[JohnnyL]

I did a search, but most of the answers I've seen deal with DVD drive not showing in My Computer. This is not my case. I have been to several online forums, including MS and HP, and have found no answer to my problem. My system is eMachines T3304, AMD Sempron 3304, internal Lite-On Combo DVD/CDRW:

My computer crashed, requiring a system restore. No problem, ran system restore, used my original XP disc, and everything reinstalled and looked great. Started reloading all my software, and everything worked and loaded fine until I got to Office 2007. Apparently the software is a dvd, not a cd-rom.

The disk would not boot up. Checked Device Manager, ran troubleshooting, and it says device is working properly. I clicked "update drivers", and it tells me there are no driver updates more current than what I have. I opened the drive with the under My Computer, it indicates "0 files". I thought it might just be the disc, since I had just used the same drive and it worked to reinstall all the other software, so I popped in a movie. Same result, and I checked 2 or three other dvd's as well. Front light comes on, I hear spinning, but "0 files".

I visited the Microsoft download site and downloaded from the "updated driver" link just to make sure. No difference.

I then borrowed my son's HP DVD840E and hooked it up via USB cable. I get the same result with that drive as well!

Two seperate online forums (MS and HP) suggested going into "regedit" and removing the upper and lower filters, then go to device manager and uninstall the driver, and shutdown/restart. This did not fix the problem either.

I checked to make sure that "Win DVD" was actually reinstalled, and it is showing on my program list. Just to see if that might be the problem, I also loaded Intervideo DVD as well, with no success in solving the problem. The drive will run all my CD-Rom discs, and will play any regular cd. It just will not read a DVD. From all of this, I'm almost positive the problem is with XP somehow, but it has been over 2 weeks and no one has responded to my problem on the MS forum. I'm at the end of my rope with this! Does anyone have any other suggestions?

BTW, just to get Office 07 on my computer, someone already recommended I click the "download trial version" version of Office 07 from MS site, and just plug in my existing product key where they give you the temporary trial one, but that doesn't work either. It just says "invalid product key", so I'm screwed trying to download the Office software as well!

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Sounds like a faulty DVD.

Why did the system crashed previously?

Edited by DragonMaster Jay, 23 April 2009 - 02:37 PM.

[DragonMaster Jay]

Sounds like a faulty DVD.

Why did the system crashed previously?

Edited by DragonMaster Jay, 23 April 2009 - 02:37 PM.

[JohnnyL]

13 yr old son likes to click on lots of "Free Ipod" or "You've Won a New Car" links, and of course, downloaded a few viruses onto the system. I just decided to wipe everything and start all over again. I know it's not just a faulty DVD, as I mentioned that I hooked up a HP DVD drive via USB that works fine on other computers. BOTH DVD drives act the same when trying to run a dvd on this particular computer.

[happyrock]

you may be missing the AC3Filter...try this...go here and get XP Codec Pack ...after you install it see if you can play a movie

[JohnnyL]

Sorry, that did not work. Same problem as before, and I tested BOTH drives with cd's cd-rom, and dvd. They will both play and run all discs BUT the DVD.

[DragonMaster Jay]

Sounds like a component failure.

If you are not able to read DVDs, then you are either missing Codecs, or you are dealing with hardware corruption.

Worth reading, IMO.

[JohnnyL]

Thanks for the article, but I had already downloaded the codecs link in the post before yours, so that's not it. I also find it hard to belive that it is component failure or hardware corruption, since a perfectly good external drive that works everywhere else has the same problem when hooked to this computer, not to mention the fact that both dvd drives still run the other types of discs. I've also already installed both Win DVD and Intervideo, which is mentioned in the article.

[happyrock]

Right click my computer go to Properties... hardware tab then to Device manager..
Locate the drive and see if it's listed as a DVD RW or CDDVDW or if it only see's it as a cd drive..

If it sees it at a cd drive.... run Windows Updates and choose Custom updates....look on the left side for any hardware upates it says you need.. download and install them ...
nojoy...
is there another computer you can put this problem dvd writer in.. If there is no problem reading or writing in the 2nd computer then we know for sure it has something to do with your computer...if the second computer has the same problem as yours, I would blame the drive....

[JohnnyL]

Thanks, but when I go to device manager, I click the "+" box next to "DVD/CD-Rom Drives", it expands to show "Lite-On Combo SOHC-4836V". It doesn't say cd, cd rom or dvd.

[JohnnyL]

Sorry, forgot part 2 of your question. I do not have another desktop computer to put the internal drive in.

[happyrock]

try reinstalling your chipset drivers...try first at the mobo manufactures website or your computer manufactures website...
nojoy...
try using the device manager to uninstall the secondary IDE controllers...reboot it will reinstall the drivers

[JohnnyL]

Thanks for your reply! On the eMachines site, there are download links for the following:

nVidia Chipset and network drivers
BIOS Flash Utility for Motherboard K8MC51G
nVidia Video Driver*
nVidia Video Driver for Windows 200 & XP*
Video Driver*

*these 3 appear to be the same, as they all say version 81.33 and are the same file size (29.42mb)

Should I just download the chipset driver, all of them, or would that do more damage than good?

[happyrock]

download them all ...burn them to a cd...it will be nice to have them on hand if/when somewhere down the road you need one...
but only try to update the chipset drivers for now...

Edited by happyrock, 28 April 2009 - 05:44 PM.

[JohnnyL]

Downloaded the chipset driver, no difference. Downloaded them all...nothing. Still shows "0 files" when the disc is in. Tried the external drive that works fine on my other computer, it reads "Please insert disc in Drive J" when the disc is already in. I'm ready to toss it and go buy another computer.....

[happyrock]

did you install the drivers...