SATA DVD RW drive detected as cdrom

Hi,
Win7hp/32b. SATA DVD RW drive is detected as a cdrom drive in my computer (explorer).
I have searched all kind of resolutions and until now no solution. Before I tell what i've done, I have a multiboot configuration. In XP, Vista, and Ubuntu on same pc the drive works correct. If I connect an external usb DVD RW drive, same symptoms. Explorer says CD rom drive. This external drive works also good on my Win7hp/32 laptop. So no cable/connection issue. If I put a DVD video in the drive it is not recognized as such, though I can play it with VLC. But WMP12 does not see a DVD in the drive. Funny is that if I put the DVD in when WMP12 is open, it autoplays and runs in WMP12. Neither I have a burning problem. DVD maker and Roxio do see the drive and I can burn DVD/CD's. See below, I think it is a registry problem and not a driver (cdrom.sys) problem. Somehow the DVD references (filters?) are not working so explorer is not told it is a DVDRW drive. Guessing...

actions - result
Win 7 troubleshooters - no
Device manager de-install, reboot or re-scan - no
upper/lower filters - no
Uninstall Roxio, iTunes, Adobe, Virtual Clonedrive - no
Uninstall Intel Storage matrix driver - no
Switched off/on AHCI/RAID/IDE in BIOS all options - no
Restored with WHS a system backup - no
redo above actions in different order - no
checked bit-for-bit HKLM keys in regedit between laptop and pc - no
checked cdrom.sys - no
restored backup again - no
removed physically drive, rebooted 3 times without and reconnnect - no
reset Autoplay settings - no

Well at this stage I'm almost opening the window... but I really like to find out what is wrong, but it is taking too long and the wife is getting annoyed... anyone a suggestion for me?

Try this:

Your CD or DVD drive cannot read or write media

I tried that more than 1 time, as you could determine from the actions I did. thx.

How is the device listed in your bios and is it enabled and on what sata port is it plugged into? Some times a mobo with more than 4 ports (avg is 6) the first 4 are used normally. When using the last 2 ports they must be in ACHI mode for raid set up to access that port. This is not to say you have to use a raid setup but rather to have the ports enabled so that the mobo can recognize and access the devices attached to those sata ports.

Connected to the 3rd SATA port. Don't see why this could be a problem. Checking device management devices by connection it is registered correctly. I'm really looking to what interfaces and telling explorer (windows) the drive is a "cd rom". If you see in topic start, I am able to use the drive somehow. Eg if I want to see a dvd, I 1st start WMP12 and then sling in the disk, and it starts. However this is unnoying, isnt it? If I just double-clik in explorer it opens for browsing and not opening an associated program for playing DVD. As long explorer advertise the DVD station as a cd-rom I'll have this problem.