PantherLotus
Professional Schmuck
Situation
Hey guys. I'm fairly savvy with computers, at least for an average joe. Well, at least I know how to open up the case and replace RAM and all that. So its with respect and a little shame that I approach you now. Typically I just look up the problem and manage my way through without too much damage, and I like the learning experience.
So I got a DVD Burner and installed it. I took out my existing CD drive (and left in my other DVD drive). Fairly easy process honestly. All it required was case removal, unplugging the stuff from the old drive, and then plugging the new stuff into the new drive.
The Problem.
Upon startup, I get the dreaded old-school "BeBEEP" from the CPU (not from the speakers). It happened right after BIOS loaded but before Windows loaded. I got an old-school DOS-style message:
Of course, I tried continue and got a major WTF moment. Explorer.exe simply wouldn't load. I got my bg wallpaper, of course, but no icons, no bottom bar, nothing. I also tried F2 and tried playing around with the order of the drives in the setup menu, but nothing worked. I really tried a lot of different things. I checked the cables and rechecked the cables, to both DVD drives and to the Hard Drive. Still nothing.
So I took out the new DVD drive and put in the old one. Worse news: I got the same freaking message. At this point I'm freaking out a little, but still confident. I play a little more with some of the settings in setup (the order of the drives). By a fluke I hit F1 to continue instead of resetting it again. And what-do-you know, everything is working fine. But I don't have my new drive installed.
Here's where I need your help. After looking around for a bit the only idea I'm getting is that somehow the new drive was taking precedence over an existing drive or they were both in the same IDE (what does that mean?) or something. The suggestion was to try swapping the drive cables, but I don't want to further bork my system.
Right now everything is running fine, which is like not getting caught after shoplifting. And you can bet your ass that I want to try it again and screw around, but I can't **** my system up, as its the only one I have.
Any help?
Vitals
Dell Dimension 2400
DVD Drive (old and intending on keeping in the unit)
CD Drive (old and intending on removal and replacement)
DVD RW Drive (new and replacing the CD drive)
Windows XP
Hey guys. I'm fairly savvy with computers, at least for an average joe. Well, at least I know how to open up the case and replace RAM and all that. So its with respect and a little shame that I approach you now. Typically I just look up the problem and manage my way through without too much damage, and I like the learning experience.
So I got a DVD Burner and installed it. I took out my existing CD drive (and left in my other DVD drive). Fairly easy process honestly. All it required was case removal, unplugging the stuff from the old drive, and then plugging the new stuff into the new drive.
The Problem.
Upon startup, I get the dreaded old-school "BeBEEP" from the CPU (not from the speakers). It happened right after BIOS loaded but before Windows loaded. I got an old-school DOS-style message:
Uh-oh Screen said:
Of course, I tried continue and got a major WTF moment. Explorer.exe simply wouldn't load. I got my bg wallpaper, of course, but no icons, no bottom bar, nothing. I also tried F2 and tried playing around with the order of the drives in the setup menu, but nothing worked. I really tried a lot of different things. I checked the cables and rechecked the cables, to both DVD drives and to the Hard Drive. Still nothing.
So I took out the new DVD drive and put in the old one. Worse news: I got the same freaking message. At this point I'm freaking out a little, but still confident. I play a little more with some of the settings in setup (the order of the drives). By a fluke I hit F1 to continue instead of resetting it again. And what-do-you know, everything is working fine. But I don't have my new drive installed.
Here's where I need your help. After looking around for a bit the only idea I'm getting is that somehow the new drive was taking precedence over an existing drive or they were both in the same IDE (what does that mean?) or something. The suggestion was to try swapping the drive cables, but I don't want to further bork my system.
Right now everything is running fine, which is like not getting caught after shoplifting. And you can bet your ass that I want to try it again and screw around, but I can't **** my system up, as its the only one I have.
Any help?
Vitals
Dell Dimension 2400
DVD Drive (old and intending on keeping in the unit)
CD Drive (old and intending on removal and replacement)
DVD RW Drive (new and replacing the CD drive)
Windows XP
