Hi, Sandy. Does the CD drive appear in Explorer? For example, if you open My Computer from the Start menu, do you see it there?

Yes, it says : local disk c. You know, this is weird, but today it worked for long enough to burn one disk, then it did the same thing again. when i go to the media player, and set up a burn list, above my playlist where it should say “insert a blank disk”, it says “please plug in a burner, then restart the player to continue.” I have had many problems before, but i have never seen this.I tried going to the microsoft help sites, but they don’t seem to know what i am talking about.Thank you for your response.–sandy

Sandy, it sounds like your CD drive is flaky. That’s a technical term that means there’s probably a loose cable or a short circuit. Do this:

1. If it’s a laptop, remove and re-insert the CD drive (assuming you can). If it’s a desktop, shut down Windows, unplug it, and open the case. Remove the cables from the back of the CD/DVD drive, and then reconnect them. Follow those cables to the motherboard, unplug them, and then plug them back in.

2. Start Windows up. Is your CD/DVD drive visible from My Computer? If so, keep your fingers crossed that it stays that way. Problem solved.

3. If your CD/DVD drive isn’t visible, or if it disappears again, it might be a driver problem. Presumably your CD/DVD drive worked in the past, so maybe we can go back to an earlier version of your driver. Click Start, type devmgmt.msc, and then press Enter.

Device Manager appears.

4. Expand DVD/CD-ROM drives. Right-click your drive and then click Properties (as shown below).

5. On the Driver tab, click Roll Back Driver (as shown below, if it’s available).

6. Follow the prompts that appear, and restart your computer if required.

If your CD works now, great. If not, you probably have failed hardware. Don’t worry, they’re cheap. You can get them any most computer electronic stores, or order one on Amazon–like this USB drive for $20. You won’t even have to re-open your computer case to install it.

Let me know how it goes!

…and Sandi did let me know:

i just wanted to let you know that the actions you prefered me to take, worked. and i also wanted to tell thank you!!! you were a real big help. i wrote down the web addy that you gave me, just in case it happens again. again, thank you!!!

I have a popular post on troubleshooting startup problems. Problem is, I only cover how to troubleshoot software problems. If your computer is beeping and Windows doesn’t even begin to load, then you’ve got yourself a hardware problem.

The beeping at startup is the computer’s way of telling you that something is wrong. If the computer doesn’t do anything at startup, well, that’s also a good sign that something is wrong. Let’s figure out what it is, based on the symptoms.

You See the Windows Logo but Windows Doesn’t Start

Good news–you’ve got a software-related problem. OK, it’s not great news, but it’s easier to fix than a hardware problem. Follow these steps.

Basic Troubleshooting

Is it plugged in? <– Nerd joke

First, undo anything you’ve changed recently. If you’ve been fooling around in the BIOS settings (for example, by overclocking), change it back (if you can access the BIOS). You might try restoring the settings to their default.

Next, unplug any optional hardware. That includes webcams, soundcards, remote controls, and especially USB drives. Leave your video card and keyboard plugged in. If your computer starts, one of your hardware components is flakey. Reconnect them one-by-one until the computer fails again. You’ve then identified the problem component.

If your computer won’t start with just a video card and keyboard, open the case up. Keep a hand touching a metal part of the case to minimize static electricity. Then re-seat the computer’s memory (shown below left) and all internal cards (shown below right). Re-seating means to remove the component completely and then re-connect it. It’s a good way to re-establish any connections that have shaken loose. Also, disconnect any hard disks and reconnect them. For now, leave the CPU in place. Try and start your computer again. If it works, yay! If not, we know that an internal component has failed.

Look around your motherboard for a small watch battery. Make note of the model number, then run to a pharmacy or Radio Shack and buy a replacement. These little batteries keep power to your computer when it’s turned off. It’s responsible for the system clock and some parts of the memory. If the battery gets low, your computer can behave unpredictably. The battery might not be the problem, but they’re cheap and you need to replace them occasionally anyway, so it’s a good place to start.

Still not working, eh. What’s happening?

Nothing Happens–No Video, No Beeping, Nothing

Good news–your data is safe on the hard disk.

OK, first question–are any fans or lights coming on? If not, you’ve probably got a bad power supply. The power supply is the box inside your computer that the power plug goes into. They die regularly, especially if you have flakey power and you don’t keep your computer plugged into an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS). Figure out how many watts your current power supply is, buy a replacement with at least as many watts, and swap it out. It’s not too hard and shouldn’t take more than 45 minutes. You could also take it to a computer repair shop.

