The Dink Network

Hey... I've been having some comp trouble (my DVD drive suddenly stopped working... but it works in safe-mode... drivers are all updated, i've tried most things, and argh!)... just wondering if any of you could help... by perhaps:
a) Fixing it.
b) Giving me a suggestion.
c) Suggesting a good support site...

I didn't want to write too long a post, but if anyone has any ideas I can provide the whole story!

Please please please! My sanity is at stake!

The best support site would be the one of the DVD drive manufacturer.

Either that, or Google. Something with "troubleshoot", the brand of the DVD drive, "DVD drive" or "DVD player".

I've looked at literally dozens of sites on google... it appears lots (i.e. hundreds) of people have had similar problems, but no one seems to be able to provide an answer. It's not hardware related... I think its Windows related... but I don't know! Argh!

did you install or update anything before you noticed it not working anymore? I seem to recall something similar happening to me a while back, can't remember how i fixed it tho

EDIT: I think I ended up reinstalling windows... i think

check out this link it describes a problem similar to yours:

http://www.antionline.com/showthread.php?threadid=276353

From what it looks like to me you have to uninstall the drivers and the device and then reinstall them together.

http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=0

Ding Ding Ding Ding!

I've tried dragon's suggestion... and thanks Mr ding ding ding ding... but (surprise, surprise) my intelligence does stretch to checking the Microsoft site.

I was hoping for some advice that I couldn't get on the first google search page that pops up... since some of you are supposed to be computer whizzes!
If it helps at all, this is a copy of the post I've put on a couple of support forums... it might provide some extra info. Any help really would be appreciated:

Hi, am getting desperate so I hope someone can help!

My laptop (Toshiba satellite A10 running windows XP service pack2) was running fine until earlier this evening. I loaded a new PC game (DVD-rom) which functioned perfectly until my battery ran out and my computer went into hibernation. I opened it back up and suddenly found that my CD/DVD drive wasn't working. That is, if I entered a CD or DVD, the CD would start to spin (could hear the noise), the mouse icon was a pointer with a little gold CD (suggesting it was trying to load I guess), but after 20-30 seconds of hard work and lots of noise it would give up. However, Drag'n'Drop (the burning program) registered that there was a CD/DVD in the drive. 'My Computer'doesn't show the CD/DVD details, yet the Device Manager says everything's fine.

I looked at various 'solutions' on the internet, but to no avail. I performed a system restore which uninstalled the game that may or may not have caused the problems. I checked regedit for auto-run/autostart settings as recommended on the Microsoft Website. I rebooted the computer... and...

Well, now audio CDs are working, provided I have Windows Media Player up and running first. Dvds aren't working at all, whether or not a DVD player is running. If I click on a desktop icon for a program that requires a CD it simply says 'Please put the correct CD in the drive, and restart the progam.' (or something to that effect). The autorun features don't seem to be working at all, except blank CDs which prompt the 'Windows can perform the same action each time a disc of this sort is inserted' box.

I have checked that the drivers don't need updating, I have rebooted a number of times. Oh, its a Matshoota UJDA 750 btw.

I really don't want to have to reinstall windows, buy a new driver or take the computer apart... simply because it was such a sudden thing! There seem to be so many people who have suffered from a similar problem and the solutions just don't seem to be out there!

Any help would be much appreciated, sorry this is rather long-winded, I just wanted to provide as much info as possible.

Thanks in advance,
Ice.
PS. Oh, and this is quite urgent, because I use my CD/DVD drive on this computer for my work!

Since then I've discovered that the drive works in safe-mode... just not normal-mode. Bizarre hey?

Please help!

that's mat-s-h-i-t-a... bloody swear filter.

I've just had a lot of bad days with people who have crappy problems. Like a gum wrapper *inside* the drive.

First off, try using a regionized dvd, a burned dvd, and then some other dvd that you *know* won't have a region setting. You'll have to figure out which on is which on your own. If there's an on and off problem shown here, your region might be buggered to russia or something, and you'll have to change it.

