So I've been trying to install Vista ultimate on my computer and I was having problems with the AHCI and other stuff. I finally got the installation to run and left for a movie. I came back and the installation was done and my DVD drive didn't work. I restarted the computer, went into the BIOS, and there was no drive. It doesn't appear in the boot menu either. When the computer first boots and the Dell logo appears I can eject the drive. As soon as Windows starts to load, the drive doesn't work. It doesn't appear in the BIOS or windows and the eject button does nothing. Did I physically break the drive by going to see a movie and leaving it alone? I flashed the BIOS and reverted windows to XP using ghost but drive is still broken. Thanks for any help!

Do you know if the DVD drive is a SATA interface drive? So now you are back to running WinXP and the drive still does not work? Will the tray open and close using the button on the drive? If not then either the drive is dead or the power cable is not connected. You could try a different power connector.

I agree with Othehill on the power suggestion. It's not uncommon for the connectors in a Molex power plug to get spread a little and not make contact. Try another power connector.

The tray button does not work as soon as the Dell logo goes away during bootup. It does work while the Dell logo is there, but it doesn't appear in the BIOS. I did revert to XP using an image on my external HD, but the drive still doesn't appear and the tray button does not work. I have a Dell Inspiron 1520 notebook. I removed the drive and reinserted it but that did nothing. Is there a way to check the power cable since it's a laptop? I was thinking of just buying a new drive and hoping that it's just the drive?

You problem is a new on on me. I can't understand how Windows can be stopping the power to the DVD drive. If you have a disk in the drive when you are in Windows then Windows will attempt to access that disk. If that is happening then the drive tray will not open. What you should see though is the light on the face of the drive should at least intermittently light up.

I was also baffled by the fact that windows could stop the drawer from working. But Othehill's suggestion that the drive might be loacked up by windows trying to access it seems logical to me. If it was me, I would try replacing the drive. Optical drives do tend to fail pretty often.