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My CD/DVD drive/writer won't work after I removed a virus and my CD/DVD writer burning software

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CD/DVD/Blue-ray drive/writer Problem 1: CD/DVD drive/writer won't work after the removal of a virus or Roxio CD/DVD-burning software

My Acer laptop computer, running Windows XP, has suddenly stopped recognising the CD/DVD drive after I removed a virus. When I open Device Manager, there is a yellow exclamation mark beside the CD/DVD drive that says: "Successfully loaded device driver but cannot find hardware (Code 41)". I uninstalled the CD/DVD drive by right-clicking on its entry under DVD/CD-ROM drives and rebooted. Windows reinstalled it, but the same problem still exists.

Answer

That error and a number of other error codes can be reported for a DVD or CD writer if something has damaged one of the filter drivers, which are called Upper Filter and Lower Filter drivers in the Windows Registry. They can be installed by CD/DVD-writing software such as Roxio Easy CD [Roxio Creator 2009 was the latest version at the time of writing], or by DVD players such as PowerDVD, or by programs such as Musicmatch Jukebox.

Microsoft describes the problem in MS Knowledge Base article 314060. -

You can no longer access the CD drive or the DVD drive, or you receive an error message after you remove a CD recording program or a DVD recording program in Windows XP: "error code 31" at http://support.microsoft.com/?id=314060

The article applies to Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional. The error can occur with any type of CD-writing or DVD software. Error messages that may occur when you try to access your CD or DVD drive include:

1. - Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the Registry) is incomplete or damaged. (Code 19)

2. - This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)

3. - A driver (service) for this device has been disabled. An alternate driver may be providing this functionality. (Code 32)

4. - Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)

5. - Windows successfully loaded the device driver for this hardware but cannot find the hardware device. (Code 41)

However, there are other causes for these and similar messages. The solution provided below applies mainly to CD or DVD drives.

For other explanations, read this MS Knowledge Base article - Explanation of error codes generated by Device Manager in Windows XP Professional - http://support.microsoft.com/?id=310123. The information also applies to Windows XP Home Edition.

Uninstalling and then reinstalling CD-writing and DVD software (using its own uninstall option or via Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel) may cure the problem, but in other cases, such as yours, the Windows Registry has to be edited in order to fix it. Making erroneous changes to the Registry can render a computer unbootable, so before you edit it, use Windows XP's System Restore to create a restore point that will allow you to restore it in Safe Mode, or export the keys from the Registry editor by using its File => Export feature. For more information, enter the word Registry in the Search box of Start => Help and Support.

Enter regedit in the Start => Run box to run the Registry Editor and click on the + signs to expand and highlight the following keys:

H_KEY _LOCALMACHINE => SYSTEM => CurrentControlSet => Control => Class => {4D36E965E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE 1 0318}

There should be many keys called {4D36E965E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE 1 0318}

If you want to export a copy of the values, select File => Export and enter a suitable filename, which will be saved as a .reg file that can be restored just by clicking on it. When you select a particular key, in the right window, for some of them, you should see keys called UpperFilters and LowerFilters. Select each such entry in turn, right-click with the mouse on it, and click Delete. After closing the Registry Editor, you should be able to use the CD/DVD drive again. However, you may have to reinstall software that accesses the drive, such as CD/DVD writer and DVD player software.

CD/DVD/Blue-ray drive/writer Problem 2 - CD/DVD drive won't work after removing Roxio/Nero CD/DVD writing software

I found the following anonymous information on a computer forum. It might work for you if you have a similar problem. Remember, you should have a restorable backup of your computer's system before you attempt to edit the Windows Registry in case it miscarries and renders the computer unbootable.

"I removed Roxio (correctly through the control panel) and lost the DVD/CD drive in my Toshiba Satellite laptop. After a week of frustration, I found a site that had the info I needed. I got my drive back in just a few minutes. Here's the fix: Go to the Windows START menu. Click on RUN and enter: regedit FOLLOW THIS TREE: Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class In the CLASS folder, look for: Key Name: {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} Value Data: [Delete All Value Data from UpperFilters and LowerFilters] You will see the upper and lower filters folders once you get to the end of the tree… *\*\*\control\class Delete all the data in these two folders (and if you see a backup folder for either the upper or lower filters, delete all the data in them as well). Note: Do not delete the Key or the Multi-String Values. Delete only the data values. Exit Registry and Reboot.