Techie help
My nice newish laptop seems to have broken.

I am going through the online troubleshooting process but just thought I'd ask if anyone has experience of this particular problem...

It's a Dell Inspiron 1525. The CD/DVD drive has stopped working - it doesn't recognise discs when I put them in, and it isn't showing in "my computer". There is power in it (the light comes on, and it does whirr if I put a disc in), but it's as if the pooter just refusese to accept that it exists.

I am non technical, so you have to treat me like an idiot with this.
( warmfuzzies Isn't here, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 13:48, 16 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

It could be one of (at least) 3 problems
1 - The drive itself is knackered. Solution, have a new one fitted.

2 - The cable connecting the drive to the motherboard has come adrift. Solution - take apart the computer and make sure the connector is firmly seated at both ends.

3 - The IDE controller has gone. Solution - New motherboard.

No. 3 is the most expensive problem, and if it's the case then I'd advise buying a cheap external USB CD/DVD drive and using that, as it'll be cheaper than a new motherboard.

Have you tried giving it a thump?
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 13:57, Reply)

easy
Hit. It. With. A. Hammer.

Ask for a replacement.
(Halfy By light alone, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 14:01, Reply)

Reboot?
It's the answer every techie has ever given me - always try first.
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 14:02, Reply)

Contact Dell
I've had my Inspiron for about two years, a couple of months ago the power cable packed up. They sent me a new one free of charge and I didn't have an extended warranty either but I'd had no other problems and they wanted to keep me as a customer.
I've found their customer service to be really good and I'd always buy from them again.

I know lots of people on here are real techies and therefore will build their own kit from a couple of bus tickets and some camel dung but my technical expertise extends to knowing how to plug it in.
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 14:09, Reply)

I'm with chickenlady
our Dell laptop also had a knackered power cable and I got a new one from them within 24 hours.... very impressive.
(TheWeeWitch hasn't been here much recently .., Wed 1 Oct 2008, 14:13, Reply)

It might be a connectivity issue.

You can disconnect the drive (undo the little screw holding it into the lap top) slide the drive out and slide it back in again. It might reconnect.

Also, if it's visible in device manager you could try uninstalling it there and then re-installing again.

good luck
( Pooflake braces for an onslaught..., Wed 1 Oct 2008, 14:28, Reply)

This
My old laptop did a similar thing, and I found that simply reinstalling it in device manager did the trick and never had any other problems...
(gin'll fix it, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 14:48, Reply)

Woo!
Hurrah for Dell!

I was concerned - the troubleshooter started thusly:

The following wizard is complex. It may require the following:
More than 20 minutes to complete all tasks by new user to Dell™ systems
Hand tools to complete one or more tasks (hammer?)
Opening the computer
Removing and replacing parts on the computer
Backing up personal files (e.g. pictures, mail) and/or data files stored on the computer
Reinstallation of Microsoft® Windows® and/or Dell drivers

I got halfway through the process and got redirected to a Microsoft help article about modifying the registry, which related to Windows XP rather than Vista (which is what I am running on).

Well I didn't want to start following instructions for the wrong OS so I phoned them. Got put through to the right place straight away and a nice chap called Aaron fixed it for me in a matter of minutes via remote assistance, which was bloody surreal and a bit nerve racking (I have the google gadget which displays random photos, and I was actuely aware that some of my pics are rude and was panicking that Aaron might accidentally discover TMI about me!)

Anyway, the driver had become out of date, and Aaron did the regsistry stuff and updated it for me.

And it was free (apart from the cost of the call, 10p a minute and it took all of four and a half minutes).

I love Dell *hugs laptop*

Thanks for all your suggestions - if I hadn't been concerned about following the wrong help thing and therefore not phoned them, I would have been here asking you guys lots of (possibly silly) questions instead :)
( warmfuzzies Isn't here, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 15:35, Reply)

Glad you got it fixed
Remote assistance is funny, my mum was freaked out the first time she had someone doing it to her and was worried that the mouse was moving all on its own!

At least you'd have been able to see if he'd been looking at the rude pics though.
(gin'll fix it, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 15:44, Reply)

Lol
Yeah that was my first remote assistance experience too. It's witchcraft, I tells ya, witchcraft!

And I'm not sure if KNOWING that he was looking at rude pics is better or worse than not knowing... I had him on the phone at the same time and if I'd suddenly appeared in a compromising position I suspect the conversation may have become a little awkward. Not to mention the probability of him being distracted while fixing my pooter, with the potential for calamity...
( warmfuzzies Isn't here, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 15:55, Reply)

Hahahah!
Glad you got it sorted. Every time I've used remote assistance (we had a long running problem with our previous broadband provider) they'd ask me about my laptop wallpaper....

It's usual for people to have sunsets, landscapes, famous pics, family pics.....but not a photo of a full climbing rack.

I can't even claim credit for the pic or the gear - my rack is far smaller. Humpty sent me a pic of his rack when I was feeling miserable ages and ages ago - he told me that a picture of some porn would cheer me up.

And as many of you are aware Humpty is a very open kind of guy....those of you who aren't aware...read the qotw on Body Mods.

Anyway, this was the best kind of porn - climbing porn!

Woohoo!

And all SFW!
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 16:16, Reply)

Lucozade in the holes should sort it out

( Malaka omdz, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 16:35, Reply)

I was going to suggest the driver was broken
And to get a new one.

But some person on a phone already figured that bit out.

There's 45p you'll never see again....
(PenguinOfDeath is Scottish, and most likely angry, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 17:17, Reply)

My current wallpapaer at work
is the Buttermere Moss, shot about a week ago. Best wallpaper ever!
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 1 Oct 2008, 17:17, Reply)

PoD
I can send you 45p to make it up to you, if it would make you feel better?

EDIT: chickielady, how many of them said "nice rack"? I was going to but then realised it was prolly mindblowingly unoriginal, lol.
( warmfuzzies Isn't here, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 18:12, Reply)

None of them said, 'Nice rack!'
All of them said, 'Erm....what is that?'
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 19:46, Reply)