[Boyo]

For some reason my CD-R/RW and DVD-ROM stopped working one day. I am not exactly sure when, I just noticed it when I went to burn a CD 10 days ago. I checked Device manager and there were 2 yellow exclamations points next to the drives.

I am using a Dell Dimension 8300, Windows XP Home and Samsung CD-R/RW SW-252s and a Samsung DVD-ROM SD-616e.

I went into the registry and deleted the upperfilters and lower filters from the IDE drives. That got rid of the yellow exclamations points next to the drivers, but neither would still work. I un-installed both drivers then re-installed them. That allowed me to view DVD's and for my CD-R/RW to read CD's like Encarta. But I still couldn't get any audio CD's to play.

I checked to see if the removable media drive was being indexed, it was not. I downloaded firmware from the Dell website, I got a message telling me that the firmware was not compatible with my devices. I restored Sound Blaster Live! defaults, no luck. I reset my BIOS defaults and cleared my NVRAM, nothing. I removed the IDE controllers in safe mode and then re-installed them. I confirmed that DMA was enabled for both drives. Then I ran the Dell Diagnostic self test disk and all drivers passed.

After all of this, I was able to get Windows Media 10 to burn/rip/play my audio CD's, but when I run Dell Jukebox MusicMatch and Sonic, I still get an error message that no CD/DVD devices could be found. So I un-installed both software and re-installed them, but I still get the same error messages.

Does anyone have any ideas of why MusicMatch and Sonic still won't recognize my CD/DVD devices after all of this work??? Does anyone have any suggestions of other steps to take to get my drives recognized? I am at a total dead end. I could really use some help.

Edited by Boyo, 12 June 2005 - 12:00 PM.

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Sonic and Musicmatch do not see the drives but other programs do? The drives are accessible through my computer, windows explorer? Normally, when you see the yellow ! in device manager, all you need to do is load the proper driver to get the device working. If these were working properly, and suddenly stopped, what changes did you make to your system that may have caused it? Did you download/install any new software or programs?

[austin_o]

Sonic and Musicmatch do not see the drives but other programs do? The drives are accessible through my computer, windows explorer? Normally, when you see the yellow ! in device manager, all you need to do is load the proper driver to get the device working. If these were working properly, and suddenly stopped, what changes did you make to your system that may have caused it? Did you download/install any new software or programs?

[Boyo]

That is correct. Only Sonic and Musicmatch do not recognize my drives. I can't play/burn/rip any audio CD's using them. I only get error messages that they are unable to find my drives.

Windows Media and everything else on my computer works fine and recognize the drivers.

I didn't make any changes to my system. No new software or hardware has been added. That is why this is so confusing. My thinking is, if everything else is able to use my drives, and I have un-installed and then re-installed the software, where is the breakdown? Why would Sonic and Musicmatch still have an error after re-install? I just can't figure this one out.

[austin_o]

I don't have an answer. Since you already tried removing them (from add/remove programs?) and it didn't fix it, don't know what else you could try. If it were me, I would go over to the software vendors web page and look for an answer. I use Sonic myself but never had any trouble. I also use Roxio and have used the support forum there and found solutions. See if these web sites have support forums or a searchable knowledge base for some kind of answer to your problem.

[Boyo]

Thanks. That is exactly what I am in the process of doing now. It can't be my drives since they work with other software. I have contacted Musicmatch support. I will try some things on their end. I am not too concerned about Sonic since I rarely use it. But thank you for your help. I appreciate it.

[mmarinello1]

I use Sonic "Record Now" My dvd players run into interference when the lowerfilters key exists in the registry. So I backup the key lowerfilters 1st, then I delete the lowerfilters. Problem with dvd drives is solved, so far....but when I need to use Sonic again, "no recorder" problem. I then restore the registry and restart the PC. This is the easiest way around this problem.

Problem 1
Dell Support and the forum both have the instructions for deleting upper and lower filters, but they fail to tell you why.

Problem 2
Because, Dell also tells people to reinstall Sonic when the drives disappear. But that puts the lower filters key back into the registry.

No solution Catch 22.

My solution for now is to backup the registry, then when you need to use Sonic, in my case once a month for backup.

If you use Sonic everyday, then this is no help.

What I don't get, is why do all the forums tell people about lowerfilters and reinstall sonic. It is obvious that sonic needs the lowerfilters to se the burner drive.

[techroy]

Since you've tried uninstalling/reinstalling the Sonic and Musicmatch programs and also the dvd/cdrw drivers, you can also try to uninstall the audio drivers.

If there was very little that changed, why don't you try running system restore.

also, you can try playing audio cd's by attaching external speakers or headsets to the front jacks of your drives. If it doesn't play, have it replaced. If it does, you might as well reinstall your OS.