DVD RW/ HDD issue

securespark

securespark

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Uh-oh!

Since my upgrade from Win 7 to Win 10, I have "lost" my DVD drive.

It does not appear anywhere in Device Manager or This PC, although the BIOS boot-up lists it as being connected to Channel 0 Slave.

Around the same time, I had issues with the HDD light staying on.

From a quick foray into the internet, I see that there can be issues connecting these symptoms and one possible solution is replacement of the DVD drive.

Can anybody enlighten me please?
 
Might be worth updating the firmware for the drive before changing it, although they're cheap enough these days.
There's a description of how to here
http://www.genie9.com/support/kb/KnowledgeArticle.aspx?KBID=93
but basically you look in "device manager" (if it's called that in Win 10) for the drive make and type, and then download the right firmware from the maker, and follow the instructions.
 
Thanks! Although with the hardware not showing in DM, I can't be sure which one it is. I'll search the net for firmware in the name appearing in the BIOS.
 
I have had disks disappear from Windows (not W10) before, even though the BIOS could see them. I found it was a known Windows problem, sorry, I mean "feature," and there is a tool (called?disk manager?) to help you put them back.

IIRC it is the same tool that enables you to decide yourself which is the C, D or whatever.

I have only done it a few times in my life.
 
securespark said:
Thanks! Although with the hardware not showing in DM, I can't be sure which one it is. I'll search the net for firmware in the name appearing in the BIOS.
Click to expand...
Yes, if you could see it in Dm, you wouldn't have the problem. :-)
(Note to self: Read original post!)
Whether the firmware upgrade will see it is another thingof course, although it may not look for it through Windows. IIRC, the last one I did, and it's a few years back, opened up a sort of DOS window to do the upgrade. Let us know how you get on.

JohnD. Wasn't that an issue with XP. I remember there being something about it, but I never actually had a problem.
 
Hi Dave

Sadly, no joy.

Sony firmware update website could not find the Optiarc DVD RW either....

Will try John's suggestion... : )
 
There is Disk Management in Win 10, but it doesn't seem to reallocate letters to drives (right click start button)
 
In my windows 10 drive manager does allow one to set, change or delete drive letters. If windows has not assigned a drive a letter it wlll not appear in device manager, my computer etc. Open drive manager and if a drive is there without a drive letter, right click on it and you should be able to assign it a letter.

Good luck.

MikeD
 
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