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Dell Dimension 2400 with DEAD CD player, OR is it?
Hi ALL!
I have a Dell Dimension 2400....YES, its over 5 years OLD! I can't replace it at this time ...because I'm a carpenter, and I have NO work! OK..this is the problem. I have a simple CD player, I hardly ever use it! I just got rid of Norton Internet Security 2004, yes 2004, and replaced it with Avira, yes it's free, I'm broke! Anyhow...I like to play Scrabble, I have the CD, I haven't been able to play because it won't run anymore, for what reason I don't know! So...one of the suspicions is that I have NIS, so I got rid of it, I wanted to if I could install it and play. Well I slipped the CD in, you can hear it spool than it dies, I tried it several times, same thing! I tried other CD's that I know did work same thing! So what can it be? Old age?
Many thanks, Ted
osprey4
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December 22nd, 2009 07:00
Hi, Ted:
First of all, would you please remove your service tag? Not supposed to post those. Thanks.
Second, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a 5 yr old computer. Mine is even older! :emotion-5: Us old guys with old computers need to stick together.
Ok, now your CD drive. Please try this. Insert a disc, then open My Computer. Right click on your CD drive (probably drive D) and select Explore. If you get a window with a list of files, then the drive is probably good but your autoplay feature is not working. If you get a message asking to insert a disc, then there may be a hardware problem with the drive.
Please let me know what happens and we'll go from there.
TedBier22
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December 22nd, 2009 07:00
Hi Ospey!
Thanks for the reply!
Yes I deleted my service tag #, I thought it would help with the CD info, as in which model!
Anyhow, I inserted CD, yes it says "insert Disc".
One thing I did notice while its trying to spool is this weird sort of noise, it sounds like a flicking noise, hard to describe!
Anyhow, many thanks for your help!
Ted
TedBier22
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December 22nd, 2009 09:00
Hi again!
Could it be a driver problem? I've been fooling with the CD player, once I stuck a CD in, and it started to spool sort of normaly...than it died! It sems lost! I think this is the CD player I have, I copied this off of the system hardware!
hl-dt-st-cd-rom-gcr-8483b
HELP!!
Ted
osprey4
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December 22nd, 2009 10:00
Hi, Ted:
The next thing I would do is test the drive using the Dell diagnostics. Boot the computer and hit F12, which brings up the boot options menu. Select Utility Partition to get into the diagnostics. You'll want to run a custom test, and perform the READ test on just your CD drive. You need to insert a data disc, like a program disc, in the drive to perform the read test. Let me know if it passes or fails.
TedBier22
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December 22nd, 2009 10:00
Hi again Osprey4!
I did your test. I inserted two different CD's, my Scrabble and another that I have used with this CD player, both times it says something like...no data on cd!
The player does spool, seems lost!
The F12 Diag test area is cool, didn't know it existed!
Many thanks, Ted
ieee488
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December 22nd, 2009 13:00
You might be able to find an used one for free on freecycle.org or craigslist.org
TedBier22
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December 22nd, 2009 13:00
Hi again Ospey4,
Thanks so very much for your help! It's not what I wanted to hear, but its what I thought! And thanks for clearing up the next question....which kind!
THX, Ted
osprey4
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December 22nd, 2009 13:00
Ted:
Ok, sounds like it's time for a new drive. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to replace. You need an IDE type drive, also called EIDE or PATA. Not SATA. You can get either a read only drive or a drive that can also write to blank discs. It will be cheaper if you buy one online.
osprey4
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December 22nd, 2009 15:00
Ted:
One more thing, I have a few old CD-ROM drives, although the bezel is beige and not black. If you are interested, I would be happy to send one to you for only the price of the shipping, maybe $3-4.
shesagordie
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December 22nd, 2009 15:00
TedBier22
Check out the IDE DVD/CD drives HERE
Bev.
TedBier22
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December 27th, 2009 17:00
Hi Osprey4 and Others!
I was able to get a hold of a DVD-ROM drive localy. Its model GDR-8160B. I have never installed one of these before. I have the DELL manual, looked through it...seems simple enough mechanicaly. This drive is IDE, my question IS, will I have to play with JUMPERS? Will XP home have the drivers, or will I have to find them?
Just how do I go installing it? Just pop the old one out, unplug it, plug in the new and hope it finds drivers etc ?
Many thanks ALL!
Ted
shesagordie
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December 27th, 2009 17:00
TedBier22
You need to set the 'Jumpers' to Cable Select [CS], the settings should be shown on the DVD/ROM label, or casing.
There are no drivers to download for a DVD/ROM,they are included in XP.
Bev.