Problems with your CD-Drive?

Question

cd drive will open and shut but computer does not recognise there is a drive on computer

Answer

This question was answered on March 4, 2005. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive appears to be missing after you install Windows XP

Article ID : 320553

Last Review : June 2, 2004

Revision : 1.0

This article was previously published under Q320553

Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

On this page

SYMPTOMS

CAUSE

RESOLUTION

MORE INFORMATION

SYMPTOMS

After you install Microsoft Windows XP, the CD-ROM drive, the DVD-ROM drive, or CD-ROM R/W drive may not be visible in the My Computer window. Additionally, there may be question marks on the devices that are listed under CD-ROM drives in Device Manager.

CAUSE

An incorrect device driver was installed for the CD-ROM device.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this behavior, use the following methods in the order that they are presented in.

Method 1: Remove the registry entry

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

1. Click Start, and then click Run.

2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.

3. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/System/CurrentControlSet/Control/Class/{4d36e965-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}

4. On the File menu, click Export.

5. In the File name box, type savedkey, and then click Save.

6. Click the REG_MULTI_SZ data type UpperFilters, and then click Delete on the Edit menu. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.

Note If this data type is missing, go to Method 2.

7. Click the REG_MULTI_SZ data type LowerFilters, and then click Delete on the Edit menu. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.

8. Quit Registry Editor, and then restart the computer.

Method 2: Replace the existing driver

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

2. If Control Panel is in Category view, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System.

If Control Panel is in Classic view, double-click System.

3. On the Hardware tab, click Device Manager.

4. Click the drive with the question mark next to it.

5. On the Action menu, click Uninstall. When you are prompted to confirm the removal, click OK.

6. Repeat steps 4 through 5 for any other drives with question marks.

7. On the Action menu, click Scan for hardware changes.

Note If Windows XP cannot locate the driver for your device, the device may not be supported by Windows XP. To see the list of supported devices, see the most recent Windows Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) at the following Microsoft Web site:

Author

Posted by Eramilde of Katharine Gibbs School - New York on March 4, 2005