Steps to troubleshooting a CD ROM

This happened to me the other day. I turned on my PC and I got a message CD-ROM not found. I intend to give you steps to check what the problem is and to come to a resolution. Sometimes it can be something simple like a loose cable or something. So here are the steps:

1. If you get the message I had restart your PC and enter the setup (bios settings). Depending on your motherboards bios that would be hitting F1, F2, or Del. Most of the time its F2 or Delete. You do this quickly before it goes into windows usually with a few seconds after you turn it on.

2. Basic Bios settings should show the IDE controllers. The hard drive would be the master and usually the CD is on the secondary IDE controller. If you have a DVD and CD-RW combination or CD and CD-RW combination one will be the master and the other the slave.

3. If one of the other is not recognized. Turn off your PC and swap the cables between the two. Never change cables while the PC is turned on. You could damage you motherboard.

4. Once you have swapped the cables turn the system on. If you have only one CD swap it with the hard drive cable and go into bios again. Check to see what is recognized if suddenly the hard drive is missing and CD is recognized you have a bad cable and need to replace it. If the hard drive is on the second and the CD is still not shown turn off the PC and switch back the cables and be sure to check that the tray button on the CD ejects the tray. If it doesn't turn it off and switch the power cables and see if once you turn it on your CD is recognized and the tray opens.

5. If the tray does not open still and it still is not recognized you have a bad CD and it needs to be replaced. Cd's, CDRW, and DVDs vary in price and you can get one for under $50 dollars unless of course your system is under warranty than your PC manufacturer will replace it for you. You can install it yourself if you want to save some money or have a friend do it. Many people just take it to a shop if they don't feel confident doing it themselves.

6. There is one other step I failed to mention that sometimes your secondary port can be defective thus your motherboard would need replacing. One way to check this is to go into windows and if in device manager under IDE it does not show the secondary port as missing or having a splat your motherboard is fine and you need to replace your CD.

7. What if your bios shows the CD and you don't get any message when booting up but when you boot into windows your CD does not work.

8. First thing you want to do is check the IDE settings in device manager if the secondary port is missing or has a splat. If this is the case remove the both primary and secondary your PC will prompt you to restart click okay.

9. Once your PC reboots check it again if everything is fine this time try using your CD if it works than your okay.

10. If it doesn't work try removing the CD in device manager and reboot. If when you reboot everything is fine than your okay. If it still doesn't work which is unlikely than make sure there are no splats at all in device manager and that the CD is reading correctly if its Reading SCSI and you don't have a SCSI remove it and reboot again. If it doesn't work this time replace the CD.

11. If you check the device manager and you have splats on both IDE's try removing the bus mastering and both primary and secondary and reboot your PC.

12. If everything is fine when you reboot than you back in business if it still is splatted than you need to run your virus software. You would be getting a message that your hard drive is running in real mode which is DOS mode. This happens when drivers get corrupted.

13. If running your virus software finds and removes a virus that caused the problem you should be okay. If not I suggest at this point reloading your hard drive. Sometimes this is the only option.

14. If you feel confident in doing these steps congratulations. There is always help somewhere if you do not. Just note if your PC is in warranty contact your PC manufacturer first. If its out of warranty most shops will charge a diagnostic fee plus parts and replacement installation if a replacement is warranted. A computer shop is required to contact you after diagnostics to let you know what costs or estimates will be if further action is needed.

As always I hope this info was helpful. Until later have a nice day.

Tim