A disk drive or optical disc drive is a device designed to write and read information from optical discs. Because of its design, the drive has many rotating and moving parts. These parts wear out quickly, so sooner or later any drive fails. In this article we will talk about how to install a disk drive in case of failure.

Step No. 1. Completely disconnect the computer.

Before you do anything, you need to completely turn off the power to the computer. This will save your life and protect internal components computer from breakdown.

Step #2: Remove the Side Covers system unit.

In order to dismantle or install the drive, we need access to the system unit from both sides. Therefore, it is necessary to remove both side covers. Typically, these covers are secured with four screws.

Step #3: Remove the old drive.

The drives are installed in 5.25-inch bays of the system unit (upper large bays). There are several such compartments in the system unit. Therefore, you can install several drives at once. But, most often, one disk drive is installed in the computer. We will consider this option in our article.

If your computer already has a disk drive that you want to replace, then you need to disconnect the cables from it and unscrew the screws that secure it. As a rule, the drive is secured with four screws (two screws on both sides of the system unit). If the system unit does not have a disk drive, then this step can be skipped.

Once you have disconnected the cables and unscrewed the screws, you can begin to remove the old drive. The drive needs to be slightly pushed outwards from the system unit, and then carefully pulled out by holding its front part with your hand.

There is no need to try to push the drive into the system unit, you won’t succeed. The drive only comes out.

Step #4: Install the drive.

So, now we come to the most important question: how to install the drive. After you have freed up space in the 5.25-inch bay, carefully insert the new drive into the system unit. Just as in the case of removing a disk drive, this is done from the outside of the system unit (from the front).

After you have inserted the drive into the computer, you need to secure it with four screws (two screws on each side of the drive).

Step #5: Connect the drive.

All modern disk drives connected using cables. This is something to consider if you are buying a disk drive for an old computer. In this case, you need to make sure that the computer supports the SATA interface.

For modern computers, connecting using SATA does not create any problems. All you need to do is plug a narrow SATA cable into the drive and motherboard, and connect power from the power supply using a wide SATA cable. After this, connecting the drive to the computer can be considered complete.

Step #6: Close the side covers and turn on the computer.

Close the side covers of the computer and secure them with the screws at the back of the system unit. After this, you can connect the power and turn on the computer.

You have to open “My Computer” and at the same time also open your CD or DVD disc in order to play it. Agree this is not very convenient and then let’s look at how to enable or dvd disks.

In order to enable autorun cd or dvd discs, go to Control Panel and open the AutoPlay control.

You will see this window with autorun settings. For each individual media, you can select the setting you need. See the screenshot, I marked everything with arrows: To enable autorun, check the box next to “Use autorun for all media and devices”, then next to each media, click on the arrow so that a drop-down menu appears with the choice of enabling or disabling CD or DVD autorun.

Dropdown menu settings:

1. If you select the setting - “Install or run the program from user media”, then when you start cd or dvd disk the program or game will begin to install immediately. I don't recommend you do this.
2. If you select the setting - “Open a folder to view files using Explorer”, then when you launch a CD or DVD disc in a window on the desktop, the disc with the available information will be opened.
3. If you select the setting - “Do not perform any actions”, then the CD or DVD disc will not autorun.
4. If you select the setting - “Ask every time”, then when you start the CD or DVD disc, a window will appear on the desktop with a choice of actions, “Install” or “Open for viewing”.

If after all the settings you or still doesn't work, then go to the registry. In the Start menu, in the search bar, enter “Regedit”. In the registry window we look for this section
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CDRom
We look in the right column for the value AutoRun, double-click on it with the mouse button. There should be a number in the window that opens 1 this parameter is responsible for enabling CD-ROM autorun, if enabled 0 , this means that autorun is disabled.

Let's move on. If you have everything enabled in the registry, but CD autorun does not occur, then do the following. Go to “Device Manager”, select “DVD and CD-ROM drives”, right-click on the device and delete it. Reboot the computer, after reboot, the system will install itself required driver and will identify the device.

At times, the TV is equipped with only an antenna input - nothing more. Applies to portable models, old, Soviet-made. Why does a TV need to connect a DVD player? Savings: avoid paying for new equipment. Plasma panels are not cheap. Decide for yourself whether it is worth damaging your eyes with a cathode ray tube. Let's discuss how to connect a DVD to a TV. Along the way, we will reveal the reason for the unsuccessful capture of the image directly. Technology moves forward, let’s follow on its heels.

