Hi, am getting desperate so I hope someone can help!

My laptop (Toshiba satellite A10 running windows XP service pack2) was running fine until earlier this evening. I loaded a new PC game (DVD-rom) which functioned perfectly until my battery ran out and my computer went into hibernation. I opened it back up and suddenly found that my CD/DVD drive wasn't working. That is, if I entered a CD or DVD, the CD would start to spin (could hear the noise), the mouse icon was a pointer with a little gold CD (suggesting it was trying to load I guess), but after 20-30 seconds of hard work and lots of noise it would give up. However, Drag'n'Drop (the burning program) registered that there was a CD/DVD in the drive. 'My Computer'doesn't show the CD/DVD details, yet the Device Manager says everything's fine.

I looked at various 'solutions' on the internet, but to no avail. I performed a system restore which uninstalled the game that may or may not have caused the problems. I checked regedit for auto-run/autostart settings as recommended on the Microsoft Website. I rebooted the computer... and...

Well, now audio CDs are working, provided I have Windows Media Player up and running first. Dvds aren't working at all, whether or not a DVD player is running. If I click on a desktop icon for a program that requires a CD it simply says 'Please put the correct CD in the drive, and restart the progam.' (or something to that effect). The autorun features don't seem to be working at all, except blank CDs which prompt the 'Windows can perform the same action each time a disc of this sort is inserted' box.

I have checked that the drivers don't need updating, I have rebooted a number of times. Oh, its a Mat@@@@a UJDA 750 btw.

I really don't want to have to reinstall windows, buy a new driver or take the computer apart... simply because it was such a sudden thing! There seem to be so many people who have suffered from a similar problem and the solutions just don't seem to be out there!

Any help would be much appreciated, sorry this is rather long-winded, I just wanted to provide as much info as possible.

Thanks in advance,
Ice.
PS. Oh, and this is quite urgent, because I use my CD/DVD drive on this computer for my work!

One basic try:

Go to the Device Manager

Right click on the drive and choose: Uninstall

Reboot


This will sometimes reset the XP drivers and sort things out. Note that you are uninstalling the device (not the drivers).

I wish that had worked! So simple!

But alas, no, everything is as it was before. Thanks for the suggestion though, and any others will be appreciated and tried!

Ice.

Here is about the only response I can find from Toshiba:

http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/t...ceghdgngdgnj.0

Secondary IDE Channel DMA setting
To ensure the Secondary IDE Channel DMA setting:
1 Click Start, Control Panel, Printers and Other
Hardware.
2 Click the System icon in the left window pane.
The System Properties window appears.
3 Click the Hardware tab.
4 Click the Device Manager button.
5 Click + to open the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controll
6 Double-click the Secondary IDE Channel.
The Secondary IDE Channel Properties window appears.
7 Click the Advanced Settings tab.
8 Look at Device 0. The current transfer mode should be
Ultra DMA Mode 2. If it is not, select Ultra DMA Mode
2 from the pull-down menu and click OK.

My settings were already correct... I'm at a complete loss!

Thought I should mention, I tried deleting the upper/lower filters in the registry... (as suggested in other forums)... but that didn't work either.

Oh, and the strangest thing, the DVD reader works perfectly in safe mode... so presumably its not a hardware problem?

I really need help!
Thanks,
Ice.

Nothing that you have mentioned indicates any hardware problem.

The difference between Safe Mode and Starting Windows Normally is the drivers that are/are not loaded.

Safe Mode (SAFEBOOT_OPTION=Minimal): This option uses a minimal set of device drivers and services to start Windows.

Another way to try this process selectively is using msconfig as described here:

How to troubleshoot by using the System Configuration utility in Windows XP

As a first try I would examine your Startup tab looking for DVD/CD software and or any media applications.

By unchecking entries you stop them from starting. You can always go back and recheck them. You will be warned on boot that you are starting in diagnostic mode etc. Just click the box that implies: "yes I know what I am doing. Leave me alone."

Hi, sorry it took me so long to reply... I tried what you said... it didn't seem to work at all! But I definitely think its software related... I'm just not sure how?!

Any other suggestions?

OK ... another tack: what DVD software are you using?

Have you tried completely uninstalling and reinstalling this software?

Just as a note of possible interest: a DVD/CD combo drive has two distinct lasers. One for the CD and one for the DVD. It is quite possible for the CD to be working when the DVD is not.

Also whereas XP supports CD Reading and Writing it has no support for DVD functions. That is why I inquire as to your DVD software.

Sorry I have nothing more definitive for you at this time.

I knew already about the laser thing, but why would the DVDs still work in safe-mode if the DVD laser wasn't working? (forgive my ignorance!)

As for the software... as a player I use InterVideo WinDVD 4... the DVD-ram service is matsus-h-i-ta (swear filter blocks the whole word). Plus I run Nero occasionally. Does that help?

Thanks btw!