Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

[Maxxarcade]

Is the GX150 really picky about the type of CD/DVD drive that is used? I can't get it to recognize two different DVD readers. They show up as Unknown Device in the BIOS, and it keeps saying Secondary Master Disk Not Found.

I've already updated the BIOS to A11. Strange that this system would do this. I've used DVD drives on much older systems without a problem.

[Maxxarcade]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

Darn, I posted in the wrong section... Sorry, been a long time :-)

[yyonline]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

Check your cables and jumper settings. If you're using a 40 conductor IDE cable, not all of them work with cable select. Try an 80 conductor IDE cable or setting master with the jumper.

It's not uncommon for older Dells to mis-report a device in the bios, but it should work, even if the bios isn't sure what it is. I usually see DVD+RW drives reported as "CD-ROM" in older Dell bioses.

[dood]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

Thread moved to "general computer discussion"

Is this a standard IDE drive, or a small formfactor laptop-style drive?

[Maxxarcade]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

Thread moved to "general computer discussion"

Is this a standard IDE drive, or a small formfactor laptop-style drive?

It's a standard IDE drive. I've already tried different jumper settings, and the ribbon cable looks OK. I'm going to bring an old CDROM drive home from work tomorrow and try that.

Figures, all the years I had a box of CDROM's laying around collecting dust, and I get rid of them 2 days before I pick up a computer that needs one

I got this system out of the trash last week. Only reason I even bother fixing it, is because it has a Windows 2000 COA still on it, and I want to tinker with it. Also got two other Dells with WinXP Pro COA's. Already fixed the GX270 (3.2Ghz P4) up real nice, but the Precision 340 isn't worth buying RDRAM for.

[toastygoodness]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

i would just try another ribbon cable just in case... otherwise u can try switching ide ports since it should be old enough to have two.

[ratdude747]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

the Precision 340 isn't worth buying RDRAM for.

geeks.com has samsung pc800 rambus 256mb ECC modules for $8.50 a pop right now... not sure if that helps, but i thought you might want to know.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?inv...-SAM-R&cpc=SCH

[Maxxarcade]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

Got it working. Just had to re-seat the ribbon cable at the motherboard end. Also found a Lite-On CDRW drive that matches the case perfectly. Installing Win2k Pro as we speak.

The noisy Maxtor HDD is driving me nuts though. I hate that high pitch metallic whine.

[yyonline]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

The noisy Maxtor HDD is driving me nuts though. I hate that high pitch metallic whine.

Old bearings. Nothing you can really do aside from swap the HD. If you do decide to replace it, be aware that a lot of the older Dell bioses do not properly support 48-bit LBA, limiting your largest replacement drive to 137GB. Larger drives appear to work initially - until one day the boot sector or file system index is overwritten without warning.

[Maxxarcade]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

Old bearings. Nothing you can really do aside from swap the HD. If you do decide to replace it, be aware that a lot of the older Dell bioses do not properly support 48-bit LBA, limiting your largest replacement drive to 137GB. Larger drives appear to work initially - until one day the boot sector or file system index is overwritten without warning.

I probably won't be messing with it much, so I'll leave the existing drive alone. My Win2k CD didn't work with the COA, so it's on the bottom of the priority list now.

[yyonline]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

In order for the Dell CD key to work, you need an OEM Windows 2000 CD. A retail Windows 2000 CD uses different keys and will not work. Any Dell pressed Windows 2000 CD will install without a key (uses a bios check).

[Maxxarcade]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

In order for the Dell CD key to work, you need an OEM Windows 2000 CD. A retail Windows 2000 CD uses different keys and will not work. Any Dell pressed Windows 2000 CD will install without a key (uses a bios check).

I figured that was the case. Time to search for another CD.

[TheLaw]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

I have a GX150 and I put a DVD drive in it a while ago. It was some cheap generic NEC drive and it had no problems with it.

Hmmm....maybe see if your IDE configuration is messed up in the BIOS?

[Topcat]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

...but the Precision 340 isn't worth buying RDRAM for.

If anyone is looking for RAMBUS, I have 2gb of it sitting here in 512mb sticks......

[ratdude747]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

if the OP has no interest i might be. I have a rambus p4 board with 4 slots...

[TheLaw]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

If anyone is looking for RAMBUS, I have 2gb of it sitting here in 512mb sticks......

=OOOOOOOOOOOO. God, I'd need a mortgage to buy 2GB of RDRAM. A 128MB stick cost me like $85...in 2006. Wow, if you sold that to some silly person on eBay....you easily have $1K USD.

[dood]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

=OOOOOOOOOOOO. God, I'd need a mortgage to buy 2GB of RDRAM. A 128MB stick cost me like $85...in 2006. Wow, if you sold that to some silly person on eBay....you easily have $1K USD.

An auction just ended for 2x512mb and 2 terminators... Opening bid was 49.99 and nobody bit... BIN was only 59.99

[ratdude747]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

wow... i guess 256mb ecc pc800 for $8.50 a shot is a bargain?

[dood]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

wow... i guess 256mb ecc pc800 for $8.50 a shot is a bargain?

It's not bad... as long as you have 4 slots and don't want more than 1gb of RAM. If prices were that low last year, I probably wouldn't have thrown out some of the machines that I did. They got chucked based solely on the fact that they ran RDRAM.

Those 512's on eBay aren't a bad price, either... Hell, DDR is creeping up into that range (albeit new)

[momaka]

Re: Dell Optiplex GX150, CDROM issue

In order for the Dell CD key to work, you need an OEM Windows 2000 CD. A retail Windows 2000 CD uses different keys and will not work. Any Dell pressed Windows 2000 CD will install without a key (uses a bios check).

You can make your own OEM CD from a Retail CD - at least that's what I read on the internets a few days ago (I ran into a bunch of laptops with Windows 2000 OEM stickers and wanted to get Win 2k installed on them so I'm working on this issue as well).

From what I read so far, basically all you have to do is make/find an image of Windows 2000 (doesn't matter which version), then edit the file "SETUPP.INI" in the "i386" folder - particularly the last 3 digits of the PID value. What those last 3 digits mean:

000 - Retail CD keys
OEM - OEM CD keys
270 - Volume License CD Keys

I have an ISO image but haven't found a good ISO editor. I can unpack the ISO and change that ini file, but then I can't get the CD to be bootable any more. Will let you know if I work out something.