Why can't I connect the antenna input of my TV and RCA?

Physicists introduced the concept of bandwidth. Analyzing the signal, you come across a term. Cable, air, Earth's atmosphere, cascades electronic devices. It turns out that low frequencies of image and sound do not travel through the air for long - they fade quickly. Engineers quickly came up with a method to correct the problem. Frequencies have been found that successfully pass through the invisible ether and medium. First of all, the cable. Frequency found, how to lay it down useful information? Modulators are used. One parameter of the carrier frequency changes according to the information law.

A carrier is a harmonic (sinusoidal) oscillation, the frequency of which is much higher than the spectrum of the transmitted information. Musicians consider notes of 20 kHz to be the highest; they will carry information, overcoming the ether, cable frequency is at least 150 kHz (the middle of the LW range).

If you change the carrier parameters with a low-frequency signal, the spectrum becomes symmetrical with respect to the carrier harmonic. We remember what was said: the engineers established that the wave easily passes through the cable and air. Tracked throughput ether (more precisely the atmosphere), some waves travel better, others worse. The process cannot be modulated by adjusting the parameters to the needs of the task being performed. Technological development humanity is too low.

Change cable parameters. Broadcast products are designed to meet the needs of users. It is possible to create conducting lines in a convenient way and convert the signal again before emitting it from the antenna, but the technique complicates life. The presented explanation is slightly simplified; on HF and SV broadcasting is carried out using the ability of the wave to bend around the Earth. The effect is demonstrated to a greater extent by DV.

The satellite antenna converter uses the conversion scheme described above. High frequencies are reduced, transmitted by cable, deciphered by a TV set or set-top box. The main thing for readers to understand is that the information transmitted by air or cable is not distributed by a carrier frequency because of a good life.

The receiving side carries out the reverse process of removing information from the carrier. The signal received by the antenna and cable input is amplified. The task is performed by the high-frequency path. The length of the connecting cable is one and a half meters (a typical DVD player), there will be no strong attenuation, the loss is determined by the length of the medium. The need to introduce a carrier disappears; the DVD player transmits information to the TV in the form reproduced by speakers and screen. The technical solution will make it possible to isolate the modulator and demodulator path from the design of the devices.

We got the so-called“Tulip” (RCA), which occupies a dominant position in video technology:

1. The yellow channel transmits the image signal without a carrier.
2. The white channel transmits mono sound, the signal from the left speaker.
3. The red channel transmits the sound from the right speaker in stereo mode.

Happening analog signal, do not try to connect the DVD player to a computer monitor. The display is a purely digital device. Accordingly, the signal structure does not at all resemble RCA. The industry has produced a mountain of adapters, adapters that perform the conversion. Now readers understand the features of direct DVD connections to the TV. The antenna input is high frequency and will try to find the missing carrier. Channel bandwidths 1 – 12 will not see the DVD player signal.

DVD player connection cable

Adapters for connecting a DVD player to a TV

How to connect DVD to TV? Look around the store for an RCA adapter to an antenna connector (issue price 640 rubles). You can hardly watch 3D on TV. The converter is contained in a small box and requires power. Network adapter alternating current 230 volt 50 Hz included. By connecting the DVD player on one side, the TV on the other, we watch movies from discs. Not a bad option, but not suitable for some for two reasons:

1. You need to pay for additional equipment (adapter).
2. The store is far away, I want to watch a movie now.

For struggling enthusiasts, other enthusiasts offer:

• There are discarded consoles from the 90s lying around the house. Remember Sega, Dendy, and other boxes where the game cartridge was inserted.
• Each set-top box contains an HF (RF) unit that converts the signal for supply to the antenna input of the TV.
• The unit is equipped with at least two tulip output connectors (3RCA).
• Hobbyists have noticed: if you apply a signal to the 3RCA input (yellow, white channel), the antenna output produces a usable image.

How the switching is carried out inside remains a mystery. It doesn't matter why the circuit oscillates from one output to the other. We remove the HF (RF) unit from the set-top box and, if necessary, short-circuit the contacts of the off button (if there is one) with a jumper. Then we inspect. It happens that not all outputs are connected to the circuit. We install jumpers. Individual outputs are shunted with resistors; they can be short-circuited by removing resistance altogether.

