Check the IDE cable.
Did you put it in the right way???
Does the cable detect other drive???
Check the Jumpers.
If the IDE channel sharring another driver, are they on CS or Slave or Master. If they are not on CS, then make sure that your CD Burner is on Slave and your other Drive is one master. If they are both on CS, then change on drive to Master and the other one to Slave.
FINALLY.......
Does your motherboard have an on board RAID Controller. I have sound that some Motherboard RAID Controllers will not detect Optical Drives. Even if you have the RAID fuction set to ATA.
(I know that is the case with my MoBo)
BTW, nice handle. I have seen that episode of Crank Yankers too.
(I GOT MAIL!!!!!!)