Can't find CDROM after XP install

[Muttman]

My laptop was getting error messages left and right so I decided to reformat and re-install XP Home Edition. The reformatting and installation went normally until it was time to restart the computer. My laptop restarted and Windows loaded just fine. It was only when I inserted the Drivers CD that I got with my laptop into the CD ROM, that I noticed the auto load feature didn't work so I tried it manually. I pressed the MY Computer icon and didn't see the CD ROM icon. It is a DVD/CD-R combo drive. The light on the CD ROM flickers over and over again for a few and the the light stops entirely, but still continues to make the sound of of it being in use. There are hardware on my laptop that are not working properly due to this. My laptop is a complete write off at this time. It is a huge part of my livelihood thus the emergency.

If anyone can help me, that would be great.

Thanks in advance.

[Gobbles]

shut down your laptop. Remove the cdrom and reinstall it. That is if it is removable. If not then something may have worked loose, or windows is just smeshed even though its a clean install.

If you reboot with the windows cd in the drive does it boot from the cd?

[profdlp]

Make sure the disc is not smudged or scratched. Have you tried a different disc?

Go into the laptop's bios and make sure that both IDE channels are enabled. Is this an internal or external drive?

Again, in the bios try setting the cdrom as the first boot device and boot from your Windows CD. This will help isolate it either as a hardware or software problem. If it boots directly from the CD but won't read it when booted normally in Windows we'll know it's software-related.

What does Device Manager look like? Any red "X" or yellow "?", or "Unknown Device" items?

Let us know what you find. :)

EDIT: You're guick, Gobbles! :thumbsup:

[Muttman]

shut down your laptop. Remove the cdrom and reinstall it. That is if it is removable. If not then something may have worked loose, or windows is just smeshed even though its a clean install.

If you reboot with the windows cd in the drive does it boot from the cd?
I tried removing and reinstalling and I get the same thing. Flashing light followed by typical CD ROM in use sound. When I try to reboot with Windows CD, all I get is the above. I also tried my Windows CD on another computer and it automaticly loads.

[Muttman]

Make sure the disc is not smudged or scratched. Have you tried a different disc?

Go into the laptop's bios and make sure that both IDE channels are enabled. Is this an internal or external drive?

Again, in the bios try setting the cdrom as the first boot device and boot from your Windows CD. This will help isolate it either as a hardware or software problem. If it boots directly from the CD but won't read it when booted normally in Windows we'll know it's software-related.

What does Device Manager look like? Any red "X" or yellow "?", or "Unknown Device" items?

Let us know what you find. :)

EDIT: You're guick, Gobbles! :thumbsup:
Firstly, thanks for the speedy response.

(1) As I wrote to Gobbles, I successfully tried my Windows CD on another computer. (2) I also looked at the BIOS, but I can't really change too much there. It lists: HDD (PM) = 40GB, Internal Hard Disk = Samsung MP0402H, CD/DVD-ROM = None, but I can only view this. By the way it's an internal drive. (3) I have the Boot Sequence set at: CD-ROM, Floppy, Hard Disk, PXE. As I originally mentioned, the CD-ROM's light flashes for a bit followed by the sound of the CD-ROM in use. I checked the Device Manager for the answer to the last part of your question and found the following three items under the heading "Others", with yellow ?s and !s next to all three. (I) Multimedia Audio Controller (II) PCI Modem (III) Video Controller (VGA Compatible). I hope that helps.

Thanks again. :)

[Gobbles]

sounds like your cdrom is fuxored. If the bios does not list it, its probably not connected all the way or its just given up teh ghost.

[GrayFox]

Gah X_X Ive seen that happen a few times with samsung cd-rom drives...... There evil.....There harddrives are too.

[Muttman]

sounds like your cdrom is fuxored. If the bios does not list it, its probably not connected all the way or its just given up teh ghost.
I also thought that but it happened after I installed XP. I mean it worked well enough to install XP.