# Is my CD-ROM broken? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 9, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-cd-rom-broken/542568 "2010-06-09T19:16:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-cd-rom-broken/542568/1 "2010-06-09T19:16:54Z")
My mother-in-law gave me her old cheap Dell PC and I put it in the basement as a second PC. I just received a PCI card for it today so I can have internet access for it. I got to the point in the instructions booklet that says: > [@](#): > > "Insert the Software CD into your CD-ROM drive, and the Setup program should launch automatically. If the Auto-run program does not launch automatically, click **Start** at the taskbar and select **Run…** Type _E:setup.exe_ (where _E_ is your CDROM drive) in the **Open** box and click **OK** to launch the Setup program manually. The main screen of Setup program will appear as below. The Auto-run program did not launch automatically, so I selected **Run…** and typed _E:setup.exe_ and I got the message: > [@](#): > > “E:\ refers to a location that is unavailable. It could be on a hard drive on this computer, or on a network. …” I also tried going to **My Computer** and the only drive listed there is C. I tried putting in a music CD and that also did not play automatically although the CD ROM did make noise. ---
**Author:** ![FNAWright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@FNAWright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FNAWright)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-cd-rom-broken/542568/2 "2010-06-09T19:22:58Z")
Certainly your disk drive could be broken. Altho your instructions specify “E” drive, on each of the half-dozen or so different Windows based PCs I have used, the disk (CD) drive was identified as the “D” drive. It’s only a coincidence but it’s easy to remember: D drive = Disk drive. Is there a floppy on this unit? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-cd-rom-broken/542568/3 "2010-06-09T19:26:54Z")
> [@Fantome](#): > > My mother-in-law gave me her old cheap Dell PC … > > – snip – > > I also tried going to **My Computer** and the only drive listed there is C. So what operating system and version? You have to ensure the basics are working (operating system / hardware) before you can use the computer as it is. Assuming a Windows machine of unknown vintage, [try this](http://support.microsoft.com/gp/cd_dvd_drive_problems). ---
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-cd-rom-broken/542568/4 "2010-06-09T19:27:31Z")
I tried replacing the E with A through F when typing _E:setup.exe_ in the run box and I got the same message. No floppy. ---
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-cd-rom-broken/542568/5 "2010-06-09T19:29:01Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > So what operating system and version? XP with Service pack 3. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-cd-rom-broken/542568/6 "2010-06-09T19:45:01Z")
If the drive is making noise then it has power so the power cable is ok. Have you checked to see if the data cable is installed? edit: Also, does the CD-ROM show up in the BIOS? ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-cd-rom-broken/542568/7 "2010-06-09T19:48:33Z")
Desktop -\> Right Click “My Computer” -\> Click “Manage” -\> Click “Disk Management” Does the device appear there? It will probably show up as “CD-ROM 0” or the like. Right click, select properties, and verify whether or not Windows thinks the device is working properly. ---
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-cd-rom-broken/542568/8 "2010-06-09T20:03:24Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > Have you checked to see if the data cable is installed? Just checked now and the cable was in tightly on both sides. I disconnected them anyway and put them back in and now everything works. Thanks. 🙂