Tulip connection

All that remains is to supply power to the circuit. Traditionally, 8 - 12 volts are used (measure with a Chinese tester). The phone adapter will not work, from the set-top box, walkie-talkie - please! If there is a 7805 stabilizer chip, see if the power comes from it. In this case, connect the phone adapter to output 7805. There will be no difference. The 7805 stabilizer simply converts 12 to 5 volts. Similar block high frequencies contains a video recorder. Find the input information, try to adapt the device to your needs.

Connecting a DVD player to a TV via a SCART connector

Especially gifted people are recommended to understand the layout of SCART connectors. A universal tire that has almost everything. Having dug out the dismountable SCART plug, the connector corresponding to the TV, forget about the problems. Experienced radio amateurs disassemble the layout, resolder it, and use it. Below is a picture of a SCART connector, we also add that the yellow RCA connector is called composite video. See which terminals transmit sound and image:

• Image:

1. Input: yellow tulip plug.
2. Output: terminal 18 SCART – ground of the incoming video stream, terminal 20 SCART – signal of the incoming video stream.

• Sound:

1. Left column. Input: white tulip plug. Output: terminal 6 SCART - left speaker input signal.
2. Right column. Input: red tulip plug. Output: terminal 2 SCART – right column input.

SCART connector pinout

The audio ground is common to both channels and is located at terminal 4 of the SCART. The illustration indicates the component connector in colors. Pins are indicated in red, green and blue. We'll look at this option later. Know that the difference between a “tulip” and a SCART is only in the layout. You can connect the pins with wires without any adapter. Finally, many are probably interested in the question of where to get land for RCA? We assume it is the outer braid (screen). Just in case, measure with a tester. If it rings with the DVD player's circuit ground, that's it. However, there are simply no other options.

If someone hasn’t figured it out yet, you need to solder the cable to connect the DVD to the TV yourself. To do this, you will need to find a dismountable SCART connector, 3 RCA plugs under the “tulip”. For many DVD players, especially indigenous Chinese, has component video output. Differs from composite in improved quality. In this case there are 5 plugs, three of which carry video. Difference signals between color levels are transmitted. High quality is obtained due to redundancy.

The RGBs mentioned above are suitable for component video in some cases. There was information that this does not work with all DVD players and TVs, there is no need to check it, for the simple reason that you can’t go through all the options, but we agreed earlier that the store is far away, or you don’t want to spend money. Therefore, we begin to solder.

• Image:

1. Input: red YPbPr connector.
2. Output: terminal 15 SCART – difference between red and brightness Pr, terminal 13 – ground Pr.
3. Input: blue male YPbPr connector.
4. Output: terminal 7 SCART – difference between blue and brightness Pb, terminal 5 – ground Pb.
5. Input: green YPbPr connector.
6. Output: terminal 11 SCART – image brightness Y, terminal 5 – ground Y.

• Sound:

1. Left column. Input: white male YPbPr audio jack. Output: terminal 6 SCART - left speaker input signal.
2. Right column. Input: red plug of YPbPr audio connector. Output: terminal 2 SCART – right column input.

The audio ground is common to both channels and is located at terminal 4 of the SCART. The question arises of how to correctly number. The answer is simple. SCART contains a mechanical key - protection against incorrect activation. Use it to navigate. We looked at the connectors for connecting DVD to TV.

There are many special players for reading DVDs.

Among them: PowerDVD, Windows Media Player, Media Player Classic.

To view the contents of the disc you will need one of these programs.

The easiest way is to use a user interface, which is used by many Windows users, Media Player Classic.

It is worth remembering that a standard player sometimes doesn't recognize digital signatures and codecs, so you have to use other players.

Launch using PowerDVD

Unlike Media Player Classic, this program paid. It can read media of any format, from MPEG and MP3 to ASF and WMA.

Launch using Windows Media Player

This program is available in every Windows computer, which makes it very convenient for reading discs. Playback manipulations are exactly the same as for Media Player Classic, however, of this player there are a number of their own features.

Player doesn't lose files because:

1. DVD has been recorded in another region. Mircosoft products have algorithms that prevent pirated recordings from running.
2. Standard player conflicts with other players. In such cases, you must stop using third-party software.
3. Computer optical drive damaged.
4. File format not compatible with the player.

