Dvd writer not reading dvd

left click start in the lower left hand of the screen
left click run
type regedit
left click OK
Now the registry editor will come up
double left click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
double left click on SYSTEM
double left click on CurrentControlSet
double left click on Control
double left click on Class
double left click on {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
look on the right side of the window for upper filters
right click on upper filters
left click delete
windows will then ask you to confirm deletion
click yes
look on the right side of the window for lower filters
if you do not see lower filters, you may be out of luck on this one.
right click on lower filters
left click on delete
windows will then ask to confirm deletion
click yes
Close all the windows that are open
restart the computer

Hi Soundguruman - I have a similiar problem and this is as follows:

I have a NU external Supermulti DVD Burner that was working fine in my desktops and I have burned my home video DVDs using this DVD burner last year without any problems. I used DVD-R. My desktops were runninig Windows XP SP2. But today, when I tried to burn a DVD-R, I found that the DVD RAM changed to CD mode and it was not recognising the blank DVD-R. But when I removed the blank DVD, the drive changed back from CD to DVD RAM? I dont remember encountering this problem before the last time I successfully burned DVDs.

I tried the same and hooked my external DVD RAM on another desktop and it was occuring the same problems.

I ran a check on the forum board and I have noted that there are people out there who have reported thse same kind of problems and I have tried several steps as recommended, including upgrading/installing the Microsoft XP SP3. As you have indicated in your response to ronel_21, which is what Microsoft has indicated as the fix in their website, I have also removed the recommendation of the register upper limit and lower limit registers, but, the problem is still there.

Can you or anyone out there please help me out and tell me clearly what I should be doing. I need to fix this problem fast.

Thanks - KS

some people have used "cd gone zip" but I have not tried that. if you download it, scan it with your security before you run it. Many said it solved the problem, but I can not personally verify that.
http://forums.techguy.org /hardware/539094-solved-cd-drive-stopped-working.html
remove the spaces from the above link before copy paste to browser

I personally avoid downloaded fix it programs.

I personally, based on my own belief systems, would rather do repair install of the operating system, which does not erase the personal files. You will need an XP install disk, preferably SP3. The directions for the repair are posted in this forum, sixth post from the top.
you may ask yourself how you can run a repair if the CD drive does not work? Windows loads a temporary driver that makes it work while repairing your operating system. It sets it all back to default, including recognizing the CD drive. Windows will not erase your stuff while doing this repair, but you may want to make a backup of all your files to a thumb drive or maybe an online backup such as MOZY, if you cannot get your USB to work.

Based on my own personal belief system, after I repair install, (which erases the microsoft updates) I shut off the automatic updates forever, and the notifications (balloons) that pop up telling me that my security updates are turned off (so what?)
I use a professional antivirus, all in one security system, instead of relying on microsoft to protect my computer. What you do is entirely up to you.

you must shut off the updates before registration, following a repair install. if you register, and the updates are not shut off first, microsoft will automatically start downloading the updates into your computer. As I said, I personally would rather not install these updates from the website.

I would rather use SP3 from the CD, and forget about downloaded automatic updates.

you may find (as I did) that shutting off the updates prevents problems (such as the CD drive disappearing) (such as the audio drivers disappearing) (etc...) But these type of incompatibilities do not affect all computers, just some.

Your above answer to someone else saved me a lot of trouble! -Thanks a lot guru!

Dimitris