If not.

Okay, go to the my computer icon, right click to the properties option, go to the hardware tab, open up the device manager, and make sure that you are in Devices by type view.

Go to each option under DVD/cdrom drives, right click and go to scan for hardware changes. Go to properties, and then goto the drivers tab. (you can also change the region in this window, but for the love of god, don't if you don't need to.) Roll back or uninstall and reinstall the driver. If we are good, we are good. If not...

Well, now we need to rip open the case of your computer. (don't do this if you've never done it before, or you have warranty. A slight rub the wrong way on a circuit board will kill things, up to, and including your flesh. You have been warned.) We also need a friend with a computer. Okay, what we do is take the drive out of your computer, and put it into his. If it works, well, then you've got some sort of issues that I have no clue about. Try making the drive a master or slave, different from what it was, or just try changing the which power cable you are using, and swap out the data cable. Also try to reboot without the drive, just for the heck of it.

If it's still funky, and you've done this before, crack open the drive. Electrostatic shock warning applies here as well. Just take the case off, and it's a bit tricky, and it's different for each drive.

Basically, we are looking for that clear candy wrapper, and take this opportunity to blow some dust around. If you don't see a problem, blow some canned air gently over the optical head, and then put it back together. Don't touch the lens, 'cause that will do bad things.

no offense rice chrispy if you answered her question exactly as she needs cause i wouldnt know because 1 i didnt even read that whole post and 2 my knowledge of dvd drives is about 0 but from my experience merlin can solve any known computer issue of existence and dont call me an idiot but i would try updating the driver also arent dvd drives like 10 bucks nowadays? things on computers tend to break over time maybe the best answer would be to not bother doing all this research and software tweaking but just to replace the stinking drive

It's a laptop.

laptop drives are permanent? or just more expensive? ive never had one.

Rightio... well. Firstly, I've updated the drivers. Everything's as new as can be. But... they've been like this for months, and this problem only started yesterday. I'm not taking the computer apart, because... well... I really don't think it's a hardware problem.
Why?
- The whole thing works in safe mode...just not normal mode
- Lots (and I mean hundreds) of people have experienced the same problem and written about it on the net... people with all different hardware... sony, lg, toshiba etc and one common factor... WINDOWS. Particularly XP. And one common dilemma... THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANSWERS!
- Audio CDs still play fine... (though they tend not to autoplay)
- My computer's not old, and hasn't experienced any bumps or knocks recently.

I don't want to have to buy a new drive for the same reasons... reinstalling windows isn't really an option at the moment (am on the other side of the world and my little cds are back at home).

Chrispy, I appreciate your suggestions, the first couple I had already tried... got any others? I'm not too bad at taking things apart... and have worked with circuit boards before, I just really don't think that's the problem... Joshriot, have tried that too...

Come on guys (and girls), brainstorm?

EDIT: Oh, and I can't read data cds (with this prob)... so can't really reinstall windows.

Any chance you installed a new game recently? There's this nasty program called StarForce that can screw up DVD drives and the like, and it is usually installed with computer games as copy protection (i.e. to make sure that you have the CD in the drive in order to play the game).

Can you boot from a bootable CD?

Also, download HijackThis here and run it. Click run and save to a log file. Wait a minute and then paste everything that's in notepad into a post.

True she did mention that she installed a game... which game was it?

why dont you just take the cpu to a store like COMPUSA or somtithin?

Because CompUSA sucks balls.

You'd be able to read windows, as it's read during the boot process, and before windows even starts. So if data cd's aren't being read during the boot process, you have problems above my level of ideas.

I'm going to assume that you haven't installed anything recently, and that your virus scanner is updated, as well as your copy of adaware.

Random thoughts:
Maybe it's the file association table?
Is it an audio program, like winamp?
Have you tried a boot disk?
How many processes are running on this lappy at startup?
Do you have any sort of CD 'helper' program, above and beyond windows explorer?
Have you tried uninstalling then reinstalling the drivers?

