Thanks to all who have responded.  I think
I'm nearing the end of my current ordeal.

Siri Amrit Kaur wrote:
> On Thursday 30 December 2004 08:43 am, Victor Odhner kindly wrote:
>>(I'm running 3 hard disks right now.  Cooling seems OK.
>>The problem where *no* CD device would work at all
>>seems to have happened shortly after that third HD
>>was installed, though not immediately.)
> 
> Is your 3rd harddrive sharing the IDE cable with the CD device?

I've tried all sorts of combinations.  No go.

I picked up a new Allied 450W power supply,
$59 at PC Club.  The computer now recognizes my
USB thumb drive, and the BIOS has stopped getting
amnesia.

But the CD problem persists.

Once more I'll try another device just in case,
but running alone on the secondary as slave or master
it has not worked in the past.  I also tried a
new cable at one point, and ran it as primary slave.
Also out of curiosity I will try it under Linux,
but even Linux had trouble before the new power
supply.

I also picked up a new Gigabyte 2004 RZ motherboard,
another $59, in hopes of not opening it.  I guess
I'm going to open it, since I would really like to
be able to use CDs, and even (wow!) burn them.
I have a friend who has been happy with a few
Gigabyte boards he's used, so I'm hopeful ...

... and yes, if my next machine is not a Mac,
it will be Genuine Intel.  I've heard a number
of AMENs to that suggestion.

Vic

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