cant load driverfor PnP software device enumerator

Have checked Q/A and FAQ - nothing there to help. Please excuse long post but if u don't have all the facts, u cant help me. Here goes:
PROBLEM: pc isn’t "seeing cd and dvd drives. When I open "my computer, the only drives showing is floppy and HD. When I open device mgr, it shows : (1) under "dvd/cd rom drives", my dvd burner and cd rom drive- both with yellow ! in front of them. (2) under "system devices" - plug n play software device enumerator- also with a yellow ! infront of it. Whenever I double click and open it, under the "general" tab, the device status has an error msg: "windows cant load the device driver for this hdwe. The driver may be corrupted r missing. Code 39
TO FIX THE PROBLEM, I'VE TRIED: (1) attempted to update the driver using the wizard (cannot install drivers from the original disk - (a) don’t have disk, (b) drives are useless as pc doesent see them. I imported drivers to a folder on my desktop via memory stick. After selecting "search for the best driver" and attempting to browse to the
Folder on my desktop, the OK button immediately became greyed out, preventing me from browsing to the folder and installing the drivers I had placed there. Dead end here. I next attempted to use the other option, " don’t search, I'll choose the drivers" . after clicking the "next "button, and getting the "hdwe update wiz, my only option is to click "next" again (cant use "have disk" as drives are useless). After clicking next, I see the driver files being transferred, but then I get the error msg: "can't start this hdwe. There was a problem installing this hdwe. Windows can't load the device driver for this hdwe. The driver may be corrupt r missing. Clicking "finish" to start the
Troubleshooter does no good - the troubleshooter never appears.
(2) attempted to rollback driver - got error msg: "no driver files have been backed up for this device"
(3) on a post from another help forum, it was suggested to modify the machine.inf file and install it - no help -
only reinstalled a 2nd PnP software device enumerator - not the driver. (now I have 2 showing in device mgr)
THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION: (1) am I correct in assuming that because PnP software device enumerator appears in device mgr, that, that hdwe is installed and the pc "sees" it ? Is it correct to assume it there and all it needs is the driver ? (2) my 2 drives (dvd and cd) both appear in device mgr but DO NOT appear when I open "my computer" . does the computer recognize them ? (3) when I go start > run > type in "services.msc" it shows PnP. (Status: started, Startup Type: automatic, Log On AS: local system) I question whether my PnP is working because whenever I plug an external device into one of my usb ports, I don’t get the "windows has found new hardware" balloon. (4) Recent changes at or about the time problem occurred: (a) removed sound blaster audigy platinum sound card and uninstalled software (b) removed the dvd burner from a Sony pc and installed it in this computer. (5) Am considering reinstalling windows by copying an installation disk (on my other pc) to a memory stick and transferring that to a folder on my desktop. I'm not even sure if reformatting and reinstalling would solve the problem. (6) am also considering a 3rd party download. You know, the kind that scans your system and gives you a report on what drivers are missing or outdated and then for a fee will let you download their program to fix the problem. Most of these are scams- does anyone know a good one that's legit, does what it claims to do and doesn't cost an arm/leg to purchase ?
I'm all out of tricks in the old trick back. Any help would be GREATLY app. If you're still with me this far, please accept my thanks for your patience - even if you don't have a solution.
thanks again
roger