Changed CD ROM Drive, Can't Boot Up

[Matt Bracken]

I've got a hassle with my 12 year old son's PC. We bought it reconditioned locally, it runs Win Office Professional 2000. It's only used for PC gaming. Somehow he busted the CD Rom drive, some little bit of plastic on rail inside split, so the CD drawer wouldn't go in and out. So I found the exact same CD Rom drive at ISellSurplus.com for $8, and did a swap out.


There's a long "ribbon" type connector with about 40 pins in 2 rows, a four pin power connector (white nylon an inch long) and a tiny black 4 pin connector about 1/4 inch by 1/2 inch for audio. I just put the new drive in place and hooked it up, and turnedon the machine, expecting it to go back to Windows as before.

Now, when I turn on the machine, instead of going to Windows, it first tells shows a big screen telling me the motherboard was manufactured by Intel. (I never saw this screen before.)

Then I get two loud beeps, and a black screen with white type, at the top is
Phoenix BIOS 4.0 etc.

Down the page is
Key detected
Mouse detected
Event log messages enter setup to view
Error 02B0 discette drive A error
Press F1 to resume
Press F2 to setup



If I press F1, I get another black screen with "Operating System Not Found" up in the corner.
If I press F2, I go to the color BIOS screen, but I really can't change anything or get beyond it.

Is this machine hosed, did I mess it up, or what? Can I fix the situation, or do I need to reinstall Windows?

[tetonbob]

Hi Matt-

On the POST screen (the black one with white type) is your Hard Drive or CD ROM drive listed?

Is the cable connecting your hard drive secure in it's controller on the motherboard? Perhaps it is loose? Re-seat all cable connections.

Is the CD ROM drive on the same controller as the Hard Drive, or on it's own? The new CD ROM drive has a little plastic "jumper" on the back, too. It needs to be set correctly. To Master if it is on it's own controller, or to Slave if it is connected to the same cable and controller as the Hard Drive.

Is the IDE ribbon cable installed in the proper orientation? Most, but not all, are keyed to prevent improper insertion. Same with the Molex connector (white 1"nylon). Also, on the ribbon cable, there is usually a red line on one edge - this indicates the Pin 1 wire. This red line should usually be oriented closest to the red wire on the Molex connector.

If you remove the new CD ROM drive connection, does the system boot normallly?

And you can't navigate at all through your BIOS screens?

Let us know,

Bob

[Matt Bracken]

Thanks Bob! I'll try all of your hints tomorrow AM and see what happens.

Matt