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Computer related help.
A little while ago my DVD/CD drive died. It doesn't think it's dead, but it never recognises anything I put into it.
This is really annoying because I have a couple of pieces of software I'd like to install, and one which I can't activate (I used the online trial version to set it up, but it turns out I can't use the code to activate it... one wonders why they have the code).
It occured to me that something might have been confused (and perhaps I might have screwed up by installing/using a registry correcting program; perhaps the files got screwed up). I did some poking about the web and this is a possibilty. But I am a trifle leery of just mucking about with things. Aware, but not super aware, is my level of use. The real nuts and bolts of things are a trifle opaque to me.
The fora I looked at seem to think this is, actually, the problem (though usually when someone installs burning software).
The recommended fix seems to be:
It is a Windows thing, losing drives when installing/un-installing burning software…
If the drives are still listed in the Device Manager, delete them then, carefully follow this fix:
"Upper/Lower Filters:
a. Click on Start --> Run --> and type in 'regedt32' followed by the enter key
b. Expand the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" key (looks like a folder) by double clicking it (or clicking the "+" next to it.)
c. Expand the "SYSTEM" Key
d. Expand the "CurrentControlSet" Key
e. Expand the "Control" Key
f. Expand the "Class" Key
g. Look for a key containing the following string of letter and numbers:
{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
h. Highlight this key by left clicking once on it
i. On the right hand side you are looking for "UpperFilters" and "LowerFilters" under the "Name" column, once you find these delete them by right clicking on them and choosing "delete"
j. Exit the registry by clicking on the "X" in the top right hand corner of the screen.
Which gives me some questions.
1: Why delete the device from the device manager.
2: I have a lot of folders with that name in the regedit directory. (24). Four of them have, "Upper Filters", none have lower. I didn't look at any of the sub-directories.
3: If I try this, am I risking a further mucking up of the system?
4: If I do this, and it doesn't work, will replacing the drive be worth it? The computer is probably being replaced in the next year or so anyway, so spending a whole lot on an internal device seems a bit silly, if an $80-100 external will suffice. I'd rather not have one more piece of hardware to haul around, but there are some games I'd like to play; games which want the disk.
Ideas?
This is really annoying because I have a couple of pieces of software I'd like to install, and one which I can't activate (I used the online trial version to set it up, but it turns out I can't use the code to activate it... one wonders why they have the code).
It occured to me that something might have been confused (and perhaps I might have screwed up by installing/using a registry correcting program; perhaps the files got screwed up). I did some poking about the web and this is a possibilty. But I am a trifle leery of just mucking about with things. Aware, but not super aware, is my level of use. The real nuts and bolts of things are a trifle opaque to me.
The fora I looked at seem to think this is, actually, the problem (though usually when someone installs burning software).
The recommended fix seems to be:
It is a Windows thing, losing drives when installing/un-installing burning software…
If the drives are still listed in the Device Manager, delete them then, carefully follow this fix:
"Upper/Lower Filters:
a. Click on Start --> Run --> and type in 'regedt32' followed by the enter key
b. Expand the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" key (looks like a folder) by double clicking it (or clicking the "+" next to it.)
c. Expand the "SYSTEM" Key
d. Expand the "CurrentControlSet" Key
e. Expand the "Control" Key
f. Expand the "Class" Key
g. Look for a key containing the following string of letter and numbers:
{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
h. Highlight this key by left clicking once on it
i. On the right hand side you are looking for "UpperFilters" and "LowerFilters" under the "Name" column, once you find these delete them by right clicking on them and choosing "delete"
j. Exit the registry by clicking on the "X" in the top right hand corner of the screen.
Which gives me some questions.
1: Why delete the device from the device manager.
2: I have a lot of folders with that name in the regedit directory. (24). Four of them have, "Upper Filters", none have lower. I didn't look at any of the sub-directories.
3: If I try this, am I risking a further mucking up of the system?
4: If I do this, and it doesn't work, will replacing the drive be worth it? The computer is probably being replaced in the next year or so anyway, so spending a whole lot on an internal device seems a bit silly, if an $80-100 external will suffice. I'd rather not have one more piece of hardware to haul around, but there are some games I'd like to play; games which want the disk.
Ideas?
I'd
2. It looks like a popular fix. I've got upper and lower filters listed.
3. From the recommendations on line, I doubt if it's too bad.
4. You should be able to buy a new internal drive for around $24.00. I'd replace it. If the computers a bit err, elderly, it'll have a PATA drive. If it's not quite as old, it'll have a SATA drive. Either one are quite easy to replace.
Re: I'd
Re: I'd
Re: I'd
The drive is, per properties, TSSTcorp CD/DVDW TS-L532M
Re: I'd
Commenting for Terry; his computer has died on him
The cursor is sitting dead centre on the screen, and occasionally hourglasses.
Your opinions are solicited... (I'll be reading them to him, I'm a Mac user and just taking dictation here.)
ETA: "last known good config" FTMFW!
Re: Commenting for Terry; his computer has died on him
Open Device Manager. If the DVD drive is installed, uninstall it.
Reboot.
Apologies if my suggestions toasted the laptop. I should have suggested backing up the registry. If you've ran reg cleaners against it, they probably did. If you can boot into safe mode, you should be able to restore the registry.
Sony laptops have a hard drive partition that can restore the OS. If all else fails, contact HP to see if they have a similar system.
Re: Commenting for Terry; his computer has died on him
Commenting for Terry; his computer has died on him
The cursor is sitting dead centre on the screen, and occasionally hourglasses.
Your opinions are solicited... (I'll be reading them to him, I'm a Mac user and just taking dictation here.)
ETA: "last known good config" FTMFW!