Please help. I have already installed a cd-rw drive with no problems. But I'm having problems installing a new cd-rom. I have tried a couple different cd-roms to no avail. Once I hook everything up (exactly as my previous drive was) and turn on the computer, I get a message that tells me to press any key to initiate a surface scan. After the scan, my computer gets stuck on the startup screen. When I startup in safe mode and look in system properties I notice that the cd-rom is recognized, so what's wrong? Also, I have booted up with a Linux boot disk with no problems at all. The cd-rom works perfect in Linux. I have no idea how to fix. If I reinstall my old cd-rom drive, my computer starts up with no problems. I don't want to have to reinstall Windows. Is there anything else I can do?

Hi Jennifer.. I'm just making sure; are you ADDING a new ROM to your present one, or are you REPLACING your present ROM drive with a new one? If you are adding, make sure one is Master, and the other is set to Slave. Also, make sure the new one is not preset to slave if you are replacing-it should be master. Unfortunately, I am unacquainted with Linus, although I have heard good things about it. The problem may be a hardware conflict. You also may try installing the drivers for the new ROM before pluggin the cables in, and hope the system recognizes it. Wish I could help you more; I've replaced a ton of ROM drives and never had the system ask for a surface scan!

Jennifer, There is no problem with the cdrom if the cd works in Linux. Just make sure that the two cdroms you have (CD-RoM and CD-RW) are set to be master and slave, one must me master and the other must be slave. The reason for your surface scan is probably something wrong with your HDD. Check your harddrive and make sure there is not bad sectors or that windows has all the correct drivers and files to operate. The reason there is no cdrom in safe mode is because no drivers are loaded when in safe mode - therefore NO cdroms should or WILL show up in safe mode. Check your windows settings and HDD. One way to check to see if your CDRoMs are correct...boot up into the BIOS (CMOS) and check if you can detect the drives. If you can detect it there and not in windows, then you knw its a windows problem.