CD/DVD ROM drive 'gone' from PC

[CW1]

Hi, CD/DVD ROM drive has suddenly disappeared from PC. Nothing in Device Manager, have followed MS tips, ie. Fix It and registry edit, neither worked. No UpperFilters or LowerFilters registry entries to delete. Can't find any evidence it ever existed !
Is hardware u/s or there something else we could try ?Thanks !

[ACtheTROLL]

have you checked the connectors?

if not - do
if no joy - a new drive will cost �20 ish (get a rw)

[CW1]

Hi, yes have checked connections. Took drive to PC World with view to buying another one but guy there said if it was a registry prob a new one wouldn't work either, so we came back to check.
Drive defo u/s then ? It's a SONY, only about 2yrs old, thought it'd last longer than that !

[ACtheTROLL]

Hardware doesn't really show in the registry
hklm\system\mounteddevices\dosdevices\x:
(x=CD/dvd letter)
and a ref to the explorer mountpoint

it should exist in hardware manager - but only when connected - if it's not there (and it's the only drive) you don't even get the dvd/cd heading

when that happens it's either a bad connection
or curtains for the drive
you could try

[ACtheTROLL]

this will ONLY work from the command prompt ...

copy everything between the two lines of ****s
(but not the ******s)
into a notepad text file ... and rename it hide.bat

in XP
just run it (must be using an administrator account)

in vista
right click and use the run as administrator option

then in the device manager window
use view | show hidden devices

and hunt down and in disc drives remove the generic

reboot ... and replug


********************************************************* ***
echo off
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo This prog MUST only be "run as" administrator
echo.
echo.
echo.
pause
set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo in the device manager window
echo.
echo use VIEW, SHOW HIDDEN DEVICES
echo.
echo to display everything
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo written by ACtheTROLL
pause
start devmgmt.msc
********************************************************* ***

[ACtheTROLL]

when you open device manager - view hidden devices - you'll see everything that's ever been connected to your machine

the DVD/cd should show greyed out
if it does it proves the device WAS there but is no longer connected

.... back to PC world (or a propper computer shop) for a new drive

[ChuckFickens]

does it show in the BIOS?

SATA or IDE drive?

errr, you've also not actually said laptop or desktop, I'm assuming desktop as you took just the drive to PC world.

[ACtheTROLL]

lol - my bios bit must have been nicked
I thought I'd asked - sort of came after the you could try

oh my aching head

[CW1]

Hi, Thanks for replies.

Haven't looked in the BIOS. It's my other �'s m/c so don't wanna risk messing it up - I can do a few bits but would rather stay away unless I know exactly what I'm doing !

I'll get him to check the hidden devices, that looks a good idea. Looking at your code, ACtheTROLL, that does the same (?). And on my m/c, I can see the UpperFilters & LowerFilters registry entries so that does look relevant.

ChuckFickens - would guess it's IDE. Looks like mine is, tho' his isn't quite as old as mine, but it's the wider ribbons. And your assumption was right, it is a desktop, running XP.

Guess it's a new drive then, tho' how it's disappeared is a mystery !