Godamn Cd Drive!!! Arrrrrrr

Discussion in 'Computer Science & Culture' started by Pollux V, Apr 24, 2002.

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  1. Pollux V Ra Bless America Registered Senior Member

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    It stopped working, godamnit, our comps old but as some of you know I upgraded it, F*CK, can't play any games, nothing. I even took the f*cker apart, looked through all the F*cking wires, everything. It makes this wierd, low pitched humming noise. Christ it's really pissing me off (can you tell?). We're gonna have to take it to gateway, f*ck I hate those bastards, it'll be there for a week, then they won't return our calls, F*CK!!! HELP!!!
     
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  3. Chagur .Seeker. Registered Senior Member

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    Pollux V ...

    Considering how cheap CD drives are now days,
    why not just pop in a new one?

    Take care

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  5. Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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    CD-drives were never really manufactured to pull apart and be fixed, if anything the hum you heard was either the motor disengaged from spinning the disk, or from the door of the cd-rom having a malfunction.

    Sometimes they are easy to fix, othertimes it's best just to take them outside and get a nice big hammer and show it whos boss.

    By the way it doesn't fix it, but it sure as heck helps with taking your frustration out on something.
     
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  7. Pollux V Ra Bless America Registered Senior Member

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    It seems like the thing just can't read the disc, and the door works fine. Last time I checked cd drives seemed pretty pricey but that was awhile ago so I'll keep my eyes peeled.
     
  8. wet1 Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    You can get cd drives from $25-$40 new. I usually buy them from a "We make computers" place. You get an item in an antistatic bag with a cd for the drivers and that's it. No box, no other trash, just what you need. Who need $20-$40 worth of packaging or mark-up?

    I have a 16# "jewlers hammer" for the delicate and sensitive work such as Stryder mentions. Very satisfying...
     
  9. Pollux V Ra Bless America Registered Senior Member

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    I thought a few hours ago that I had fixed the problem but apparently not. I right clicked on the d drive (my cd drive) and told it to eject. It did so, and I put the cd back in, and voila, it worked again, as well as ever, even if it did still make that ominous humming noise(kind of like Gary Shandlings penis in 'What Planet are you From?").

    Although I did say that I wanted a cheap cd drive, I don't want to take the computer apart. With this old thing it really is a pain in the ass and I know that I'd break something, so I had this in mind. Would it be able to replace my current cd drive? I'm not sure that it would because it's just a usb-port, it might just burn cd's, not read them.

    Thanks.
     
  10. Pollux V Ra Bless America Registered Senior Member

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    Ah, damnit the thing didn't work. If you have time, follow the link and move the mouse over cd/dvd rom drives. Click on cd-rw. Now click on the fifth one from the top. THat's what I'm ahtalking about.
     
  11. wet1 Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    Checked the link. It opened up to memory. I would guess that you are thinking of a usb external cd burner. Will your os support it?

    Replacing a drive is not that hard of an operation. You usually have 4 screws holding the drive in the bay. A plug (sometimes 2) to unplug and usually a wire that goes to the sound card or controller card (if it is a old one) and that's about it. Of course you need to be mindfull of static charges and work with the power off. If you are uncomfortable with it there are computer shops that will do if for you.

    I would use an external device as a last resort.
     
  12. wet1 Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    Your problems are not as bad as it could be. You could be having this...

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  13. Lesion42 Deranged Hermit Registered Senior Member

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    hell, if you get REAL desperate, just get some $20 cheapie until you can get some huge monster cd-rw. Then you'll be able to play all your games, which ought to help keep your sanity a little more stable

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  14. Clarentavious Person Registered Senior Member

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    *murmurs to himself* jesus christ

    Get yourself a KenWood True 72X on SCSI Ha ha! Just kidding. You can find yourself a new CD-ROM for about $20 (if you do a little looking, otherwise it might cost you $50).

    As the guy above mentioned, buying OEM helps (bare bones, no fancy retail box with instruction manual, etc....)

