I have recently updated my computer with a new Mother board Processor Case Fans ...ect except the cdroms and hard drive. I somtimes have problems with my Sony TDK CDRW161040X. I will read the first CD i put in it then when i take it out and put another in it still reads the first one i put in. Why is it doing this and how can i fix it.


I also have a new CDRom a Optorite DD1203 Dual DVD±RW Recorder. When i tried to install this hardware My computer would not detect it. How can i fix this problem?

Have you tried closing Windows Explorer and then re-opening it?



Are you following instructions when you install? How are you trying to install it? Check your Device manager and see if it shows up. (press Windows key and Pause key at the same time, click Hardware tab, look for CD-Roms and see what's listed.)

Yes i have tried to close the explore and even put in CDs that i know used to work.


I have gone to device manager and to see if it shows up and it doesn't. This Cd drive was given to me with no instructions or drivers but every hardware i have tried to install is always detected when i log on windows except this. I have also Downloaded the drivers from the manufacturers website but still nothing.

Make sure that your cable is properly connected, and if it is try another.

CD-Roms are ATAPI drives and should not need drivers. You plugs 'em in and they work.

But there are compatibility problems with old hardware and XP, as well as older versions of software, such as Roxio.

I, too, am wondering about the cables. Also, keep in mind that any electronic hardware can be damaged simply by handling it if you don't practice safe handling techiques, like grounding your body to the computer's frame before touching a device.

In addition, have you set the jumpers on the drives correctly, and put the master drive on the end of the cable, the slave in the middle?

I have tried setting it up as both primary and secondary and neither work as for the safe handling the person who tried it in there computer first is not the most careful person. About the cables they are new and work with my other 2 cdroms so i dout that is the problem. I've come to think this cdrom is bad its been in 2 computers that will not detect it and I've tried all suggestions... Ill try sending it back to see if i can get another. Thank u all for the tips and pointers.


There is still the case of the other 1. I found if i log off that it will detect that the disk has changed. Has anyone else had this problem with a cdrom? Farther note that i can still click on what ever disk i put in it previously and it will show what it had on it not what is in it Ex. i put Diablo 2 in and it detects diablo 2 it show the icon in my computer drive E i right click and hit explore D2 startup is there and other game data. I close the window, eject D2 and open my computer and it detects no Disk in Drive E. I put in Starcraft and it Detects D2 again not Starcraft i Right click it and go to explore and D2 start up and other game data is still there as if the disk did not change. Note the games used in the example is not the only disks i have a problem with it is all of them.


Now my old DVD rom will not detect anything.. I might just have old CDroms that are failing, they are almost 8 years old and probly need to be cleaned which i will do tomarrow when i get off of work. the cleaning could be the problem with this drive but could it be the problem with the 1st one that is detecting the wrong cd?

I am running Windows XP Professional by the way sorry i did not say that earlier.

At this point, that sounds like a reasonable assumption.



I don't have any idea what could be causing that. What happens if you try a CD that has autorun? Something like an install disk for a program. Does it start up?

D2 is an autorun CD and i have tried it so is Starcraft. When i do put in an auto run CD , if this is the first cd that i have put in after booting, it will run fine. If it is the 2nd or later CD it will try to run the autorun on the first CD. It comes up error.

This is a tough one. Check your Device Manager to see what settings are: press the Windows key and the Pause key to get the System Properties, and then the Device Manager tab. Find your CD-Rom listings. Right-click on the CD-Rom in question and click Properties. Make sure the Auto Insert Notification tab is checked.

Another possibility is that, while in Windows Explorer, you can press F5 to refresh the contents.

If you're at all comfortable in the registry, (This all assumes you're using Windows 98) check the entry in

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\ Explorer

The value of NoDriveTypeAutoRun should be: 95 00 00 00

Always make a backup of the registry before you change anything.