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Troubleshooting Optical Drive Detection Problems

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This document pertains to HP Notebook PCs with Windows Vista.
Understanding drive detection difficulties
Sometimes installing, uninstalling, or updating a program or Windows Vista can cause driver conflicts or corruptions—which can result in Windows or other programs not recognizing the drive at all. For example, installing multiple programs that work with your optical drive—such as a few different CD/DVD writing programs—can cause driver conflicts, which result in the drive not being recognizable. If the drive is not recognizable, you cannot play or access a CD or DVD.
To resolve this issue, remove upper and lower limits from the registry. Upper and lower limits are points of your computer's registry that control the drivers for your specific device—in this case, the optical drive.
Remove upper and lower limits from the registry using the Microsoft Fix this problem link below:
If Microsoft's automatic fix does not resolve the issue, try using the other methods listed in this document to troubleshoot the issue.
Checking for the presence of the optical drive in Device Manager
Device Manager is a program that allows you to determine which devices are installed on your computer, update software drivers for these devices, and determine if hardware is working properly. Verify that the optical drive is listed in the Device Manager by following the steps below.
  1. Remove any discs that may be present from the DVD/CD-ROM drive.
  2. Click Start , type device into the search field, and then select Device Manager from the list.
  3. In the Device Manager window, expand DVD/CD-ROM Drives. There should be a name listed for each installed drive.
    If the drive is not listed, then you may need to install the driver using the instructions in the Uninstall and reinstall drivers section below.
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Uninstalling and reinstalling drivers in Device Manager
Follow the steps below to uninstall and reinstall the device drivers:
  1. Click Start , right-click Computer , and then select Properties .
  2. In the System pane, click the Device Manager link. If prompted, allow the computer to access the Device Manager.
  3. In Device Manager, click the plus sign (+) next to the type of driver you want to uninstall and reinstall (e.g., Modems, DVD/CD-ROMs), unless the minus sign (-) is already showing.
  4. Highlight each listed driver one at a time and press the delete key. When prompted, confirm that you want to delete the selected drivers. Do not restart the PC.
  5. In the Device Manager pane, click the Scan for hardware changes button (near the top). Windows Vista scans your system for hardware and installs default drivers for anything that requires drivers.
  6. Verify, under the appropriate portion of the list, that your device drivers are listed once again.
  7. Once the device drivers have been reinstalled and are listed again, try running your program again.
    NOTE: Some devices may require your computer to restart. Windows Vista will notify you that restarting is necessary. Save all open files and allow the computer to restart.
If uninstalling and reinstalling the default drivers does not correct the problem, you may need to update your drivers. See Download and install the latest firmware and software for the drive for more details.
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Download and install the latest firmware and software for the drive
Sometimes the default drivers provided with Windows Vista will not be up-to-date. If uninstalling and reinstalling the default drivers does not correct the hardware problem, you may need to update your computer's firmware. Firmware includes both the device drivers which makes the hardware device (e.g., the optical disc drive) function, as well as software which provides advanced features and improved performance.
For additional information on ways to obtain updates from both HP and Microsoft, please see HP Notebook PCs - Using HP Update Tools to Update HP Software, Drivers, and BIOS .
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