DVD+RW disappears

[Elliott Alterman]

The DVD+RW (Drive E) on my machine doesn't appear on Windows Explorer any
more. I used it 2 days ago - but now it's "gone."

Any thoughts on possible causes - and fixes?

TIA

[Elliott Alterman]

Update

Not only has it disappeared, but my Zip drive, formerly F, now appears as E
and I just got a message from XP that if "found new hardware" and "Problem
occurred with new hardware installation"

Yechh.

Any ideas?


"Elliott Alterman" > wrote in message
...
> The DVD+RW (Drive E) on my machine doesn't appear on Windows Explorer any
> more. I used it 2 days ago - but now it's "gone."
>
> Any thoughts on possible causes - and fixes?
>
> TIA
>
>

[JohnR]

You might try re-installing the drivers for the CD
John



"Elliott Alterman" > wrote in message
...
> Update
>
> Not only has it disappeared, but my Zip drive, formerly F, now appears as
E
> and I just got a message from XP that if "found new hardware" and "Problem
> occurred with new hardware installation"
>
> Yechh.
>
> Any ideas?
>
>
> "Elliott Alterman" > wrote in message
> ...
> > The DVD+RW (Drive E) on my machine doesn't appear on Windows Explorer
any
> > more. I used it 2 days ago - but now it's "gone."
> >
> > Any thoughts on possible causes - and fixes?
> >
> > TIA
> >
> >
>
>

[Elliott Alterman]

Thanks.

What I ended up doing was (a) power off, (b) pull all USB cables, (c) power
on and do a general look-see (looked ok), (d) power off, (e) recable, (f)
power on.

It works again!.

"JohnR" > wrote in message
...
> You might try re-installing the drivers for the CD
> John
>
>
>
> "Elliott Alterman" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Update
> >
> > Not only has it disappeared, but my Zip drive, formerly F, now appears
as
> E
> > and I just got a message from XP that if "found new hardware" and
"Problem
> > occurred with new hardware installation"
> >
> > Yechh.
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> >
> > "Elliott Alterman" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > The DVD+RW (Drive E) on my machine doesn't appear on Windows Explorer
> any
> > > more. I used it 2 days ago - but now it's "gone."
> > >
> > > Any thoughts on possible causes - and fixes?
> > >
> > > TIA
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[R. C. White]

Hi, Elliott.

Now, may I suggest one more step. Go to Disk Management. (At the Run
prompt, type: diskmgmt.msc) Use Disk Management to specifically assign
drive letters to each of your CD/DVD drives. Then you (and WinXP) should
always know where to find them.

WinXP assigns drive letters each time it starts, using a built-in algorithm.
(Primary partitions first; then logical drives in extended partitions; then
devices that use drivers, such as Zips, SyQuests, CD/DVDs, etc.; with
letters for network drives and removable devices such as the popular little
USB "key" drives in there somewhere, too.) Depending on what is plugged in
the next time you boot, the drive letters may or may not be the same as the
last time. But, if we use DM to specifically assign a letter to a drive,
then WinXP will attempt to assign that same letter to the same drive each
time we reboot.

It also is a very good practice to assign letters for CD/DVD drives so that
they won't conflict with hard drive letters as you add or reorganize drives
and partitions. For example, my DVD-ROM is Drive V: and my CD-RW is Drive
W: - and they keep those letters even after I plug or unplug my little USB
key drive.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP

"Elliott Alterman" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks.
>
> What I ended up doing was (a) power off, (b) pull all USB cables, (c)
power
> on and do a general look-see (looked ok), (d) power off, (e) recable, (f)
> power on.
>
> It works again!.
>
> "JohnR" > wrote in message
> ...
> > You might try re-installing the drivers for the CD
> > John
> >
> >
> > "Elliott Alterman" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Update
> > >
> > > Not only has it disappeared, but my Zip drive, formerly F, now appears
> as
> > E
> > > and I just got a message from XP that if "found new hardware" and
> "Problem
> > > occurred with new hardware installation"
> > >
> > > Yechh.
> > >
> > > Any ideas?
> > >
> > >
> > > "Elliott Alterman" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > The DVD+RW (Drive E) on my machine doesn't appear on Windows
Explorer
> > any
> > > > more. I used it 2 days ago - but now it's "gone."
> > > >
> > > > Any thoughts on possible causes - and fixes?
> > > >
> > > > TIA

[Elliott Alterman]

Good idea - will do.

Thanks


"R. C. White" > wrote in message
...
> Hi, Elliott.
>
> Now, may I suggest one more step. Go to Disk Management. (At the Run
> prompt, type: diskmgmt.msc) Use Disk Management to specifically assign
> drive letters to each of your CD/DVD drives. Then you (and WinXP) should
> always know where to find them.
>
> WinXP assigns drive letters each time it starts, using a built-in
algorithm.
> (Primary partitions first; then logical drives in extended partitions;
then
> devices that use drivers, such as Zips, SyQuests, CD/DVDs, etc.; with
> letters for network drives and removable devices such as the popular
little
> USB "key" drives in there somewhere, too.) Depending on what is plugged
in
> the next time you boot, the drive letters may or may not be the same as
the
> last time. But, if we use DM to specifically assign a letter to a drive,
> then WinXP will attempt to assign that same letter to the same drive each
> time we reboot.
>
> It also is a very good practice to assign letters for CD/DVD drives so
that
> they won't conflict with hard drive letters as you add or reorganize
drives
> and partitions. For example, my DVD-ROM is Drive V: and my CD-RW is Drive
> W: - and they keep those letters even after I plug or unplug my little USB
> key drive.
>
> RC
> --
> R. C. White, CPA
> San Marcos, TX
>
> Microsoft Windows MVP
>
> "Elliott Alterman" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Thanks.
> >
> > What I ended up doing was (a) power off, (b) pull all USB cables, (c)
> power
> > on and do a general look-see (looked ok), (d) power off, (e) recable,
(f)
> > power on.
> >
> > It works again!.
> >
> > "JohnR" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > You might try re-installing the drivers for the CD
> > > John
> > >
> > >
> > > "Elliott Alterman" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > Update
> > > >
> > > > Not only has it disappeared, but my Zip drive, formerly F, now
appears
> > as
> > > E
> > > > and I just got a message from XP that if "found new hardware" and
> > "Problem
> > > > occurred with new hardware installation"
> > > >
> > > > Yechh.
> > > >
> > > > Any ideas?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "Elliott Alterman" > wrote in message
> > > > ...
> > > > > The DVD+RW (Drive E) on my machine doesn't appear on Windows
> Explorer
> > > any
> > > > > more. I used it 2 days ago - but now it's "gone."
> > > > >
> > > > > Any thoughts on possible causes - and fixes?
> > > > >
> > > > > TIA
>
>