Righty Righty.... merlin, I will try your suggestion ASAP.

Redink, yes, I had just installed a game, and it did have a warning about copy protection in the manual...the game was running when my computer decided to hibernate, and once I woke it up nothing was working anymore... so this 'StarForce' may be the culprit. However, I did a system restore to before the game was installed. What else should I do in that respect?

Chrispy, yeah, I've uninstalled the drives/drivers and don't have a disk I can boot from as I'm far far away from my collection of CDs.. (other side of the world far away...) and have to work all day... (that is, if I can get my comp working...).

Am off to try Merlin's suggestion. Will be checking!

EDIT: I could take it to a computer shop, but I'd like the satisfaction of fixing it myself (albeit with others' help). My virus software is up-to-date, and I just did a spyware/adware scan last night.

A quick note... I don't think EA games (Electronic Arts) use Starforce...

Me again... Merlin this is what came up in notepad:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 12:28:43 AM, on 12/09/2006
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\DefWatch.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\DVDRAMSV.exe
C:\Program Files\ewido anti-spyware 4.0\guard.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\CBA\pds.exe
C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe
C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\Rtvscan.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\igfxtray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\PmProxy.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\00THotkey.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apoint.exe
C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TouchED\TouchED.Exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\TFNF5.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\TPWRTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ezSP_Px.exe
C:\Program Files\Drag'n Drop CD+DVD\BinFiles\DragDrop.exe
C:\Program Files\ltmoh\Ltmoh.exe
C:\WINDOWS\AGRSMMSG.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Works\WksSb.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apntex.exe
C:\Program Files\ahead\InCD\InCD.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\MYWEBS~1\bar\2.bin\mwsoemon.exe
C:\Program Files\3Com\3Com OfficeConnect Wireless Utility\3Com Wireless 11g PC Card\PRISMSVR.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANT~1\VPTray.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe
C:\Program Files\3Com\3Com OfficeConnect Wireless Utility\3Com Wireless 11g PC Card\Monitor.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\wkcalrem.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RAMASST.exe
C:\Program Files\Sony\Sony Picture Utility\VolumeWatcher\SPUVolumeWatcher.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmc.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\WinRAR\WinRAR.exe
C:\DOCUME~1\STEPHA~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\Rar$EX01.757\HijackThis.exe

