Drive problem

[TomJBraun]

Finally got Windows XP installed.

But I can't figure out why the disc drive is not accessing the discs while in Windows. First of all, I know the drive works because I was able to install Windows. However on a clean install, a disc in the drive either locks up 'My Computer' or causes Windows to boot for a very long time so I can't get the rest of the drivers in the machine for the video card or even anything from the Windows disc.

I tried a different cable, tried making it secondary IDE than primary and still not a good read yet.

Any ideas?

 

[pol II]

Perhaps it was a corrupted install (just a guess)? Is this a new build and what components are you using? Can you boot with the drive before loading windows without problems (for example, set drive as primary boot device in BIOS, put in Windows disc, and act like you are going to reinstall)? I'm trying to figure out whether the drive itself is defective or whether the Windows install was bad.

I think the most definitive way to rule out a bad optical drive is to test with another one that is known to be good in your system, and to test your current drive in a different system (that is known to be good).