[delawaredrew]

Dell Inspiron 8500 running XP SP3.
yesterday my cd drive and the external dvd-r drive just disappeared. Device Manager shows them with a little warning sign next to them. If I pull the drives and reinstall it tells me the drivers are corrupt or missing. After much searching for the samsung sn - 324b driver I have been unabvle to find a downloadable version that actually works for me. I have the disk for the USB LG GSA-E60L but cannot use it of course unless one of the two drives works.
I have tried uninstalling both, disabling and enabling both, cursing at them, etc.... My hammer is beginning to look tempting. I have the original dell recovery disk somewhere, I just moved and have no idea where now, is that my best course now?
Any help?
Drew

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Windows, since 2000 version doesn't need any extra driver for optical drives.

Try one of these:
1. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060
or...
2. Download, and run Restore Missing CD Drive patch
Double click on downloaded file, and allow registry merge.
or...
3. 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 Uninstal. Confirm.
Restart Windows. They'll be automatically reinstalled.

[Broni]

Windows, since 2000 version doesn't need any extra driver for optical drives.

Try one of these:
1. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060
or...
2. Download, and run Restore Missing CD Drive patch
Double click on downloaded file, and allow registry merge.
or...
3. 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 Uninstal. Confirm.
Restart Windows. They'll be automatically reinstalled.

[peter99]

How to recover from Lost Cdr/cdrw/dvd in XP

Have a read of my post at

http://www.geekstogo...XP-t142390.html

there are 3 sets of symptoms

[delawaredrew]

I actually got a rep from MS support to help by telling them it happened after SP3 was installed. He did something in the registry, deleted a value or something, I am waiting for the promised write-up of what he did. SO both drives are back now and I am on to a new problem.
You'll soon see a new thread about what to do about bad sectors on my HD. This free laptop is just a real bundle of joy! If CHKDSK doesn't solve my BSOD and random freezes I will post about them.
Thanks