R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - {00A6FAF6-072E-44cf-8957-5838F569A31D} - C:\Program Files\MyWebSearch\SrchAstt\2.bin\MWSSRCAS.DLL
O2 - BHO: MyWebSearch Search Assistant BHO - {00A6FAF1-072E-44cf-8957-5838F569A31D} - C:\Program Files\MyWebSearch\SrchAstt\2.bin\MWSSRCAS.DLL
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx
O2 - BHO: mwsBar BHO - {07B18EA1-A523-4961-B6BB-170DE4475CCA} - C:\Program Files\MyWebSearch\bar\2.bin\MWSBAR.DLL
O2 - BHO: ST - {9394EDE7-C8B5-483E-8773-474BF36AF6E4} - C:\Program Files\MSN Apps\ST\01.02.0002.1001\en-xu\stmain.dll
O2 - BHO: MSNToolBandBHO - {BDBD1DAD-C946-4A17-ADC1-64B5B4FF55D0} - C:\Program Files\MSN Apps\MSN Toolbar\01.02.2001.0001\en-au\msntb.dll
O3 - Toolbar: ninemsn - {BDAD1DAD-C946-4A17-ADC1-64B5B4FF55D0} - C:\Program Files\MSN Apps\MSN Toolbar\01.02.2001.0001\en-au\msntb.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\WINDOWS\System32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PmProxy] C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\PmProxy.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [00THotkey] C:\WINDOWS\System32\00THotkey.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [000StTHK] 000StTHK.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Apoint] C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apoint.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TouchED] C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TouchED\TouchED.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TFNF5] TFNF5.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Tpwrtray] TPWRTRAY.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ezShieldProtector for Px] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ezSP_Px.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Drag'n Drop CD+DVD] C:\Program Files\Drag'n Drop CD+DVD\BinFiles\DragDrop.exe /StartUp
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LtMoh] C:\Program Files\ltmoh\Ltmoh.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AGRSMMSG] AGRSMMSG.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WorksFUD] C:\Program Files\Microsoft Works\wkfud.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Works Portfolio] C:\Program Files\Microsoft Works\WksSb.exe /AllUsers
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Works Update Detection] C:\Program Files\Microsoft Works\WkDetect.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroCheck] C:\WINDOWS\System32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [InCD] C:\Program Files\ahead\InCD\InCD.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [msnappau] "C:\Program Files\MSN Apps\Updater\01.02.0002.1001\en-au\msnappau.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MyWebSearch Email Plugin] C:\PROGRA~1\MYWEBS~1\bar\2.bin\mwsoemon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PRISMSVR.EXE] "C:\Program Files\3Com\3Com OfficeConnect Wireless Utility\3Com Wireless 11g PC Card\PRISMSVR.EXE" /APPLY
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [vptray] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANT~1\VPTray.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MsnMsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MyWebSearch Email Plugin] C:\PROGRA~1\MYWEBS~1\bar\2.bin\mwsoemon.exe
O4 - Startup: Cyber-shot Viewer Media Check Tool.lnk = C:\Program Files\Sony\Sony Picture Utility\VolumeWatcher\SPUVolumeWatcher.exe
O4 - Startup: MyWebSearch Email Plugin.lnk = C:\Program Files\MyWebSearch\bar\2.bin\MWSOEMON.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: 3Com Wireless 11g PC Card.lnk = C:\Program Files\3Com\3Com OfficeConnect Wireless Utility\3Com Wireless 11g PC Card\Monitor.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Gamma Loader.exe.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Works Calendar Reminders.lnk = ?
O4 - Global Startup: MyWebSearch Email Plugin.lnk = C:\Program Files\MyWebSearch\bar\2.bin\MWSOEMON.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: RAMASST.lnk = C:\WINDOWS\system32\RAMASST.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Search - http://bar.mywebsearch.com/menusearch.html?p=ZNxdm41444AU
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O16 - DPF: {1D4DB7D2-6EC9-47A3-BD87-1E41684E07BB} - http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/nocache/funwebproducts/ei-2/MyMailNotifierFWBInitialSetup1.0.0.8-2.cab
O16 - DPF: {2917297F-F02B-4B9D-81DF-494B6333150B} (Minesweeper Flags Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/MineSweeper.cab31267.cab
O16 - DPF: {4F1E5B1A-2A80-42CA-8532-2D05CB959537} (MSN Photo Upload Tool) - http://icequeenrealm.spaces.live.com//PhotoUpload/MsnPUpld.cab
O16 - DPF: {8E0D4DE5-3180-4024-A327-4DFAD1796A8D} (MessengerStatsClient Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/MessengerStatsClient.cab31267.cab
O20 - Winlogon Notify: igfxcui - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\igfxsrvc.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: NavLogon - C:\WINDOWS\system32\NavLogon.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Symantec AntiVirus Definition Watcher (DefWatch) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\DefWatch.exe
O23 - Service: DVD-RAM_Service - Matsushoota Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. - C:\WINDOWS\System32\DVDRAMSV.exe
O23 - Service: ewido anti-spyware 4.0 guard - Anti-Malware Development a.s. - C:\Program Files\ewido anti-spyware 4.0\guard.exe
O23 - Service: Intel PDS - Intel® Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\CBA\pds.exe
O23 - Service: ScriptBlocking Service (SBService) - Unknown owner - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYMANT~1\SCRIPT~1\SBServ.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: SoundMAX Agent Service (SoundMAX Agent Service (default)) - Analog Devices, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec AntiVirus - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\Rtvscan.exe

HELP?!

You can find lists of games using Starforce here and here.

