150

[Smadguy]

Hi,

I wonder if any here can advise me. Firstly - I didn't know which forum to put this in as its to do with a cd-writer but more to do with Technical Support.

Secondly (Problem)

I have just removed a CD-Writer (HP 9300) from a Compaq Dekspro EN6450 which worked perfectly well (Although PC a little slow) and tried to install it into a Dell Optiplex GX150 (A little bit quicker). I removed the exisiting cd-rom and put the writer in its place. Connected it all up and what do you know - the poxy thing doesn't work.

I've tried installing Nero, Easy CD-Creator 3.5b,c , 4.05 but none of these work. They all come up with the same fault :

No supported CD-Writers could be found, etc, etc.

I have checked the jumper settings (IDE), changed from Cable Select to Master. I know the cd-writer reads because thats how I originally got the software installed. In the Bios on the Dell it even tells me that its a HP 9300.

System (Not mine, Company)

Dell Optiplex GX150
256MB Ram
20GB HD connected to Primary IDE Channel as Master
HP 9300 CD-Writer, connected to Secondary IDE Channel as Master

Windows NT4 with SP6a.

Please don't tell me to try install a different OS because,
a: It originally wotked on the Compaq with WinNT SP6a
b: the entire network still runs on WinNT4 and licensing would be an issue.

Thanks in advance.:confused:

[MiguelAl]

If you go to "SCSI Adapters" in the "Control Panel" what devices do you have?

Is your CD-Writer correctly detected or is NT still just reporting the CD-ROM you took out?

[Bellbus]

A parallel Port or SCSI driver will appear there, but an IDE Burner is usually found under CD Rom Drives.

Have you tried as a Slave to the primary IDE connector?

You may need to update the ASPI layer of your new machine. Details of this can be found on the Adaptec site.

Oh, and by the way, Nero and CD Creator (earlier versions) don't like being on the same machine. I am aware people have managed, but in general Adaptec don't recommend it. A Patch came out.

Go to (may be slightly different on NT)
Control Panel
System
Devices
Extend the tree at CD Rom
Is the name of the CD Rom coming up correctly?

[MiguelAl]

Bellbuss, we are talking about NT here.

An IDE Burner is precisely found at "SCSI Adapters" in the NT control panel.

ASPI layer? Don't think so.

Windows NT's Plug & Pray does thinks quite differently from Windows 9x, Me, 2000, XP. That's why MS doesn't support USB on Win NT.

[Bellbus]

Oops, fair enough about the SCSI comment, MiguelAl, but I know a lot of people how have had to play with the ASPI patches to get older burners to work, even on NT.

We really need to know the drives name in Device manager.

Plug N Pray - I don't think even praying works with NT half the time!

Do you ever remember downloading any NT patches for the software on your old system?

[MiguelAl]

OK Bellbuss I've got to hand it to you. ASPI could be it. I should have said "I don't think." instead of "I don't think so."

I mess too much with my PCs. The result is having my NT4 Workstation bogged down. No time to reinstall.

What we need to do is get rid of the CD-ROM references in NT4.

When NT4 boots it searches for the devices registered in the default hardware profile. Smadguy's current default hardware profile tells NT4 there is a CD-ROM installed. NT4 goes to check-up on this and validates this info. It does not attempt to see if the CD-ROM got "upgraded" with new features. This could represent a stability hazard and since NT is all about stability it's not "in" him to do this.

If I had my NT4 I would have a look at how to remove the CD-ROM from the hardware profile as it is quite different from removing hardware using the "Device Manager" in other MS Windows OSs.

You could do it using the registry editor looking around in the HKEY_LOCAL _MACHINE key for CD-ROM references and deleting them but unless you are experienced with this I wouldn't recommend it.

[Smadguy]

Thanks for your responses.

I actually found the problem. The problem lies with the upgraded Ulta ATA100 driver loaded on the system. However - you cannot uninstall this (Tried on a duplicate machine without this patch and worked fine).

The only solution would have been a rebuild but as I don't have time to do it, just took it out and stuck it back in the machine it originally came out of.

The orignal machine has since recieved an extra 256MB. Should've done it in the first place.

NB. I had removed Adaptec before installing Nero and vice versa.

Again, thanks for your responses.