Probably not everyone knows that in PuppyRus Jeans 1.3.0, 16-bit access to the CD/DVD drive is enabled by default and the DMA mode is not always enabled - see line 96 in file /etc/rc.d/rc.local0. The speed of access to optical disks with these settings leaves much to be desired. You can optimally configure the drive using the utility hdparm. It is best to try different modes in the console, check them with the option -t, and the fastest one can be entered into the script rc.local0. The details of the settings are described in the article.

Fine-tuning IDE drives using hdparm

Introduction

Unfortunately the default settings for hard drives IDEs are made with a focus on reliable operation, including on low-quality equipment. On most modern motherboards and hard drives, you can significantly increase the performance of the IDE subsystem, and this will not take much time.

IDE Device Specifications

To get the IDE device characteristics, run the command:

Hdparm -i /dev/hda

Instead of /dev/hda, you can specify any other IDE device.

Example result for HDD /dev/hda:

Model=IC35L120AVVA07-0, FwRev=VA6OA52A, SerialNo=VNC602A6G9A19A Config=( HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec Fixed DTR>10Mbs ) RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=0, SectSize=0, ECCbytes=52 BuffType=DualPort Cache, BuffSize =1863kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=8 CurCHS=16383/16/63, CurSects=16514064, LBA=yes, LBAsects=66055248 IORDY=on/off, tPIO=(min:240,w/IORDY:120), tDMA =(min:120,rec:120) PIO modes: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 DMA modes: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 *udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5 AdvancedPM=yes: disabled (255) WriteCache=enabled Drive conforms to: ATA /ATAPI-5 T13 1321D revision 1: 2 3 4 5

Example result for CD-RW /dev/hdd:

Model=CD-W58E, FwRev=1.0A, SerialNo= Config=( Fixed Removeable DTR<=5Mbs DTR>10Mbs nonMagnetic ) RawCHS=0/0/0, TrkSize=0, SectSize=0, ECCbytes=0 BuffType=unknown, BuffSize=0kB, MaxMultSect=0 (maybe): CurCHS=0/0/0, CurSects=0, LBA =yes, LBAsects=0 IORDY=on/off, tPIO=(min:120,w/IORDY:120), tDMA=(min:120,rec:120) PIO modes: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 DMA modes: sdma0 sdma1 sdma2 mdma0 mdma1 *mdma2 AdvancedPM=no

Explanation:

MaxMultSect: This field contains the maximum number of sectors that your HDD can read in one sitting

MultSect: Current setting of the number of sectors read at one time

AdvancedPM: "yes" indicates that the hard drive supports APM (Advanced Power Management)

Running another command will give you additional information:

Hdparm /dev/hda

The result of the command for /dev/hda:

Multcount = 0 (on) I/O support = 0 (16-bit) unmaskirq = 0 (off) using_dma = 0 (off) keepsettings = 0 (off) nowerr = 0 (off) readonly = 0 (off) readahead = 8 (on) geometry = 2482/255/63, sectors = 39876480, start = 0

Short…

multcount- number of sectors read simultaneously

I/O support- exchange mode with hard drive(16/32/32sync)

using_dma- indicates whether DMA mode is currently in use or not

keepsettings- indicates whether settings are retained after a soft reset (it is not recommended to change this setting unless you are sure of what you are doing)

readonly- usually set to 1 for CD-ROM only, this flag tells the system whether the device is read-only or not

readahead- number of sectors for read ahead

Settings

WARNING! Incorrect setting can lead to loss of data on the hard drive, and possibly the drive itself.

I/O Support

• -с0- setting 16-bit mode (default)

  -c1- setting 32-bit mode (usually what you need)

  -c3- setting 32-bit synchronous mode (I don’t know when exactly this is needed)

Multicount
The number of sectors transmitted at once (in one block). Power of two, maximum number - parameter MaxMultSect in the output hdparm -i. Most often, this is exactly what you need to indicate.

Enabling DMA
Most modern chipsets and HDDs support DMA under Linux. For some of the newest chipsets in this moment There may be no DMA support, but this is not often the case. Usually, within a few weeks after the release of a new chipset, support for it appears in the latest kernel, so if DMA does not turn on for you, then you should most likely update the kernel.

• -d0- DMA prohibition

  -d1- enable DMA

DMA mode and PIO mode
The most dangerous setting - its incorrect use most often leads to damage to data or equipment.

• -X<число> - installation PIO mode or DMA

Multiword DMA modes:

• 32 (base number) + mode number:

  • -X32- mdma0,

    -X33- mdma1,

    -X34- mdma2