Well then, the game I installed doesn't use StarForce.
EDIT: Oh, thanks btw.

Maybe the Nero installation fubar'd something.

I used to use pcpitstop.com all the time.Maybe it can help.
Try it?

I haven't used Nero in ages, so it really shouldn't be affecting anything... thanks carrie, for pcpitstop... but unfortunately they couldn't detect anything... I thought the game might have altered something, but the system restore didn't fix it... I've gone through msconfig, and tried disabling different programs at startup, but that didn't work either.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep the suggestions coming... its killing me!

I've had such a problem before. In my case it was a software conflict with Opera web browser.
Try system restore. (start/programs/accesories/system tools/ system restore.)
Restore to a point just before the drive quit, and as you re-install the programs back to the current state, try the drive each time to see when it quits.

If your okay with msconfig, you should be able to get around with services.msc
It's a slightly more technical, more fubar'able version of it.

Some things *have* to be on, some things you can turn off.

Ric, if you'd read my posts you'd see I have done a system restore, first to the day before the problems started, then two days before... and IT DIDN'T WORK! DVD drive still stuffed.

Chrispy, more info, please?

Thanks guys, keep it coming!
x

Oops, sorry. ( I do trust that you restored back far enough)
These guys have great info on cleaning up services. And Merlin asked if you can boot from a CD. If you had Puppy Linux or a similar OS that can run as a live cd, you could try burning with that instead of Windows... ( Not an answer, but may keep you going..[ of course not being able to burn linux to a disc may hinder that...])

hmmm... i'm still thinking it's a driver issue. I'd almost say try my suggestion again (it cant hurt)

1. go to device manager, select the drive by double-clicking on it, then select the driver tab and click uninstall to get rid of the drivers;

2. still in the device manager, select the drive by right-clicking and uninstall it as a device;

3. reboot, this should cause windows to detect the dvd drive as a new device and reinstall the drivers for it.

Exactly. I can't continue to diagnoase IceDomina's problem until she has tried my suggestion of a bootable CD. She never touched on it.

Dragon, thanks... I thought it was a driver issue too... but I uninstalled the drivers for my CD/DVD drive, and just the Toshiba Drives driver... to no avail... is there anything else I should uninstall driver-wise?

Merlin... as for your bootable disk suggestion, I required time, that is all. I clearly said on several occasions I was on the other side of the world from my CDs, and have only just got access today to another computer so I can try to burn one... suggestions?

Thanks guys... keep them coming.

EDIT: Oh, and Merlin, what did you derive from the log?

Yes, it will boot from CD. Now Merlin, can you PLEASE help? (And anybody else with bright ideas)

not just uninstalling the drivers, but the device as well, like I have outlined in my previous post.

Dragon, maybe I should have been more specific... on my system, if you uninstall the driver, it automatically uninstalls the device. However, I will go through and try it all again, just to make sure.

One of the things I usually do is check 'find files' created in 'C'
every day.That way I can see what is being put on my computer.
If you know the exact day you started having trouble, you could
also check to see which files were modified that day as well.

did i mention you could just buy a new one? ok sorry sure not everyone has a million bucks... like ME.

Joshriot, as much as I respect your obviously supreme intelligence, if there's a problem with windows rather than the drive itself, I don't want to replace it only to have it fudge up again (and for once I wish that bloody swear filter wasn't working).

Carrie, that's a great idea! Thanks! I'll have a look....

not everyone has a million bucks... like ME.

Is that why Josh has a week-old alien-ware PC with top-line 3dgraphics card?
You need a really good 3d graphics card to play Dink, otherwise it just doesn't look as ...3d-ish.

I have no idea what relevance that has to anything VonZeppelin. So pffft *blows raspberry*.

Have had a thought though... in doing what Carrie suggested (finding out what files were created on the day the problems started...) I remembered that the game did a scan of my hardware... I still have the report if its useful at all (it's log of what it did etc). In the system files a couple of folders were created too... called erm 'repository' and 'Fs'. Any ideas?

