computer won't read dvd or cd players

I have a friend's computer that he says that doesn't boot anymore, he was right, it didn't. I just un-plugged things and cleaned connections, put it back together and it fired up fine. I tried to watch a DVD on it yesterday and learned that the DVD and the CD players aren't being seen by the computer. When you turn the computer on, they light up and the light goes on for 3 to 5 seconds and that's it. Under computer, the drives are empty. I took the two drives and ribbon out and replaced it with a known good set and the same……….. Can someone please help me get this running again………..
PS………this operating system is window xp

Hi bob5326, sorry to hear of the problem with your CD/DVD drives.
A good place to start on this is here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060
Try the automated "fix it" and see if this helps.
Note you will need to close down and then restart the computer when the fix has completed.
Let us know if this improves things for you
Regards
paws

You Folks are awesome……… two downloads, two scans, and I am one happy camper. I tell everybody I know, that you guys are the best at helping people, and they just don't listen. now I have to put it all back together, and make sure it's set……. thanks so much for your help, I was getting ready to shoot it, but not now, thanks again…..