CD drive not detcting cd's

Today, I inserted a cd into the cd rom drive and it worked fine.. it was a disc that i had burned some files onto before. And the computer detected the cd no problem, came up with the files etc.

I did this with some other similar dics i had also burned, and had no problem.

But the autoplay thing kept popping up asking me what i wantwed to do, and it started to annoy me so I either clicked 'open folder to view files' or 'don't do anything' . I can't quite remember, but I've told the autoplay to do that with other cd's before with no problem.

When it came to inserting the next disc, nothing happened. I could put it in but when I go to the disc d: drive it has no files in there, I don't even hear it spinning up a storm like i normally hear it do when it's working..

So I tried with an audio cd i bought a while ago. I used to cd drive with the same cd a few days ago, so I knew it worked with that disc. But I stil had the problem with it not being detected so I wasn't able to play the music on the cd.

I right-clicked on the cd drive and changed the autopplay settings for all file types to prompt me. But it still doesn't work.
I restored the computer back to yesterday.
I turned the computer off by the mains.
I uninstalled the cd hardware, and reinstalled when windows detcted it after a restart.
I tried the fix thing on windows site with the upper and lower filter things [both the automatic fix and manual fix]..
No luck!

Device manager sees no problem.

I'm also wondering if the location is right because it says Location 0 (0).. because I'm not sure it used to say the extra (0). but maybe I'm wrong.
I've also noticed that in properties for the cd drive it says file system unknown.. could this have something to do with it?

But I would really appreciate some help please.

Thanks

Edited by FunkyChicka, 12 April 2009 - 01:50 PM.

Have you tried installing ASPI drivers for XP?

http://download.adaptec.com/software_pc/aspi/aspi_v470.exe

Location 0 (0) is correct.

Put any bootable CD (like WinXP CD or Linux CDs) in the drive and try to boot from it. If you can boot from it, it would mean CD drive is okay and the problem lies in Windows XP configuration. To boot from CD, you might have to change BIOS settings so that CD is first boot device and hard disk second.

Also try cleaning CD drive's lens.

Try this MICROSOFT link, hope it will help you.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314096/EN-US/

Where does one find that lens to clean?

Edited by Stang777, 13 April 2009 - 03:06 AM.

You don't find the lens.
You use a cleaner CD. Something like this : http://www.amazon.com/Allsop-56500-CD-Lase...r/dp/B00000J1QK

Although, this may not do much in solving the problem. But a lot of people report that their CD drives started working after cleaning its lens. So why not take a shot at it.

Have you tried installing ASPI drivers for XP?

http://download.adaptec.com/software_pc/aspi/aspi_v470.exe

Location 0 (0) is correct.

Put any bootable CD (like WinXP CD or Linux CDs) in the drive and try to boot from it. If you can boot from it, it would mean CD drive is okay and the problem lies in Windows XP configuration. To boot from CD, you might have to change BIOS settings so that CD is first boot device and hard disk second.

Also try cleaning CD drive's lens.

The software did not work and the computer wouldn't boot to the cd, even after changin the bios.

I really can't hear the cd spinning like it normally does. We only got this cd rom replaced 3 months ago,m and it was working fine, and changed within a second.

It may mean that CD Rom drive is dead. But before jumping on any conclusion, ensure that the data and power cables are connected properly. Also if you have another computer to experiment (or a kind friend's), you may attach this drive in that computer and check it out.

I don't feel comfortable doing all that technical stuff, so we might have to call the computer guy in.

Even though in Windows Explorer it says DVD-RW Drive, that can still read CD's can't it?

I have just updated the drivers for it and there was no luck there either.

Edited by FunkyChicka, 13 April 2009 - 01:29 PM.

It sounds as if the drive is dead or it is no longer receiving enough power to properly run. Your cheapest method is to replace the drive outright as most tech will charge more to figure out what is wrong with it.

They are not hard to install, if you have a second CD drive make sure the jumpers on the new one are set to "cable select" or CS on the drive. Some drives are set default to Master. If this is your only drive this step is unnecessary.

You don't find the lens.
You use a cleaner CD. Something like this : http://www.amazon.com/Allsop-56500-CD-Lase...r/dp/B00000J1QK

Although, this may not do much in solving the problem. But a lot of people report that their CD drives started working after cleaning its lens. So why not take a shot at it.

Thank you Romeo, I have been a little baffled every time I have seen someone recommend cleaning that so I appreciate you telling how that is done.

Perhaps you are having the same problem that I started with ?

Look in your registry by;
1.Start
2.Run
3.regedit
4.edit
5.Find
6.\\? enter

Is this in your registry ???

Perhaps you are having the same problem that I started with ?

Look in your registry by;
1.Start
2.Run
3.regedit
4.edit
5.Find
6.\\? enter

Is this in your registry ???

When I search for "\\?" in the registry it finds quite a few things. So what does that mean?

I have been watching this problem for two years now and I feel that the \\? unknown file system
is a virus that the music industry has given us to disable our cd/dvd drives from burning cd's and dvd's.

1Backup your registry.
2.Run regedit.
3.Use FIND to locate \\? .
4.Delete the right side ab 8193 .
5.press F3 for the next occurance of \\? Symbolink Reg_SZ \\?Root#System ......and DELETE .
6.Close regedit and check your cd's and dvd's .

If you don't get use of your cd drive than reboot and use F8 and select
Directory Services Restore Mode .

Use a restore date that you know your cd/dvd worked on .

I hope this helps .

I had this SAME problem just last week and after trying many 'fixes' found on the net THIS is the one that worked. Sorry I can't give credit to my source, but I did a 'print' without reference to where I found it. But it worked! And I hope it works for you, too!

" 1) Click "Start", click "Run", type "regsvr32 ole32.dll" in the Open box (without the quotation " marks), and click OK.
2) Click OK when you receive the following message: DllRegisterServer in OLE32.DLL succeeded.

Your CD Writing Wizard should now work. ... Btw, if this fix doesn't work, there is no harm in the steps above ~ Ole32.dll is supposed to be registered by default."

Good Luck!

I had this SAME problem just last week and after trying many 'fixes' found on the net THIS is the one that worked. Sorry I can't give credit to my source, but I did a 'print' without reference to where I found it. But it worked! And I hope it works for you, too!

" 1) Click "Start", click "Run", type "regsvr32 ole32.dll" in the Open box (without the quotation " marks), and click OK.
2) Click OK when you receive the following message: DllRegisterServer in OLE32.DLL succeeded.

Your CD Writing Wizard should now work. ... Btw, if this fix doesn't work, there is no harm in the steps above ~ Ole32.dll is supposed to be registered by default."

Good Luck!

This did not work either.. even though I for the succeeded message. Thanks though.

I have been watching this problem for two years now and I feel that the \\? unknown file system
is a virus that the music industry has given us to disable our cd/dvd drives from burning cd's and dvd's.

1Backup your registry.
2.Run regedit.
3.Use FIND to locate \\? .
4.Delete the right side ab 8193 .
5.press F3 for the next occurance of \\? Symbolink Reg_SZ \\?Root#System ......and DELETE .
6.Close regedit and check your cd's and dvd's .

If you don't get use of your cd drive than reboot and use F8 and select
Directory Services Restore Mode .

Use a restore date that you know your cd/dvd worked on .

I hope this helps .

Can you explain this again please