Blu-Ray/DVD-Drive Disappears after Startup

[bigred82]

After I start my computer the blu-ray/dvd drive disappears from "my computer." It has the latest drivers. The BIOS recognizes that the drive is connected and I can see it when I load the bios. Windows does not recognize it in device manager after it disappears. I've tried a lot of the fixes I've read but nothing seems to work and it's about to drive me crazy. Please help!

My specs are:
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
AMD Phenom 9850 Quad-Core 2.51gHz
Zalman CNPS9000 CPU Fan/heatsink
8.0GB DDR2 RAM
ASUS m4a78-e motherboard
LG BH08LS20 Blu-Ray Burner - connected via SATA cable
1.0TB Western Digital Caviar Black HD (via SATA)
Maxtor 150GB HD (via IDE)
HT Omega Claro Plus+ 7.1 Sound Card
Samsung 23" HDScreen
Saitek Eclipse USB Keyboard
Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 v2.0
Antec Nine Hundred Two Case.

 

[A Guy]

Welcome to Seven Forums bigred82. It might be better if you listed the things you have tried, as we'll no doubt recommend them again. Such as removing the upper and lower filters. Switching the (SATA?) plug to another connector, etc.

A Guy

 

[kword88]

try this: Hardware devices are not working or are not detected in Windows

and/or this: Your CD or DVD drive can't read or write media

 

[bigred82]

Thanks for the welcome! I'm not sure what you mean by removing the upper and lower filters?

I've tried changing the SATA connection on the motherboard a couple of different times and it still happens. I'm going to check into those links... Thanks for reading and trying to help!

 

[bigred82]

I ran both utilities and neither found my missing blu-ray drive... thanks for the links.

 

[A Guy]

Does the drive show in windows anywhere? In device manager? With yellow exclamation marks?

Another link to try:

Your CD drive or DVD drive is missing or is not recognized by Windows or other programs

A Guy

 

[kword88]

there .is a firmware update for that drive. i dont know if that will solve the problem because i couldnt find any documentation stating what it fixes:

LG Product Support for BH08LS20

 

[kword88]

you might also try reinstalling/updating the SATA drivers and/or flashing the BIOS to the latest revision: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.-Support-

here are some SATA troubleshooting tips from asus: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- FAQ FAQ How to troubleshoot SATA problems

 

[bigred82]

Thanks for the link but the microsoft self resolver didn't work, unfortunately.

Thanks for the firmware update for the LG bluray player. I am going to flash with those latest drivers when I restart and the drive appears (for a few short minutes) or else it may damage the drive... or so LG says with their warning:

Never update the firmware if the problem you’re having is the drive
isn't seen by windows, won't write with the included software, or other
interface related problems, unless the firmware specifically states it
fixes the problem you are having. Firmware updates normally don't fix these
types of problems. Trying to update the firmware when there are interface
address these problems can damage the drive's firmware. An error when
updating the firmware is usually caused by a problem with the drive
interface or there is more than one drive connected to that IDE channel.

I've already updated my BIOS on the ASUS motherboard. This is absolutely a horrible problem to have. I'm afraid I may have to buy another drive or motherboard or both?

 

[bigred82]

I read somewhere (and someone mentioned here) that deleting the lower and upper filters would be beneficial. How do I do that in regedit? I wouldn't know what I'm looking for to be completely honest.

 

[A Guy]

Try this Fixit, it will do it for you.

Your CD or DVD drive can't read or write media

The manual method

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929461


A Guy

 

[bigred82]

Try this Fixit, it will do it for you.

Your CD or DVD drive can't read or write media

The manual method

The CD drive or the DVD drive does not work as expected on a computer that you upgraded to Windows Vista


A Guy

It didn't work I deleted both upper and lower filters. Thanks for your response, though.

When I first restart the computer I look in the "computer" directory and see my blu-ray drive and the hard drives. When the green bar at the top of the window completes loading the blu-ray drive disappears. It works sometimes... more specifically if I hop into my motherboard's BIOS and then into windows (without even making any changes to the BIOS settings). This is terrible! It seems like a lot of people have this problem, too. I don't understand.

 

[kword88]

maybe this is the fix?:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/6969-drives-hide-show-empty-drives-computer-folder.html

 

[kword88]

here is the instructions for deleting upper and lower filters:

Your CD drive or DVD drive is missing or is not recognized by Windows or other programs

 

[bigred82]

Thanks for your response! It's still not working, though.

I removed both the upper and lower filters, I applied all three fixes to make the drive show even when media is not in the drive (which there is media in the drive) and it's still disappearing. I'm going to show a couple of screenshots before and after.

When the drive is working, for some reason there are 2 of them in "Computer." Later only one of them is showing - and I uploaded a screen shot of that as well.

Something to note, when I tried to apply the firmware update from LG, the update doesn't even recognize a DVD-rom to flash! It's using a generic Microsoft driver atm.

 

[kword88]

did you follw these instructions when updating the firmware?

Critical Instructions: (to be followed carefully)
1. Connect the drive at Computer.

2. Download the file BH08LS20_2.00(EW).ZIP to a folder of your choice.
This download includes this "Read me(ew)" text file, as well as the BH08LS20_2.00.EXE
program, which will auto-update your drive's firmware.

3. Close all other programs including: screen saver, antivirus and/or power-down programs.
(If these programs are not closed, they will try to engage the PC, during the updateprocess,
thus interrupting the update and damaging the drive).

4. Check the drive to ensure that there is no disk in the tray
before you start the update procedure.

5. Go into the folder with the update file and double click the BH08LS20_2.00.EXE program
and Firmware upgrade will be automatically started.
When the UPGRADE is complete the screen should indicate "Re Boot" message
and advise you to reboot the system. You will need to reboot your PC

The update will be complete, after you reboot your system.

-. WARNING:
Do not open any programs or start any system functions during the update,
as they will interfere with data transfer and damage the drive.
Do not cancel the operation once it has been started or the drive will
become permanently damaged, as a result.

 

[kword88]

this firmware update is to specifically address compatibility issues with win7.

 

[bigred82]

this firmware update is to specifically address compatibility issues with win7.

I wish it would recognize it. The firmware update keeps saying "Can't find target drive" and doesn't even list my dvd-drive.

Should I try using Media Code Speed Edit to update the firmware?

 

[bigred82]

MCSE doesn't even recognize that my drive is even there.

 

[kword88]

maybe try switching the SATA cables. and for the time being, dont attach any other drive to that cable/channel.