Can't Find my DVD/CD drive

Hey guys, A friend of mine swapped my hard drive and cd/dvd drive with his, then swapped it back to mine. Now, I can't find my dvd drive on MY COMPUTER. I do not see an option for it in the Device Manager, nor on my BIOS setup. My notebook is a Gateway MX3560 running on Windows XP. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. Oh, the dvd/cd drive opens and closes properly, I just can't find or use it. Thanks, Paul!

If no other changes were made, I would say your friend did not plug the CD/DVD drive back in all the way. Try removing and reinserting it forecefully.

I've tried the unplug/re-plug method about 3 times and still nothing. For some reason, when I stick in a disc it sounds like it's reading it. I just can't find the option for my drive anywhere, including the BIOS or CMOS (sorry, not really sure which is the actual), My Computer, Device Manager, or else where. Thanks for your input though. I hope I don't have to buy a new one. Lol!

I had the same problem on several occasions and through some research on Google, I was led to the Microsoft online Help centre where I followed the instructions outlined at the following link Hardware devices not detected or not working.

I was instructed to download the following repair utility Mats_Run.DVD.exe which corrected the problem resulting in both the BIOS and the Device Manager "seeing" the drive in question. I hope this solves your problem as it solves mine when that happens.

I believe that information was probably helpful, but unfortunately, and apparently Windows support for my product has ended as of July 13, 2010. Bastards! Lol… I guess I'll try and sift through the Microsoft page for more information. If you have an alternative to such a program, I would greatly appreciate it. I appreciate the info you have provided for me as well, and thank you!

Support for Microsoft XP Home and Pro continue "if" the owner/user has completed updates to SP3.

Now, I can't find my dvd drive on MY COMPUTER

One of these may help:
1. Uninstall the drive through Device Manager.
Restart computer. The drive will be automatically reinstalled.
or…
2. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060
Restart computer.
or…
3. Download, and run Restore Missing CD Drive patch
Double click on cdgone.zip to unzip it.
Right click on cdgone.reg, click Merge.
Accept registry merge.
Restart computer.
or…
4. Go to Device Manager, click a "+" sign next to IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers.
You'll see two items:
- ATA Channel0 (or Primary Channel)
- ATA Channel1 (or Secondary Channel)
Right click on each of them, and click Uninstall. Confirm.
Restart Windows. They'll be automatically reinstalled.

Thank's to Broni for the instructions

I'm getting a run time error from the Fix It program when I try to run it. I'll try the other 2 options though. I, unfortunately cannot see an option for a cd/dvd drive on my device manager. It's as if the drive doesn't even exist. The drive does open and close when I press the button, and it sounds like it's reading my cd when I stick it in, however there is nothing beyond a 'sound' from the drive to indicate it is operating. it's not visible in My Computer either. Thanks though, and I'll post back the results after I run the cdgone and uninstall my ATAs

I'm getting a run time error from the Fix It program when I try to run it. I'll try the other 2 options though. I, unfortunately cannot see an option for a cd/dvd drive on my device manager. It's as if the drive doesn't even exist. The drive does open and close when I press the button, and it sounds like it's reading my cd when I stick it in, however there is nothing beyond a 'sound' from the drive to indicate it is operating. it's not visible in My Computer either. Thanks though, and I'll post back the results after I run the cdgone and uninstall my ATAs

OK then the next step is to check in the BIOS to see if the drive is identified there.
To change Boot Sequence in your BIOS
Reboot the system and at the first post screen (where it is counting up memory) start tapping the DEL button
This will enter you into the Bios\Cmos area.
In the General area there should be a listing of all identified drives.
One should be the hd and the other should be the cd drive.
.
Let me know what you find.

I entered my BIOS setup, and all I found there was an option for my hard drive WDC 08bla-bla-bla. I went into the boot sequence tab and found an option for CD-DRIVE (but not collapsible, meaning it did not find or recognize any drive associated with this), then Floppy, then Hard Drive (the only collapsible option), and then BroadCom… I appreciate the help! Oh, and do you know why I can't run the Fix It program?

By fix it are you referring to the cdgone patch? I'm agraid this won't even help because it appears that the drive although mechanically it is working it seems that the drive is either not software working. The bios reads the drive description from the firmware located in the drive. Since yours is not readable it would mean eith a bad drive, a bad cable, or faulty controller on the motherboard.

I've got a funny feeling my friend gave me his drive and not my own. I've got a Toshiba on my Gateway Mx3560, and I think it was a Samsung before he switched with me. What do you think?

Hey guys,
A friend of mine swapped my hard drive and cd/dvd drive with his, then swapped it back to mine. Now, I can't find my dvd drive on MY COMPUTER. I do not see an option for it in the Device Manager, nor on my BIOS setup.
My notebook is a Gateway MX3560 running on Windows XP. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.
Oh, the dvd/cd drive opens and closes properly, I just can't find or use it. Thanks,
Paul!

Hi Paul,
This problem has been posted all over the web and the variants on it are;
DVD - RW will not burn
Nero will not burn
DVD will not play and spins
Event ID:7 source cd rom bad block
music CD will not play
Bad Data
disc will not format and ejects.
etc etc
The microsoft FixIt program does not provide a remedy.
Re-installing CDrom drivers do not work as vista has the drivers.

In the end I think ( after days of researrch) the problem for most users is that Vista service pack 2 caused this issue for users.
Therefore it is up to MS to solve this as the problem is probably a line of code but none of their Forums have that FIX just loads of tasks you can do that does not do anything constructive to fix this issue.
So don't blame the disc's your using, your lazer head, your Cdrom drive (does not need to be replaced). your bios does not need to be changed and it ain't a virus.
Hope this saves you time (at Least) even though its not a solution to the problem

I've got a funny feeling my friend gave me his drive and not my own. I've got a Toshiba on my Gateway Mx3560, and I think it was a Samsung before he switched with me. What do you think?

I would contact your friend and ask . Do you have the owners manual for the system?
It should tell you what the original components were in the system.