This has happened twice on two different systems. Pentium 4 1.8 to 2.3 ghz Intel desk top boards. 2 different Legal copies of XP. Systems not on line. All hardware checked good before and after problem. Installations and verification by phone both went normally. One of these may help:
1. Uninstall the drive through DEVICE Manager.
Restart computer. The drive will be automatically reinstalled.
or...
2. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060
Restart computer.
or...
3. Download, and run Restore Missing CD Drive patch
Double click on cdgone.zip to unzip it.
Right click on cdgone.reg, click Merge.
Accept registry merge.
Restart computer.
or...
4. 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 Uninstall. Confirm.
Restart Windows. They'll be automatically reinstalled.What 3rd party PROGRAMS have you recently installed that might interact with the optical drives (itunes, nero, etc)?I have been attempting to convert VHS videos to CD format. The latest software I am using is the Dazzle product. It appeared to work normally for a while making CD's but when the drives went south I did a work around of saving the movies to an external drive via USB connection. On the previous problem system I used another product which didn't work at all well so was returned to Best Buy for credit. I also have had Dazzle running on our new online HP/Vista system. It is not always consistent and I did not WANT to screw up the new main system (WIFE is not experienced and has "0" patience with computer glitches) so removed.

The system bios recognizes the optical drives and the Windows device manager lists them but with a little yellow "?" icon before each. I have tried removing the optical drives and associated drivers and re-booting the system. When it starts the operating system tries to re-install the optical drives but ends with a error message and will go no farther.

I am presently out of town but will try other suggestions next week. Because these systems are not online all downloads have to come through an external USB drive from our main system.

Thanks for your help; I have the patience of an oak tree (so says my son) and will continue to try stuff. Jim Thanks Broni,

I am out of town and will try suggestions when I return on Monday.

Later, JimTry uninstalling Dazzle and see if the drives work. If so,..............Allan, I will try what you suggest when I get home. Thanks, JimSure. Please let us know.