# BIOS issues **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 21, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bios-issues/270446 "2004-10-21T17:45:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bios-issues/270446/1 "2004-10-21T17:45:55Z")
I installed a new hard drive (not a slave) and everything seemed to go fine. I loaded XP Pro and immediately did all the updates and everything went fine. My Plextor DVD burner came with Nero and I loaded that and decided to do a test burn when it informed me that no drives were detected. What? I checked Windows Explorer and sure enough, no D or E drives (they were there when I checked after doing the Windows updates). So I went to Device Manager and had it look for hardware and it doesn’t find them. So I reboot, go into the BIOS and the BIOS doesn’t see the drives. Now what do I do? I remember reading about using a jumper to clear the CMOS, would that reset my BIOS? ---
**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bios-issues/270446/2 "2004-10-21T17:47:10Z")
Oh I forgot to mention, the lights on the drives do blink at bootup. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bios-issues/270446/3 "2004-10-21T17:50:41Z")
Sounds more like a hardware problem - incorrect jumper settings on the new drive (it’s set to master, not as a single drive, is it?), or even just cables not pushed in properly. Check all this before worrying about the BIOS! ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bios-issues/270446/4 "2004-10-21T17:53:28Z")
Check the ribbon cables on the drive. If not all of the pins are properly seated you could get the blinking lights but not recognized by the BIOS. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bios-issues/270446/5 "2004-10-21T17:57:37Z")
So your D drive (i’m assuming CDR drive?) worked when you did the initial install…i’m assuming that’s how you got XP onto your computer. Then you installed the drivers for your DVD drive (E:?) and that’s when you noticed the D and E drives weren’t working? Was the DVD drive plugged in when you were doing the install? If it wasn’t, it wouldn’t be in Device Manager. I’m with GorillaMan. Definitely not a BIOS problem. It’s rarely ever a BIOS problem. Do as he says and check all the cables. Also make sure you’ve got everything in the right order. I would suggest: IDE1: #1 Hard drive (set to Master jumper setting) IDE2: #1 CD drive (set to Master jumper settings) #2 DVD drive (set to slave) ---
**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bios-issues/270446/6 "2004-10-22T02:26:49Z")
I’d have bet my paycheck it wasn’t a cable issue… and I’d have lost. The ribbon cable where it connects to the mobo had come loose at one end only. How does a cable come loose? I figure I must have tweaked it some when changing out hard drive and then after a time, gravity did the rest. Thanks for giving me the impetus to check what I was sure didn’t need checking. May the bird of paradise bless your nether regions.