This is getting ridiculous... I really don't know what's going on, and I hope someone can get to the bottom of it...

And for the last time, I don't want to buy a new drive, reinstall windows or format my hd unless it is COMPLETELY NECESSARY. And I'm sure its not!!

could you be specific about which game it was... there might be others who have had a similar problem with the same game.

I dont think you'll have to get another drive or format your hard drive with this issue and only a 10% chance that you will have to reinstall windows. We just need to find out what is conflicting in your system to keep your drive from working properly.

well the thing is... if the drive works in safe mode (plays dvd and whatnot) then the default basic windows drivers work for it, so thats why it seems like it's some kind of driver issue. If it didn't work even in safe mode then I would say it definitely is not a driver issue. So it is either the drivers or another program that is interfering with the drivers.

Have you checked the driver... I once had a problem with an older computer, in that I would load up windows, everything would work fine... but it could not locate my CD drive. I found out later this is because the driver files had been misplaced. All I had to do was reinstall the driver, and it worked fine from there on.

Actually, you could even try installing an older version of the driver to see if that works.

ARGH! Do you lot even READ what I've written! I agree its probably a driver issue. I've uninstalled and reinstalled the drivers again and again... it doesn't help. As for rolling back to an old driver, I've been using this one for a long while with no problems.

I installed Symantec Antivirus about a week before the problem started (my other virus program expired)... but other than that I haven't made any changes. The game in question was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (cringe hey? My little bro's choice).

Suggestions?

Sorry for my little outburst before, this is just really bothering me...

I thought you should know that my system information (you know, accessories, system tool, system information) lists my CDRW/DVD drive as just a CD-rom drive... doesn't mention the DVD part at all. Mind you, I don't know if it used to...

please help...

no prob about the outburst this is a frustrating thing to deal with. the thing i was trying to get at as far as using an older driver is that your current one could have been corrupted by the game or when it went into hibernation. Therefore, if you use an older driver it would prove whether or not it is the driver, or if it is something else conflicting with it. Just trying to eliminate possibilities

p.s. yes i do read your posts, but there has been so much posted now, it's kinda hard to remember exactly what has been said and by who.

Hm. That is Interesting that it works in safe mode.
Run msconfig and change to 'selective startup'and uncheck 'startup items'(reboot). That would tell if its something in that seq.
I think its safe to uncheck'system.ini' and 'win.ini' one at a time to narrow it down. (When mine was new those where empty anyhow, Merlin would know better though..)
BTW, I've known people to redo the windows install without reformatting to fix some things without loosing data. ( I don't think that would help here, but I though I'd mention it.)

You don't loose data, you just fubar anything that needs the registry, ie, any program that you have ever installed, any prefrences, everything. What happens, is that all of the old values are overwritten with the defaults. But any *new* keys that are created, such as co-dependant prefrences, etc, are there. These prefrences might depend on specific values for variables that windows overwrites, and this can cause major problems.

For example, on my old win98 machine, I re-installed windows, yet upon trying to rescue some of my files, (more specifically, an unfinished half burned cd that had my cd drivers already on it) I found that when I opened the program that burned the CD under its own format, there were many graphical errors, and the program was *highly* unstable, and wasn't able to make any calls to explorer. (Ie, browse to open files, save, recognize drives, etc.)

Reinstall w/o reformat is only to be performed when you need to transfer files out, windows is fubar, and you *don't* need the programs. And you might end up having a heluva time to get those files as well.

Exellent point.
*edit*
I talked to him again and he now says he also had to reinstall the few programs he needed. It may be safer if I don't listen to him.

Ok, haven't been on here for a while. Sorry.

You have some funky CD burning programs. Uninstall Drag+Drop CD/DVD. Try removing whichever one has ramasst.exe and dvdramst.exe (which, I'm guessing, is Drag+Drop CD/DVD). When you boot into safe mode, rename those files to ramasst.old and dvdramst.old, respectively. They're in the Windows/System32 directory. Disable Ahead InCD if you can, as well.