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Okay, I have spent some time researching the web on this problem, but what better group of minds to pick than yours!

This is my problem:

I booted up my IBM desktop the other day - Windows XP - and everytime I tried to use either the DVD drive or CD-RW drive, I was prompted to insert a disk even though there was one in there. The drives were not recognizing that they were loaded.

First thing I did was run a virus scan. I am usually up to date and have auto-protect turned on, but better to start with the simple things first.

No viruses were detected and the problem remained.

So I went in to Device Manager. It indicated that both devices were functioning. But I went ahead and did the following:

- tried rolling back the drivers (in case of corruption) - but no version to roll back to was available
- I then uninstalled both drives and rebooted
- Windows recognized the "new" hardware and did its thing
- The DVD drive now works
- But my CD-RW drive continues to not work - it asks for a disk even when one is there
- I restored my entire system to a checkpoint when I knew both worked - just in case something recently installed may have caused the problem - still not luck

So I am confused. The uninstall / reinstall fixed the problem for one device but not the other. Why not both?

Have any of you run into this problem? What problem diagnosis and resolution steps did you take?

God I work for a big blue computer company. You would think I would know more about these boons to productivity we work with....

Gord,
A few things come to mind.
Were you using any disc burning progams prior to failure. You have two drives, correct ? If so possibly going back into those programs and let the program 'know' it can let go of the drive. maybe not explaining very clearly but I'm sure you get the drift. DVD drives burns too, right ?
How about updated drivers for the CDRW. Do you have a boot CD you can try booting from ? Have you looked at the BIOS settings?.
These are some thoughts that come up for me.

Peter -

Also... Try uninstalling the drive (in device manager,) shutting down, unplugging the data cables from the drive, rebooting -- the drive should not appear in your 'sensed' hardware at this point -- shutting down, replugging the cables, and rebooting. XP should reinstall the drivers at this point, and if there was a noisy connection on the disk-sense line in the cable, the replug should help.

You gotta open it up, but it's no harder than a throttle-body sync.

Loose cable at the rear of the CD drive--heat cycles and dust are possible culprits...if you are adventurous enough to peak inside.

Have any of you run into this problem? What problem diagnosis and resolution steps did you take?

I bought an Apple. That problems and 100's more solved. Sorry, I'm sure that doesn't help you.

perhaps reinstalling a driver? then you can go into the machine and unplug replug. depending on your machine, it shouldn't be hard at all.

or you can bring it to BestBuy and have the Geek Squad do it.

They do sometimes go bad as well.
My laptop drive just quit reading one day.
The 'device manager' says it is all functioning, but it can not detect less than catastrophic failure.

Thanks for all the advice. A quick update.

I opened it up. First time I've opened this particular box. And it was easy! Depress a button on the side panel and pull on the panel handle at the back. A far cry from my last three machines where I had to remove a gazillion screws to get at the gizzards of the beast.

Visual inspection showed little dust or grime. But a quick vacuum anyway. Visual inspection of the power connections to both drives and the ribbon cables for each showed no obvious signs of loose connection. Went ahead and disconnected all the cables and reseated them.

Net result. The problem persists. DVD drive works. The CD-RW does not. I am beginning to suspect the drive itself may be shot. But before heading to Future Shop to buy a new drive, I will try the following:

- double check one more time that no program is running holding the drive
- double check that there is nothing jammed in the coffe cup holder (the tray!) that might be affecting the drive's performance

If those show up nothing, then it is off to keep the wheels of the private sector spinning here in Canada by shedding a few loonies for some new H/W.

Good luck!