PC hardware forum: CD drives won't install

There's still that itty bitty problem that my computer can't see the CD in the drive. I tried a music CD with Winamp. No CD disk showing under the "play file" choice. I tried a couple of different software installation disks. "Computer" shows my C: drive, it shows my digital camera when I hook it up, and it used to show the CD drive, but not now. I tried the command window and tried d: (the system cannot find the drive specified) e: (dialog box says, "There is no disk in the drive" and the command echo says, "The device is not ready") f: (see e:) g: (see e:) h: (see e:) i: and higher (see d:). So what might be the problem, assuming that I didn't just get two bad drives in a row? (which is not impossible, but let's call it unlikely for now).
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the Device Manager show?

Control Panel > Device Manager?

Mark

The DM shows the old dead drive, and the new one, both correctly identified. When I unplug the external drive, it disappears from the DM.
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Checking properties, both devices have this information:

Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. (Code 19)

Here's what I found.

"References to Vista also apply to Windows 7."

Some members forget that so I'll lead with that.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060#win7fix

Now you know.
Bob

I found the troubleshooter in the Control Panel and talked to it. It told me that there probably was a corrupted driver (?) and asked permission to fix it. I said yes, and it tried and failed to do so. I then went to other resources and didn't find anything that worked.

I also boldly (syn: possibly idiotically) tried a registry cleaner, and found one that CNET recommends and distributes. In the end, it didn't work. It hung on the "delete" step, and after a few minutes I canceled it. But I had a question as I worked with it: if the result causes the computer to misbehave, how do I restore that backup file I made at the beginning of the process if I can't get back into the computer? (Fortunately it did not give me the opportunity to explore that question).

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But first there are many that take a trip through the swamp looking for a driver. They emerge pretty beat up and sometimes mad at everyone.

Now that is out of the way, did you remove the usual Upper and Lower Filters then reboot?
Bob

Upper and Lower Filters. . .
Sounds like a couple of towns in North Carolina.
If that's not it, I guess I'm about to be introduced to a brand new concept.
OK, I'll bite. How does one going about doing whatever it is that one must do to these filters?

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http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060#win7fix

Again, you are covering the same ground as many others. If you can keep your cool and not get upset you like most can fix it.

A few say "enough" and reload the OS. Seems a shame when it's a few deletes and reboots. Then again, for such a modern OS why would we need to do all this?
Bob

I'm pretty sure that I've discovered that apparent multiple problems are probably all the same problem, which is about to be fixed. (I've also been having a LOT of trouble with my internet connection lately, and perhaps it's not the router's fault after all. I was going to submit that as a separate problem after I fixed this one. Maybe it won't be necessary.) In the end, I may end up fixing the original CD drive, which would mean that I bought two new drives pointlessly. Y'know what? If I end up with a drive and a router that both work, then "que sera. . ."
Pardon me while I go check out that link.

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That link took me back to the Devices troubleshooter, and I had the same conversation with the same result. I let it do its thing, and the result was "problem not fixed."

What about those filter thingees?

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Remember where I wrote the same as Vista text above?

And I asked if you removed the filters?

It's on the page under Vista. I'll copy the beginning for you here.

"Windows Vista

Click Start
Start button
, and then click All Programs.
Click Accessories, and then click Run.
Type regedit, and then click OK.
User Access Control permission
If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.
In the navigation pane, locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
In the right pane, click UpperFilters.

Note You may also see an UpperFilters.bak registry entry. You do not have to remove that entry. Click UpperFilters only. If you do not see the UpperFilters registry entry, you still might have to remove the LowerFilters registry entry. To do this, go to step 8."

Sorry to ask this, but do you think this OS has had its day?
Bob

I guess I made the mistake of reading and obeying the printed instructions too rigidly, and clicking on the Windows 7 link when it said go there rather than to Vista. I'll go try it again. Be back in a little while.

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There were no upper filters listed. I then skipped to step 8 and deleted the lower filters. Now I'm going to reboot. If you don't feel a tug on the line in two or three minutes it means I've drowned or something.

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And, what's better. . .

THERE'S MUSIC COMING OUT OF MY ORIGINAL CD DRIVE!!

Way to go, Bob!

[A very grateful Nathanael]

[Oh, if I have any more trouble with the internet I'll be back. But here's hoping. . .]