Hi all, this topic is a puzzle for the most skilled people on the message board (and moderators, Dell folks!).  Unfortunately, this puzzle is stopping me from getting any work done!

 

Predator, I've read a number of your posts and tried some of the things you mentioned to other folks with similar problems.  So I've gone from your play book (ie: when you see things I've tried below, many of them use your method/site).

 

My puzzle (headache, whatever ;) ) to all of you...

 

CD DVD PROBLEM

 

I am running:
Dell Dimension 8100
Windows XP SP 2 (all updates installed to date)
Sony DVD ROM Drive (std for this model)
Samsung CDRW Drive (std for this model)

 

Note that IT WORKED JUST FINE FOR MANY MANY WEEKS UNDER THE IDENTICAL SOFTWARE INSTALL BASE/SYSTEM CONFIGURATION!!!!

Also note that it effected BOTH drives, of different manufacturers, of different types, using different drivers, AT THE EXACT

SAME TIME (so we can rule out hardware)

 

I have tried:
--Reinstalling drivers
--Clearing NVRAM
--Removing Upper/Lower Registry values for all Current Configs/Settings (there were none listed to delete)
--Changing CD Bootable in bios to off, then back on (when it didn't work- I restored the setting that worked in the past)
--Deleting the drives in Device Manager/ Hardware Profiles and letting Win redetect them
--Windows reports that both drives are "functioning normally" LOL! (also no error codes, X's, !'s or ?'s)
--And of course, cold (power off, pstrip off, cooldown) boots after each attempt

Here is the problem:

When I try to open/explore a cd (to see it's file contents), I get "please insert a disk into drive (drive of CD/DVD)."  However, I ran a game that needs the cd, and it successfully started and spun up the cd in either drive (cd or dvd), and the program started (if it cannot access the correct CD it will pop up an error message).  Also, when I rightclick on the desktop shortcut that I made for each drive (CD and DVD), the Autoplay option ONLY appears when there is a CD in the drive (so it must "know" that the cd is in there).

Interestingly enough, the Floppy drive is also not functioning when you try to explore/open it (it makes the normal grinding noise).  I found this out trying to update my BIOS (but this really isn't necessary, because, as I said above, the thing worked JUST FINE for MANY MANY MANY weeks under that config). 

 

What the floppy drive does is this:
--When formatting a disk (quick or regular), it goes to the very "end" of the completion bar (after all the normal churning), and then says The disk could not be formatted.  Yes, I tried a half a dozen different disks.
--When reading a floppy disk that is already formatted and contains data- ie a disk that is KNOWN to work, Windows cannot find the disk "Please insert a disk into Drive A:"
--When trying to explore the floppy drive with no disk present: "The disk in drive A: is not formatted, would you like to format it now?"  THERE IS NO DISK IN DRIVE A:!!!!!

 

What is going on here, and more importantly, how do I fix it?