I have a Dell Optiplex 270 with an NEC 2100AD DVD+RW. Yesterday, it stopped working. The system could not recognize it at all; didn't even show up as a drive letter on My Computer. Spent hours with Dell on the phone. They rcommended firmware update - but it's not available for this model NEC. Then I went to Microsoft and found this article: http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;314060. I read it and did what they suggested. Now at least there's a drive letter and I can play CDs and DVDs, but I can't burn them. Error message with Roxio 7 says "No recorder". External Iomega Hotburn software says there is no CD RW drive. Help, please - any suggestions?

Any idea what happened when it stopped working? Were you adding/ deleting software?

Can you use the XP burning Wizard?

Uninstall both Roxio & Iomega. Reinstall only if they have special features you need.

Otherwise let XP handle it.

I have no idea what could have caused this bizarre behavior. System restore wouldn't work either.

And I can't use the Windows XP wizard. There's an error message that the drive is not available.

Any more suggestions?

Unplug the drive & boot without it.

Shutdown & replug & reboot.