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Libra
Premium Member
join:2003-08-06
USA

1 edit

Libra

Premium Member

DVD/RW drive is recognized by Windows but doesn't work after removin


device manager saying device is fine
Click for full size
when I put a disk in the drive, it does this.
Click for full size
Drive J is my Portable dvd/rw drive
In the beginning of March I removed HP Printer drivers. A day or two later I noticed that my dvd drive wasn't working. I think if I had used System Restore to that point this problem would not exist. (I thought this was a hardware problem.)

Windows recognizes the drive - it shows up in device manager (but it says dvd-ram) and when I boot the computer it shows as a drive to boot with... but it does not work.
I've used a couple of MS Fix-its which don't fix it. I ran sfc /scannow and checkdisk and they show no problem. I think Windows thinks this drive is fine.

I think removing all of those HP drivers messed up my dvd. (I bought a slow external dvd/rw drive (usb) but that doesn't show up regarding booting the computer.

Here's some screenshots (I also posted in the Computer Hardware Help forum in March).

Can this be fixed? (I guess it will be okay until I need to boot a disk.)

EDIT: I just looked in the Event Viewer (Applications) and found I'd guess at least 40 MSI Installer entries and Restart Manager entries relating to this.

Sincerely, Libra

Oregonian
Premium Member
join:2000-12-21
West Linn, OR

1 recommendation

Oregonian

Premium Member

Have you tried removing the drive in Device Manager and then rebooting to let Windows rediscover the drive?
Oregonian

Oregonian to Libra

Premium Member

to Libra
Looks like you have been working on this issue for awhile...

»DVD/RW not recognized but shows up in Device Manager as okay

maartena
Elmo
Premium Member
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA

maartena to Libra

Premium Member

to Libra
Try to change the drive letter to something else, preferably a bit higher in the alphabet, such as Q: or something. Perhaps the J: drive is conflicting with a card slot or USB drive of some sorts.

salterbomb
join:2003-10-18
Pearland, TX

salterbomb to Libra

Member

to Libra
»support.microsoft.com/kb ··· 60/en-us

Go to resolution 3. I would highly surmise your filters are messed up.

edit: just read your other thread and saw the fix-it report. probably not the filters.
Libra
Premium Member
join:2003-08-06
USA

Libra

Premium Member

Thank you everyone for your replies. (This is Windows 7 64bit btw.)

I have tried uninstalling the drive in Device Manager and rebooting, in regular windows and safe mode but it doesn't help. I also looked in the registry in March for the upper and lower filters - I didn't find any filters.

I just changed the drive letter to Q but windows told me to insert a disk, so that didn't work.

I didn't realize it when I removed the printer drivers, etc but I told it to remove "all". When I installed the printer I didn't install everything - that's what probably caused this.

Sincerely, Libra

therube
join:2004-11-11
Randallstown, MD

1 recommendation

therube to Libra

Member

to Libra
The drive could be defective.
Seen in Windows (& BIOS), but not able to read a disk.
Try a CD disk & separately a DVD disk.

You've rechecked the cabling?
Changed cables? Changed the ports on the M/B that the data cable plugs into?

Able to check the drive in a different computer?

> when I boot the computer

Have you tried to actually boot from a bootable CD/DVD disk?
Or if you boot (from a USB Flash Drive) into a "live" Linux, is Linux able to successfully read from the drive?
Libra
Premium Member
join:2003-08-06
USA

Libra

Premium Member

Thanks for your advice, therube. I've tried a couple of disks but it makes no difference. I can't go into the tower to check anything. I asked a friend to check the dvd drive in the tower, he said he would but didn't.

I have a Macrium Linux Rescue disk which normally will start the computer, but it won't in this drive.

I read somewhere that Microsoft is in control of the dvd drive and the drivers. I'm of the impression that reinstalling Windows might fix it- but I won't attempt that unless it's really necessary. I just found out that this computer (Acer) has a eRecovery and some drivers, so if they work it might be okay. Again, I'm not planning that at this time.