It could also be your motherboard, memory, or CPU, however. Testing individual components requires specialized equipment, so you’re better off taking it to a repair shop. Or, do what I did recently, and just buy a new computer and move the hard disk over. In my case, a new (and faster) computer was only about $250, and I had it up and running in an hour.

A BIOS Error Appears

That error is a good clue! At least you know your motherboard, CPU, and video card are (mostly) working. Try googling the error along with the make and model of your computer (such as “Dell Precision T3400 0xe4″).

No Video, One Short Beep

The BIOS thinks everything is working. It can communicate with the memory and CPU just fine, and there’s power. So, who are you to argue?

Your computer might actually be starting just fine, but you can’t see it. If you don’t have any video, try re-seating your video card. Check the video cord and its connection to your computer. Make sure the monitor is turned on and that it’s connected to your computer. Try connecting a different monitor.

No Video, One Long Beep

You’ve probably grown to hate that beep by now, haven’t you? Well, different computers have different beep codes, but one long beep generally means the computer couldn’t even communicate a more specific code. The power could be insufficient, in which case you need a new power supply. Or, there could be a short circuit in the motherboard, memory, CPU, or any cards you have connected. A computer repair shop can test the individual components, or you can try swapping parts with a working computer to figure out what’s broken.

No Video, Multiple Beeps

The BIOS is alive and it wants to tell you something! Different computers speak different beep languages, and you’re not C3PO. To know what the beeps mean, you need to know the type of BIOS you have. The name of the BIOS is displayed when your computer first starts, but if you don’t remember what it says, look around your motherboard for “AMI”, “Award”, or “Phoenix”. Then, look-up the number of beeps for your BIOS type in the following tables*:

* The solutions represent my best guess about what to do. The codes aren’t always accurate–your computer is malfunctioning, after all. Often it’s easier just to replace a part than to try and fix it. Also, sorry about the formatting! I’m doing the writing in Microsoft Word and then trying to paste it in here. Turns out, that’s a terrible idea.

AMI

AST

Beeps	Problem	Solution
1 short	Low level processor verification test failed	Replace the CPU, then replace the motherboard
2 short	Clearing keyboard controller buffers failed	Replace the keyboard, then replace the motherboard
3 short	Keyboard controller reset failed	Replace the keyboard, then replace the motherboard
4 short	Low level keyboard controller interface test	Replace the keyboard, then replace the motherboard
5 short	Reading data from keyboard controller failed	Replace the keyboard, then replace the motherboard
6 short	System board support chip initialization failed	Replace the motherboard
7 short	Processor register read/write verify test failed	Replace the CPU, then the motherboard
8 short	CMOS timer initialization failed	Replace the watch battery on the motherboard, then the motherboard/CPU
9 short	ROM BIOS checksum test failed	Replace the motherboard
10 short	Initialize primary video	Replace the video card
11 short	8254 timer channel 0 test failed	Replace the watch battery on the motherboard, then the motherboard/CPU
12 short	8254 timer channel 1 test failed	Replace the watch battery on the motherboard, then the motherboard/CPU
13 short	8254 timer channel 2 test failed	Replace the watch battery on the motherboard, then the motherboard/CPU
14 short	CMOS power-on and time test failed	Replace the watch battery on the motherboard, then the motherboard/CPU
15 short	CMOS shutdown byte test failed	Replace the watch battery on the motherboard, then the motherboard/CPU
1 long, 0 short	DMA channel 0 test failed	Replace the watch battery on the motherboard, then the motherboard/CPU
1 long, 1 short	DMA channel 1 test failed	Replace the watch battery on the motherboard, then the motherboard/CPU
1 long, 2 short	DMA page register test failed	Replace the watch battery on the motherboard, then the motherboard/CPU
1 long, 3 short	Keyboard controller interface test failed	Replace the keyboard, then replace the motherboard
1 long, 4 short	Memory refresh toggle test failed	Replace the memory
1 long, 5 short	First 64 KB memory test failed	Replace the memory
1 long, 6 short	Setup interrupt vector table failed	Replace the motherboard, then the CPU
1 long, 7 short	Video initialization failed	Replace the video card
1 long, 8 short	Video memory test failed	Replace the video card

AWARD

Beep Code	Descriptions
1 long, 2 short	Indicates a video error has occurred and the BIOS cannot initialize the video screen to display any additional information
Any other beep(s)	>RAM problem.

Phoenix

Well then, I hope that helped! Feel free to add a comment if you need more help.