Windows 7: DVD Optical Drive Not Recognized in Windows or BIOS

I noticed that sometime after I installed windows 7 that my dvd optical drive was not showing up. I have done a lot of research on the matter and have yet to find a working solution. I checked my BIOS and the drive is not listed there, but I'm pretty sure it is properly connected. I have an HP Pavillion dv6000, so the drive just plugs into the slot directed connected to the motherboard, and can be removed by unscrewing a single screw. When the laptop is on I am able to open the drive, and it lights up, so I know it is getting power... I have tried everything under the sun to fix the problem - checking/cleaning the connection port, deleting the upperfilters value from the registry (which many people have said worked for them, however for me it only gave me an warning message in itunes telling me the registry files for burning/importing cd's was missing), reinstalling gear drivers, and running the microsoft fixit programs (they just tell me they can't find the drive or that it isn't there - thanks microsoft...). Nothing has worked, and it's driving me crazy not being able to use my dvd drive. Has anyone had this problem to the same degree as me?/found a solution to it?

Of the BIOS cannot see it, no software fix will help including other drivers. It is probably a connection problem. If the disk works, then the mobo controller is OK because the optical drive uses the same controller in the chipset.

I don't understand where the connection issue would be though since the drive just plugs in...any thoughts? This would make sense though because on rare occasions I will notice the optical drive pop up for a short time in the "computer" window.

Could be anything - e.g. a bent pin or a loose something inside the box. Hard to tell from here.

I'll bet it's the power. Either a bent pin or not enough power from your PSU. It could also be anywhere in the connection like whs says. Make sure your PSU has enough power to handle the new hardware. There are PSU calculators on the net. Newegg for example has one.

As suggested the connection deal but it is showing power so it could be just that the drive has failed.
I would carefully remove the drive and check the connections and make sure their all lined up no bent pins etc as stated above if this is all OK.
You might consider buying a new drive, other than that I don't know what else to tell you.
Fabe

I just checked the connection again and it looks fine to me... They're not actually pins that connect the drive to the motherboard, its kinda just like a plug and port with metal fins. I took a few pictures for you guys to check out.

Hi, my friend, did you actually resolve your issue? Because I have the same

At first glance it actually looks ok. Just make sure it goes all the way in, not sticking out not even 1mm.

Never solved the problem. I was going to buy a new drive but they're pretty expensive and I rarely need to use it so its not worth it to me...