Hello,

I have been having problems with my CD/DVD RW drive randomly
disappearing since January. The odd thing is that it's not always gone.
For instance, I just burned a CD, yet within an hour I expect my CD/DVD
RW drive to disappear both from "Computer" and the Device Manager. The
only time the drive works consistently is immediately after a restart.
If I am playing a DVD at the time the drive "disappears", the computer
completely locks up and the display becomes completely distorted. When
the drive disappears, it no longer appears in the Device Manager, thus
there is no error or error code.

The problem started occurring about a month and a half after installing
iTunes and the drive had worked fine previously. The issues started
after installing Blizzard's World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the
Lich King (at least, that's the last thing I remember installing
immediately prior to when the problems started occurring). I have
uninstalled all of the programs I could find that I figured may
interfere with the drive (like Daemon Tools, iTunes, QuickTime, etc).

I have tried the LowerFilters, Upperfilters fix (LowerFilters didn't
even appear in my registry). I have tried virus scans, spyware scans,
different BIOS settings, different media players, reinstalling drivers,
reseating the drive, using a different drive (same thing happens),
creating 'suggested' LowerFilters (which I have since deleted),
uninstalling iTunes, reinstalling iTunes, re-uninstalling iTunes (iTunes
is no longer on my computer), and pretty much anything else I was able
to find in forums online. I am now looking for a more personalized
solution.

I bought this computer at BestBuy and have taken it in for service.
They informed me that they cannot fix the problem and would have to send
it away. If all else fails, I still have a year left on my full service
warranty, though I'd rather not send this computer away for weeks as I
use it for classes.

[Since I mentioned that I just burned a CD, I should also mention that
a new problem has just occured: I cannot eject the disk. Pressing the
open/close button on the drive itself does nothing, and right-clicking
the drive in "Computer" and selecting "Eject" gives me the following
error: An error occured while ejecting 'DVD RW Drive (E'. Looks like
I'll have to use the mechanical release button. I can still access the
disk that is currently in the drive and play the music I just burned to
it. This is a completely new problem that I have never seen before.
Even after manually ejecting the disk (through the pinhole release), the
same errors occur]

Here are some specs for my computer. If anyone is willing to help and
needs more information, please feel free to ask. I will DL any
diagnostic programs needed to help solve this issue, but I will need
instruction on which ones to use.
*HP Pavilion dv2700 Notebook Entertainment PC
Optiarc DVD RW AD-7561A ATA Device
Windows Vista Home Premium SP 1
AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-60 2.00 GHz
3.00 GB RAM
*
I appreciate any help anyone can give me. I feel as though I've tried
a lot of possible solutions with absolutely no success.


--
Sethroe

You appear to need a new disc drive.
These are very easy to swap out if HP will send you a new one.
Before you send the computer in see if you can take out the optical drive
and reinsert it. If the contacts are loose that could cause exactly what you
describe.
Otherwise you have to send the unit to HP for repair.

Hi, Sethroe.

I agree with "pupick". Your problem is in hardware, not software.

It may be as simple as a loose connection, or as bad as a dead optical
drive, as pupick suggested. Either way, for a new computer still under
warranty, it should be the seller's problem, not yours. And having to "send
it away" is ridiculous! Best Buy should be able to repair it in their own
store while you shop, unless they are snowed under with other repair jobs.
A competent local computer shop could probably diagnose it - and fix it if
you choose - for a small charge.

Meanwhile, all the software tweaking you can do will not fix a hardware
problem, especially an intermittent one.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8064.0206) in Win7 Ultimate x64 RC 7100

"Sethroe" wrote in message
...

Hello,

I have been having problems with my CD/DVD RW drive randomly
disappearing since January. The odd thing is that it's not always gone.
For instance, I just burned a CD, yet within an hour I expect my CD/DVD
RW drive to disappear both from "Computer" and the Device Manager. The
only time the drive works consistently is immediately after a restart.
If I am playing a DVD at the time the drive "disappears", the computer
completely locks up and the display becomes completely distorted. When
the drive disappears, it no longer appears in the Device Manager, thus
there is no error or error code.

The problem started occurring about a month and a half after installing
iTunes and the drive had worked fine previously. The issues started
after installing Blizzard's World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the
Lich King (at least, that's the last thing I remember installing
immediately prior to when the problems started occurring). I have
uninstalled all of the programs I could find that I figured may
interfere with the drive (like Daemon Tools, iTunes, QuickTime, etc).

I have tried the LowerFilters, Upperfilters fix (LowerFilters didn't
even appear in my registry). I have tried virus scans, spyware scans,
different BIOS settings, different media players, reinstalling drivers,
reseating the drive, using a different drive (same thing happens),
creating 'suggested' LowerFilters (which I have since deleted),
uninstalling iTunes, reinstalling iTunes, re-uninstalling iTunes (iTunes
is no longer on my computer), and pretty much anything else I was able
to find in forums online. I am now looking for a more personalized
solution.

I bought this computer at BestBuy and have taken it in for service.
They informed me that they cannot fix the problem and would have to send
it away. If all else fails, I still have a year left on my full service
warranty, though I'd rather not send this computer away for weeks as I
use it for classes.

[Since I mentioned that I just burned a CD, I should also mention that
a new problem has just occured: I cannot eject the disk. Pressing the
open/close button on the drive itself does nothing, and right-clicking
the drive in "Computer" and selecting "Eject" gives me the following
error: An error occured while ejecting 'DVD RW Drive (E'. Looks like
I'll have to use the mechanical release button. I can still access the
disk that is currently in the drive and play the music I just burned to
it. This is a completely new problem that I have never seen before.
Even after manually ejecting the disk (through the pinhole release), the
same errors occur]

Here are some specs for my computer. If anyone is willing to help and
needs more information, please feel free to ask. I will DL any
diagnostic programs needed to help solve this issue, but I will need
instruction on which ones to use.
*HP Pavilion dv2700 Notebook Entertainment PC
Optiarc DVD RW AD-7561A ATA Device
Windows Vista Home Premium SP 1
AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-60 2.00 GHz
3.00 GB RAM
*
I appreciate any help anyone can give me. I feel as though I've tried
a lot of possible solutions with absolutely no success.


--
Sethroe