Can't boot into Windows with DVD Burner?

[kevinturcotte]

I'm having a problem with my DVD burner. It's always acted find until today, when I had to restart Windows. Now Windows will not start if the burner is connected to the motherboard. I tried connecting it to a different SATA connector that I know works, swapped out the SATA cable with one I know works, and then even combined that for a different cable and connection. It doesn't work. If I go into the BIOS, it does show the burner, but Windows REFUSES to load if the burner is connected. Any ideas on how to fix this?

[funhouse69]

What if anything changed on the system? Did you load any new software? Update any new drivers or the BIOS of the system or drive itself? Any of those could cause this problem.

When you say "Won't Boot" what do you mean? Will windows start / try to load at all? If so to what point and what happens (does it lock up or give you a BSOD?).

Did you try changing the boot order of the drives in the BIOS? If not make sure that the DVD Drive is lower than the hard drive.

Is there a Disc in the drive?

There is always the possibility that the drive just went bad.

Finally if you disconnect the drive and get in to windows you might want to do as extensive of a virus scan as possible. I've seen strange issues like this happen from a virus in the past.

[kevinturcotte]

Nothing changed.
When the computer starts, I get that blue HP splash screen, and then it normally goes to a black screen with a blinking dash while Windows starts to load. If the DVD burner is connected, it stays there FOREVER. I have to turn the computer off.
I do have the BIOS set to load the optical drive first. I can change it and see if that makes any difference. There aren't any discs in the drive.
I ran a complete virus/spyware scan yesterday (Just cause, not because of the burner problem). Nothing showed up.

[funhouse69]

So you aren't seeing the Windows Splash Screen? If not then certainly try changing the boot order of the drives then see what happens.

If you are seeing the Windows Splash Screen then the boot order doesn't have anything to do with it and you are more than likely dealing with a driver issue. It is possible that a driver somehow got corrupted.

If you are getting the windows splash screen try hitting F8 before hand and trying some of the options mentioned like Safe Mode, Boot with logging to see if you can find out where it is hanging.

Based on what you are saying it isn't even hitting the hard drive to boot so it has something to do with the drive (unless you are getting the Windows Splash Screen).

[kevinturcotte]

No Windows splash screen (Or splash circle, it's Vista lol).
I only have 2 drivers installed; one for my sound card, and one for my video card. I could try reinstalling them. Would those really effect an optical drive though?

[funhouse69]

No Windows splash screen (Or splash circle, it's Vista lol).
I only have 2 drivers installed; one for my sound card, and one for my video card. I could try reinstalling them. Would those really effect an optical drive though?

No if you aren't seeing the splash screen then you more than likely aren't even loading windows / vista at all. It seems like it is hanging on the boot device which is why I suggested changing the boot order to see if that gets you past it.

If this worked perfectly before and nothing has changed then it sounds like some kind of a hardware issue. Saying that it works when you disconnect the DVD Drive obviously makes you think that it is the drive.

I assume the system has an SATA Hard Drive as well. What happens if you swap the cables? Have you tried that as well?

This could very possibly be a setting in the BIOS. Some of the new Motherboards have a lot of different boot options. Some even have built in RAID Controllers which when enabled can really change the way that devices are presented to the system and to Windows.

[naijai]

The burner is toast you will need a new one same thing happened to me with a burnt out hard drive.Something is shorted out in the drive itself so during its start up check the motherboard will not let windows boot up due to something failed drive