OK - this is a continuation from the former thread, but dealing only with the final unsolved problem.
The internal IDE DVD/CD drives I tried (4) all "work", but not in my computer anymore. It worked for a bit after cleaning the IDE contact points on the motherboard... but then quit. Cleaned again, no luck.
I connected an external CD/DVD player via USB port... the OS finds the drive, installs it, sees it, but when I explore a CD or DVD, I get the message "please insert a disc into drive L"
I connected it to my video editing computer... it works immediately and data on DVDs/CDs can be read.
So... why would my computer not be able to read the data if it's being sent by USB and not IDE cable? It can't be the connectors on the motherboard, or the cable (other cables failed as well)
Thanks so much for any and all ideas!
