Programs cannot recognize burner

I "inherited" a Dell Desktop computer and have rarely used it except to upload to my ipod and burn ACAD files. For some reason Itunes and the version of Roxio CD Creator already installed are now saying that there is no supported drive. Even DirectCD has disabled itself saying it can't find the Drive. Dell's website has been a wealth of information The CD-RW is labeled as HI-DT-ST CD-RW GCE-8483B the computer is also equipped with a HI-DT-ST CD GCE-8483B The drive has worked before and I cannot pinpoint the exact time when it stopped working. There hasn't been any software loaded on the computer that should have any adverse effects either. Any help that can be given would be greatly appreciated.

rnjholley, It sure sounds like a hardware failure. Hopefully one of the WTT tech folks will chime in and give some pointers. Have you attempted any type of trouble shooting yet? Does the other CD Rom drive work? Or for that matter does the CD Writer even read any CD's? I have had several CD Roms, and writers fail due to dust and heat. But that might not be your case. Try swapping a things around some, i.e. connect the writer to the CD rom spot(be sure to check the jumpers to be sure they are correct. just a few little ideas of things you can check. A Davis

I will try swapping some cables around and see if I have any luck. The other CDRom works fine and the read feature on the CDRW is great. I have uninstalled the driver and let it reinstall itself, alas no luck. The included MS Troubleshooter is about as helpful as a backpack when skydiving. Its conclusion are basically that it is the manufacturers problem, no way Microsoft could ever make a mistake.

the good part is since the reader of the CD Writer works then it doesn't sound like the writer is completly shot. Now what it might be is dirt/dust inside of the writer, I have a CD cleaner that work well most of the time for fixing these types of problems. It seems to me to be an issue with something not letting the writer write, dirt/dust/cob webs You can pickup a CD Rom cleaners at many electronic stores. It's kind of like a CD with brushes on the bottom to dust clean the drive out. handy little tool if your like me and leave computer setting around for sometime without any use. Good luck and post back with how things are going. A Davis