Sincerely, Libra
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

dave

Premium Member

If you can't boot a Linux disc then the problem is not related to any Windows software.

- BIOS
- Hardware
- Firmware
- Cables
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem to Libra

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to Libra
Find someone else to get inside the tower. Then physically disconnect and reconnect the cables to the DVD drive and to the motherboard. Then try it again to see if it will work. If it won't try a different "known good" DVD drive. See if that one will work in your tower.

Let us know the results. Sounds like you may have a bad DVD drive. New ones are very inexpensive if that is the problem.
Libra
Premium Member
join:2003-08-06
USA

Libra

Premium Member

Thank you Dave and Gem. I'll see if my nephew can go inside the tower.

Sincerely, Libra
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

A ribbon cable is even cheaper than a new drive. When I got a computer from Dell (the XPS 600 one I still have as a second computer) years ago the DVD drive didn't work. Disconnecting and reconnecting the cables made no difference. So, I took the cable off the Dell XPS 8300 and put it on the XPS 600. The drive worked fine. Since the XPS 600 had just been sent to me, I called Dell and they send another ribbon cable. I put it on. The drive didn't work. I called Dell again and they sent another new ribbon cable. In the meantime, I put the old cable from the older Dell back in the XPS 600 and the drive worked again. Third cable came. I put it on and the DVD drive was dead again.

I called Dell again and Dell said that since I had initially called they had other calls about bad DVD ribbon cables in some new Dells and some also shipped separately as Dell parts. They thanked me for alerting them to investigate because they found an entire lot of bad DVD cables they had recently received from China. (They sent another one from a different batch and the DVD drive worked fine then). So, you might try another ribbon cable first.
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

dave

Premium Member

People still have drives connected by ribbon cables?

(The drive in question is SATA. But the overall point is valid - check the cable)
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

Huh? I thought she was talking about her DVD drive that Device Manager shows as functioning correctly but when she puts a DVD in that drive it doesn't work.

Where did SATA drive come from?

Merak75
AKA "Vukodlak75"
MVM
join:2001-10-27
Willoughby, OH

Merak75

MVM

The DVD drive is not connect with a ribbon cable. It's a SATA DVD drive »Re: DVD/RW not recognized but shows up in Device Manager as okay

But as stated, should be checked if it is working properly.
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

Well, I didn't realize (even though I have a Windows 8.0 computer that is only 1.5 years old) that the optical drives are no longer IDE. I get in my older XPS 600 XP Pro computer case fairly frequently. I have NEVER opened the case for the Windows 8 Pro XPS so, I don't know how the Bluray player/DVD burner is connected. It's a mini tower and I dread needing to open it after the joy of the huge XPS 600's case.
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

dave to Mele20

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to Mele20
SATA is an interconnect, not specific to magnetic media.

The world moved to serial interconnects because (possibly counter-intuitively) where wires are concerned, you can make a faster interface by sending one bit at a time rather than many at a time.

And serial interfaces have fewer wires, thus you get the benefit of no longer needing flat, wide, air-flow-blocking ribbon cables.
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

Yes, I knew SATA was not specific to optical drives. I have two SATA hard drives in my older XPS 600.

You have gotten me curious now so I want to see how narrow the cables are on the DVD drive (I suppose like the SATA hard drive cables on my older computer) and I need to check for dust anyway so I guess I will be opening up the case on the Windows 8 computer soon. No flat ribbon cables would make it easier for Dell to stuff everything in the mini tower.
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem to Libra

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said by Libra:

Thank you Dave and Gem. I'll see if my nephew can go inside the tower.

So... getting back to La Luna. Did you ever get this optical drive to work again? If so, what worked to get it going again?
Libra
Premium Member
join:2003-08-06
USA

Libra

Premium Member

I left it up to my husband to ask my nephew and he hasn't yet. I've been busy setting up an MS OS 8.1. I'll remind my husband again. Thanks.

Sincerely, Libra