Please bear with me on this, as I'm quite new this...

I have recently purchased a Compaq Pressario V4100 notebook.
All is fine apart from one thing, the Windows XP doesn't recognise that there is a DVD RW installed.
There is power to the DVD (you can hear it working).
Discs (CDs or DVDs) do not autorun & the D drive has disappeared.

I have a feeling this is something very fundamental & would appreciate receiving any advice on what to check etc...

Did the drive ever work?

Is the drive seen by the BIOS? When you first power on before XP loads the computer should show you what it does or does not detect.

At the Logo screen press either F1 or F10 & check for your DVD.

If it is detected in the BIOS then see the following:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...#c00300503_doc

However I would mention that if this is a new computer you consider returning it.