CD-RW drive and DVD drives no longer work

It happened suddently, I don't remember deleting anything that would effect it. I have tried updating the drivers and also uninstalling through device manager. When I start the computer back up, it says new hardware found for both drives, but I cannot access them through "My Computer" or by inserting a cd or dvd. Device Manager shows that they are both installed, but tehre are exclamation marks next to it. This is what it says for both of the drives:

"Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)

Click Troubleshoot to start the troubleshooter for this device."

The names of the two drives are: HL-DT-ST CD-RW GCE-8400B
and SAMSUNG DVD-ROM SD616T

I am operating on a Dell Dimension 4500 with WIN XP.

Do I need to just go out and buy new drives or is there hope? I have tried System Restore, but because of earlier problems, I turned it off and I guess it deleted all the restore points?

 

No takers on this one? Anybody? If nothing can be done, if someone could just let me know that so I can go out and get a new one without feeling bad about it, that would be great. Thanks.

 

Exclamation marks are usually a sign of driver problems. Go to manufacturers site of both Roms and DL. Uninstall the old and replace with the new, do not reboot during this operation as XP will allocate the old drivers. When new installed you can then reboot if need be, and let us know what the outcome is.

 

Not quite. There aren't really any CD or DVD driver updates for XP, the ones in the box suffice just fine anyway. In this case, there is a conflict with third party drivers, almost certainly from burning software. The burning software needs to be removed, and if that doesnt get rid of the exclamations in Dev Manager, then remove the drives and let them redetect.

If it STILL doesn't work, then go through this article:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060/EN-US/

 

Don't go out and buy a new drive. You will have the same problem on that one, too.

 

I had a kind of similar problem. I uninstalled Nero, later on re-installed but this time I looked out for Nero updates. Additionally to that Alcohol 120 was complicating the problem with his virtual drive. Any way, after the updates, everything was back to normal.

 

Thanks guys. By burning software, do you mean the software used to burn cd's or do you mean I have the problem because I burn software? I have never done the latter, if that is the case. The only burning software I have on here is Roxio and Windows Media Player. I haven't burned a cd in over 7 months, could it still be causing a problem?

About going to the manufacturers' websites, I tried to update the drivers from device manager, isn't this the same thing? (It didn't work...no update available, supposedly.)

I am also not sure what Nero or Alcohol 120 is, can you please explain since I don't have these programs on my computer...it would help me find similar programs (maybe) that I could try to fix and see if it has similar results to what you experienced.

I did try uninstalling the drives like I wrote in the original post, but no success, they still reinstall with problems. I will also look at that article.

Thanks yall.

 

Burning software refers to CD Writing software.

 

Remove any disks from the drives.

Go into Dev Mgr, remove your two optical drives from the list.

shutdown - while shut down, check the connections (be sure they are tight on drives and mobo too - can be deceptive) and jumper settings to be sure they are correct.

power back up and let the drives be redetected.

If the drives are in good shape, that should do it.

.bh.

 

LOL ok, I love all the help I am getting, but I am just a lowly non-tech civilian, so I don't know what mobo means or how to preform alot of the procedures you mentioned...i.e., what is an "optical drive"? Thanks for all the patience!

 

Did you try the link that Adrynalyne suggested? That should and does work.

Deleting or uninstalling the drive won't usually work as you have corrupted files or Registry.

An optical drive is basically a CD or DVD drive or burner.

There are easy to follow steps in that link, but if you get stuck, just ask.

 

Ok, I went to the link, and after clicking through all the various links to get to how to Backup Files and Folders (on the registry, I guess?) I got to the point where it tells you how to Back up the Registry in Win XP home edition. It isn't something you can automatically do in Home edition, you have to INSTALL the file from the disc that came with the system. I do have the disk. I don't have a drive that works! What do I do? I don't want to run into a problem where I can't even use my computer, and don't know how to get it up and running again.

 

First of all, system restore backs up your registry better than ntbackup does.

--Create a restore point.

Then follow that article, and be careful. There are no re-dos in the registry. Once you delete something, its gone. In addition, anything you modfiy, you should right click the key (folder(s) on left hand side) and choose export. Then save that copy to a place you can find it. That will back up the individual parts that you modify.

Somewhat off topic, I saw that Insomniac backed me up. Hell hath truly frozen over.

 

Optical Drives = CD ROM, DVD ROM, CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD RAM, etc.

Do as I said. No editing of registry, etc. If it needs new copies of the support files, it will get them off your Windows CD after (it will ask for the disk).

