R40 not recognizing Combo drives in BIOS or XP

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#1 Post by **underclocker** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 10:45 am

I have an R40 (2723) that operates perfectly other than a problem with recognizing or seeing combo drives (DVD/CDRW). I have two combo drives that work in other machines (A30, A31), but they are almost never detected by the BIOS in the R40.

I check this by reviewing the information tab after pressing the Think button at boot up. With a combo drive inserted, the only IDE device that is displayed is the hard drive. Once in a while, maybe one in ten tries, the combo drive is listed. However, it will appear, then disapper in XP.

I also have CD, CDRW, DVD, floppy, & second hard drive adapters which work fine. Every time.

Bottom line, two different combo drives (different manufacturers) that work in other ThinkPads, are almost always not detected by the BIOS in my R40. Every other drive is always detected and works perfectly.

I just picked up this machine, and the combo drive was standard with this model and presumably working at one point?!

All updates are done, including BIOS and Embedded Controller (plus a reflash of the Embedded Controller, for good measure). This machine is out of warranty.

I've noticed several other posts with similar R40 issues, any solutions? Any BIOS settings that can fix it?

Thank you.

underclocker

madmaven · #2 Post by **madmaven** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:23 pm

I dont know what burning software you are using but CLick and burn has an issue with taking out burners. if you install the update/patch for faster burners. I think this only happens if you pu in the patch for faster burners and you in fact have a slower speed burner Below 36x I think)
Well anyway this is what happened. I installed the patch at least 3 times on machines that had slower burners and it just took them out. not recognized anywhere, Long story short microsoft had a fix by removing the lower and upper filters in the registry key for the burner hardware I was able to get the machines to recognize the drives. If you think this might be applicable I'll try to dig out the references. I have it in a hard paper file.
Let me know.
MM

#3 Post by **underclocker** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 7:13 am

Thank you for the response and offer. Since the drives do not even show up on the BIOS (pressing F1, then Information at boot), I do not think it's possible that Windows or software has an effect.

I'm going to disassemble the machine and try to clean the ultrabay connector. Maybe it's the system board going bad...

underclocker

madmaven · #4 Post by **madmaven** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 4:01 pm

did you get an error code 39 in the device manager or is it totally gone?

#5 Post by **underclocker** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:21 am

No error in device manager. On the rare occasions that the drive can be seen by XP, it works fine. When it's gone, no indication it was ever there - other than with view hidden devices (since I've enabled the registry setting to show them).

Sometimes while the drive is working, it will disappear, right in the middle of playing a song or installing a program.

Sometimes scanning for new devices in the device manager will find it again, but very rarely.

Again, it really can't be Windows, becasue it doesn't even show up in the BIOS most of the time. This is with two different combo drives from different manufacturers that work in other machines.

underclocker

olef · #6 Post by **olef** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:35 pm

I'm having the exact same problem. Have tride with 2 combo's, both GCC-4240N).
The Thinpad is updated with newest bios and embedded controller.

When I insert a DVD-drive it is recognized everytime by the Bios, when inserting the Combo-drives, they are recognized very selden.

The Combo-drives is recognized everytime on toher thinkpads (T23 and T30)

Underclocker, did You find a solution ?

#7 Post by **underclocker** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 6:45 am

Sort of, I sold the R40 with a DVD drive in it (I did alert the buyer about the issue with combo drives - I haven't heard back since the sale).

Good luck on finding the solution.

tatze · #8 Post by **tatze** » Tue May 29, 2007 9:54 am

hi!

I have the same problem. Out of warranty a.s.o.
After the embedded controller update the drive was found once and then it was gone again. Now I checked it with a "cd-drive only" but it didn't work. I have no clue!

Has anybody a suggestion or another link to that problem?

Rizo · #9 Post by **Rizo** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 8:10 pm

I also have this problem, I got a combo drive to fix it because I thought it was the drive itself, but it seems its the port :/ I will touch back if I find anything!

R40 not recognizing Combo drives in BIOS or XP

R40 not recognizing Combo drives in BIOS or XP

Same problem on R40 2722-CDG

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