DVD drive blinks for several seconds before waking up from Sleep mode

What is Windows checking for when my empty DVD drive blinks repeatedly for several seconds upon waking up from Sleep mode before the password menu appears? (And continues to blink for just as long after the password screen appears.) This is an annoyance, not a serious problem like many others have with Sleep mode, everything is operating and waking up fine, but those seemingly wasted seconds cumulatively add up to a lot of dead time.

This is new Ultimate 64-bit install, drivers and updates all up to date, no conflicts in Device Manager, no program running that needs to access the DVD drive that I'm aware of, no networks installed; screenshot of running Taskmanager processes attached.

It seems to be a case of the OS deliberately checking the DVD drive as a built-in rule. The empty drive also blinks for a shorter duration upon entering Sleep mode and when shutting down. I don't even have the DVD drive part of the BIOS start-up sequence! Why this check, and better, how do I shut it off or at least shorten its duration, with a reg tweak perhaps? Any helpful tips appreciated.

I have an HP AMD dual core and the HD LED blinks constantly. If I uninstall the CD drive in Device Manager it stops. Often the CD drive is linked to controllers that control other stuff like the HD and other storage like those little camera stick reader slots etc..

Chances are there's no good way to fix it. I have a newer HP PC and the disk LED doesn't blink, but when I sit at an angle where I can see the camera memory stick reader slots, I notice there's a little red LED inside that blinks. Don't look or it will drive you crazy. Like the Tell Tale Heart muffled beating. :)

For $10 plus S&H I'll rent you my 3 LB ball-peen hammer. :)