Here´s a tricky one: Quite often (about every other time actually) when Windows is loading it auto-detects my CD-rom drive (Sony 4530) as if it was just installed. The thing is, my CD-drive has been there forever and is NOT newly installed. If I try to use the CD-drive after I get this message I get all kinds of CD-rom related error messages (disc broken, no disc in the drive, couldn´t find H\: etc etc). The times when Windows is loading WITHOUT giving me this "new hardware has been found"-message, the drive works just fine. Weird, huh? I´ve checked the cables and they are ok. Suggestions anyone?

Try connecting the drive to a different power connector.

Check to make sure that the bios is set for a cdrom on the that IDE channel (primary or secondary, master or slave). If the bios is wrong, windows is then detecting what is actually there.

Thanks for the replies guys. I checked the power connector it´s ok. efabes, I´m not quite sure I understood. How do I check that the BIOS is set for a CD-ROM on a specific IDE-channel? I have my BIOS settings on auto and on the boot screen it says something like: "Primary Master *name of my harddrive* "Primary Slave *name of my CD-drive*

If the bios says cd, you are ok. You might want to try changing the jumpers from c/s to master and slave. Change the bios accordingly. If this does not work, you can try moving the cd to the other ide channel (as master). You can also try a new cable. If the problem persists, then it could be the drive itself or even the ide controller.

Thanks efabes. The jumpers are set to master (HD) and slave (CD) on IDE 1. I´ll give your suggestions a go.