    If you really want to consider quality (in which case you will be paying $50 instead of $20), PlexWriter is famous for making the best CD based products (though they mostly do burners, they have CD-ROMs as well).

    Most drives are 52x Max (some are 48x, like Mitsumi; some are 56x, like Acer - but most are 52x).

    If you don't have one right now, it might help calm you down to get a shielded UDMA 66 IDE cable. UDMA 66 cables are 40 pin, but have 80 wires running from them (regular cables only have 40 wires and will only run at ATA 33 - 66 cables will let you go as high as 133 - though currently the only drives running on that ATAPI interface are harddrives made by Maxtor, no CD-ROMs - most other harddrives are ATA 100 - and most motherboards supporting 133 have it on a RAID interface - am I confusing you yet?

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    ). You can tell because there's obviously twice as many wires, and they are much thinner (they are finer, and feel smoother).

    Shielded cables have extra protection on them. Helps ensure that the signal is not interrupted by static and loud noises (if you happen to keep your PC inside of a nuclear power plant

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    ) They sometimes have extra rubber wrapped around them, and are blue in color (as opposed to most IDE cables which are white/gray)

    They cost $20-30, but are not necessary (it just might help your sanity a bit)

    Just attach it to your secondary IDE channel and your drive. And as that guy mentioned above, you'll also need your power supply, and your CD-audio cable (if you want to listen to CD music).

    Oh, and don't forget, while it will likely be done for you, make sure your jumper switch is set to master for the drive (instead of slave).

    There, is that a thorough enough response?

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  15. Pollux V Ra Bless America Registered Senior Member

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    Yes, it is, claren, thanks a lot. Hopefully we'll be able to give the FUCKERS at gateway a call today

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  16. Clarentavious Person Registered Senior Member

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    Yay, I hate Gateway. Next time your parents buy a computer, PLEASE convince them not to go with a bullcrap company (like gateway, dell, compaq, etc....) and custom build it.
     
  17. Clarentavious Person Registered Senior Member

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    Oh, if you want some wickedly evil info on CD-ROMs, you can go here http://www.cdspeed2000.com/ They have all kinds of info there that might help you.
     
  18. Pollux V Ra Bless America Registered Senior Member

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    I hate to say this without trying any of the websites but for me to actually fix the drive I have to remove this slot from behind it, and the little bugger is really stuck.

    So other than taking 'pete the semi-robotic platapus' to the nearest gateway store about four hours away (by car), is there anything at all we can do (I seriously tried to pull it out, the thing won't move)?

    Should I be more specific?
     
  19. Avatar smoking revolver Valued Senior Member

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  20. Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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    Pollux,
    If you manage to DIY, which might meaning pulling it apart and putting it backtogether like a giant jigsaw puzzle you can:

    Save money and Ozone on not using the Car.
    Save time and effort not having to get the machine to Gateway.
    know how to do things in the future without suffering TECHNOFEAR!
     
  21. Avatar smoking revolver Valued Senior Member

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    I actually enjoy taking my pc smtimes apart and playing with it

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    it's so old I can afford to brake smth

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    ......

    and I did not have any probs when I once cleaned my cd-drive (it was tht old and fckin Creative(Samsung) 32X.....
    now I have the best

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    - NEC-40X and when you are goig to buy a new one Pollux I suggest you to get one not faster thn 40X. faster brake discs (tht may competely trash you new cd-drive)..
    NEC is the est non-writter. TEAC is the best writter
     
  22. sjmarsha Registered Senior Member

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    Warning against self repair...

    So far I have had three CD rom drives break. I tried to fix them all. The first one works ok, and is still working.

    The second one is now in the bin!

    and the third is now sitting next to me in pieces on my desk with me scratching my head wondering where all the bits go!

    So I have had a 1 in 3 success rate! can anyone better that?
     
  23. Pollux V Ra Bless America Registered Senior Member

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    I'm not afraid of techie stuff it's just that the thing is stuck and we can't angle ourselves in such a way so that we could apply more pressure. To take the cd drive out you have to pull this thing out and I can't get it so it has to go to gateway.
     
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