CD Rom Probs

[Mynot]

I have a Mitsubishi Diamond Data 40x cd drive. Today, it decided it wasn't going to work. I checked Device Drivers, and it stated that it was a "AUAQI! ! CE-SOM ERIVE-50Y" device. Not a problem, I thought. Just uninstal and reboot. Same name again and still not working (declares an I/O Error). No probs then I will go to the Mitsubishi website and d/load new drivers. Mitsubishi state that no new drivers are required for WindowsXP.
Mmm.... I could always flash the firmware.... Mitsubishi state that I need the previous firmware, to make sure that I don't ruin the drive..... but I can't access the previous firmware, cos it thinks its a AUAQI etc etc.
I've also tried to Rollback the driver and update the driver all to no avail.
Any thoughts before it goes into the bin?

[Kareeser]

Wow... funny how the driver name looks like its letters got played around with.

Have you tried the drive in another computer to test whether it is the drive at fault?
if it works flawlessly in another computer, then it is probably a problem related to your computer, either hardware or software.

[Mynot]

No 2nd pc available. I do have a dvd-burner that operates flawlessly. So its no biggie if I have to turf it. Altho it would be nice if I knew what the prob was?
Thanks for the response tho.

[Gizmo]

Could have been the drive itself, the data cable, the controller chip socket it was plugged into or the controller chip itself. Very likely that it was the drive.

[Mynot]

Gizmo.... the cable is relatively new...about 2 months old...its a 80 pin round IDE cable.... as for the prob being the chip or the controller chip socket, since the drives are both cable select. If I reverse the cable connection, then that should make the CD Rom OK and DVD drive useless...yes?
If ithe problem remains, then that only leaves the drive itself is cactus? Have I understood that?

[Kareeser]

Yes. If you switch drives (from Master to Slave, and from Slave to Master), and the problem switches drives, then the cable is bad.

[tmathews]

"AUAQI!CE-SOM" is "ATAPI CD-ROM" with the low bit set in all characters so data line D0 sounds like the problem. I would first look (without touching!) to see if the connector is seated properly. If it is, try wiggling and pulling gently on the cable, especially near the connectors: if it's an intermittent contact in the cable, this might make it start working again. Failing that, unplug the bad drive and look carefully for bent or broken pins. If everything looks okay, plug it back in and try it again to see if it's a bad contact. If that doesn't work, then try swapping the drive positions as Kareeser suggests. Then swap back to see that the problem stays with the connector or the drive.

My money would be on a bad cable: cold solder joint or broken wire at one of the drive connectors.

[Mynot]

Its Fixed !
Thank you for your guidance to resolve the issue..... I reseated all the cables and then up it came in the "device manager".... ATAPI CD-Rom.
Thanks again guys.