Go into Control Panel > double-click System > click the Hardware tab > click the Device Manager Button > Click on the + next to CD/DVD Drives > right-click on each drive > click remove or uninstall.

You can do the same with the Add/Remove hardware wizard in Control Panel - whichever is easier.

Shut Down your computer.

Check the hardware connections to your drives and mobo (motherboard, duh) using this as your guide - Mechbgon's PC Builder's Guide : www.mechBgon.com . Loose or corroded power connectors can cause problems as well as loose data connectors - I would unplug and reseat all the connectors myself - that will dislodge any corrosion. The cheap contacts they use these days it's a wonder they work at all!

Boot up. The drives should be redetected and any missing files installed. If it can't get to the drive, then you may have to borrow a friend's USB drive or get your own enclosure. Then copy your Windows CD into a directory (folder) on your hard drive so if/when it asks for files during boot, you can point it to your HD instead.

.bh.

 

I had a huge write up trying to explain this zepper, but decided it was best summed up as this:

No.

Please review the MS KB article I linked to.

 

Did you even read the original post? I quote:

So, your suggestions seem not to work.

Sometimes editing the registry is the only means to fix issues. Adrynalyne's post to the MS site is the best option right now.

For the original poster: If you do not wish to edit your registry we can help via writing a script that will attempt to fix this automatically, via Microsofts suggestion.

 

Follow the instructions in the MS KB Article that Adrynalyne linked to in POST #4 of this thread; that will fix the problem.

@ zepper a simple reload of the drivers won't fix an eror Code 39, the registry is corrupt and must be fixed manually.

 

re. KB article: He did not say that he removed any software programs.

He did not say he REMOVED the drives from Dev Mgr.

I would bet money that my method would work, but one might have to copy his win CD onto the HD to do it, as I mentioned. Thinking PC users would have already done that anyway, knowing how flaky Windwoes is.

.bh.

 

First thread.

 

Though, sometimes a KB may relate to an issue that is very similar to what is going on. It doesn't need to be IDENTICAL to the issue in hand.

And he did say he uninstalled the devices. No where, in device manager is there a "REMOVE" function.

 

Zepper, I personally have come across this exact problem more than a dozen times. It is very common with XP.

On EVERY occassion, deleting the Registry files is the ONLY way.

You can uninstall the drive from Device Manager till you are blue in the face, but you will still have the corrupt Registry to deal with.

Once those "filter" files have been removed and you have rebooted, Windows will simply replace them.

 

Please don't argue, yall. Also, I am a girl. =) Thanks. I might like that script, though, TheeFool, although, like I said, I'm not a techie and am very limited in knowledge with these things. I can deal with Spyware and Viruses, but hardware...? Should I try the script first or the article?

If I do the article...All I need to do is create a system restore point, and that will be good enough if I happen to make a mistake in the registry? Thanks, and I am glad to hear that there is pretty much a common consensus on all this. Zepper, I am a Thinking PC user, that's why I thought my way here for help.

 

Just follow the article, it has detailed steps and is fairly simple. If you never try, you will never learn.

And yes create a restore point.


BTW, you shouldn't tell us that you're a girl.

It's been a long time since some of us have ever seen or talked to one.

 

LOL, I just didn't liked being referred to as "he". I am not scared about following the article, I just wanted to make sure everything was set for go before I attempted anything that messed with the registry.

 

By all means, give it a go. If you follow the easy instructions, you should have no problem.

If you feel you need to have a "script" created for you, then either I or someone else here can provide this for you.

 

Hi Everyone I have the very same problem and have tried the registry change mentioned below but encounter an error saying that i didnt have sufficient access priviledges even though i am the administrator i attempted to give myself those privies but it still said the same thing it also gives the message cannot delete {whatever the numbers are} Error while deleting key any ideas??? thanx

 

sorry extra info for my last post;


Hi Everyone I have the same problem and have tried the registry change mentioned below but encounter an error saying that i didnt have sufficient access priviledges even though i am the administrator i attempted to give myself those privies but it still said the same thing it also gives the message cannot delete {whatever the numbers are} Error while deleting key any ideas??? thanx
I need to mention that i also have a mac os x 10.4 networked to my xp pc. when i removed my cd drives; well actually i unwired evrything and rewired them again to make sure it wasnt the connections rebooted and they installed and stayed until the mac was connected then they went again not sure if this is the problem or not i have tried to remove and uninstal the ethernet nic card and at the time that didnt help so im miffed.