To install the CD-RW hardware do the following first:
Turn off computer and disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet – Very important (Security) Open Computer Case, Discharge your Static Electricity – How to do that? Touch your computer case with both hands for about 40 sec and you’re free to touch the internal circuits.
Ok now that you opened your computer case lets install the new CD-RW. Look at the following pic, this is how the CD-ROM will look after the installation.
This past picture illustrate how to install an IDE cable, if the cable is not connected properly the computer will not recognized the HD or CD-RW.
This is an IDE cable 
This cable is the one responsible for connecting the HD and CD-ROM together, I’m assuming you’re connecting the Hard Drive and the CD-ROM together to the IDE cable.
Make sure the new CD-RW hardware jumper is setup as a Slave of the Hard Drive otherwise will not appear as a valid or secondary storage. Assuming you did that close the computer case and turn on the computer.
Note: The reason I say CD-ROM will work as a slave is because it will be sharing the same IDE cable with the Hard Drive when connected to the IDE 1 port on the motherboard, that’s why the Hard Drive is set as a Master and the CD-ROM is set as its slave to be able to work.
If you want to set the drive independently then you have to set the CD-ROM drive jumper to Master and connect its own ribbon IDE cable to the next available IDE slot which is IDE 2, once you had done that your computer CD-ROM will work with out intervention of the Hard Disk.
Once you complete the installation of the CD-ROM drive close the computer case and reconnect all the cables back and turn it on, ok now that your computer is turned on it will recognize the drive and add it to the existing drives list which appears under “Device Manager” then it will required you to restart your computer to complete the installation. Below are the steps to verify if the CD-ROM appears on the list of device drives.
Let do some verifications:
- Go to Start
- Control Panel
- Systems
- Click on the Hardware Tab
- Then Device Manager
- Click on CD/DVD Drives to see if your new CD-RW appears on the list
Ok your new hardware appears included on the list, congratulation you’re done.
Here is a video showing the steps to install a CD-ROM, CD-RW, or DVD-ROM
Note: This video is only an illustration, not all models requires the same installation procedure, some computer models like DELL has to install a long green plastic on the sides to fit the CD-ROM drive, and other computer models only requires the screws.
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