My brand new cd burner no longer works

Question

I bought a Sandstrom CD/DVD writer 4 days ago. It burned the first two HP CD-RW discs perfectly however on the 3rd I moved my CD burner up onto a shelf, lengthening the connection between it and my laptop, and since then it's been bust. It recognised the discs fine and pended all the tracks really quickly, however that put it up to a ~99% completed burn which is incorrect, and proceeded to get stuck on writing the first track onto the disc. It would then swiftly end the process, telling me the CD could not be burned and to check that it is not damaged and the connection is proper. However I know it is not fully bust as I did manage to get it to work after hours of fiddling around. It successfully printed 2 CDs again with ease, but then another 5 hours of trial and error to print my next one. I printed one two nights ago successfully, but since then I've been unable to achieve anything. Last night I resorted to trying to find solutions online but was unsuccessful, however I did delete and reinstall something in Device Manager under the promise it'll fix my issue but I can no longer even see the burner in file explorer, under This PC, and I'm unsure where I went wrong or if that is even a result of my efforts.

Answer 1

Hi floris dowd,

Based on your detailed description, the sudden failure of your Sandstrom CD/DVD writer after extending its connection and subsequent disappearance from File Explorer suggests a combination of hardware connectivity issues and driver/software corruption. Below is a systematic troubleshooting plan based on common causes and solutions:

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Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

1. Check Physical Connections (Critical First Step)
   • Shorten the USB connection: The extension cable likely caused power or signal degradation. Reconnect the burner directly to your laptop using the original short cable.
   • Try alternate USB ports: Connect to a different USB port (preferably USB 3.0/blue port for adequate power).
   • Test with a different cable: Faulty cables are common culprits. Use a high-quality, shielded USB cable ≤1m in length.
   • Ensure external power (if applicable): If your burner has a DC power input, use its included adapter.
2. Reinstall/Update Drivers
   • Open Device Manager → Expand "DVD/CD-ROM drives".
   • If the burner appears:
     • Right-click → Uninstall device → Check "Delete the driver software" → Confirm.
     • Restart your laptop. Windows will reinstall the driver automatically.
   • If the burner is missing:
     • Go to View → Select "Show hidden devices".
     • If visible under hidden devices, uninstall it and restart.
     • If still missing, connect the burner and check Universal Serial Bus controllers for unrecognized devices (e.g., "Unknown USB Device"). Uninstall these entries and restart.
3. Run Hardware Troubleshooter
   • Windows includes built-in troubleshooters:
     • Settings → Update & Security → Troubleshoot → "Hardware and Devices" → Run the troubleshooter.
4. Repair System Files
   • Corrupted system files can cause device detection failures. Use these tools:
     • DISM (fixes Windows system image):

       
              DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
       
       

     • SFC (scans system files):

       
              sfc /scannow
       
       

       Note: Run Command Prompt as Administrator. These may take 15-30 minutes .
5. Verify Disc Burning Software & Media
   • Try different discs: CD-RWs can degrade. Use new CD-R discs (less error-prone).
   • Test alternative software: Use CDBurnerXP or ImgBurn to rule out Windows' built-in tool issues.
   • Check media compatibility: Ensure discs match your burner’s supported formats (e.g., 700MB/80min CD-RW).
6. Check Device Permissions & Policies
   • Permissions: Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers → Right-click cdrom.sys → Properties → Security → Ensure your user account has "Full control" .
   • Group Policy: Press Win+R → Type gpedit.msc → Navigate to: User Configuration → Administrative Templates → System
     • Ensure "Prevent access to command prompt" and "Don't run specified Windows applications" are Disabled or Not Configured (these could block hardware access) .
7. Advanced Fixes
   • Registry Check: Press Win+R → Type regedit → Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4d36e965-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}
     • Delete any entries named "UpperFilters" or "LowerFilters" (backup the key first!).
   • Create a new Windows profile: Corrupted user profiles can cause hardware visibility issues.
8. Test on Another Computer
   • Connect the burner to a different PC. If it fails there too, the hardware is likely defective.

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Key Suspects & Solutions Summary

| Issue | Solution |

|---------------------------|----------------------------------------------|

| Faulty USB connection | Use original short cable; avoid extenders. |

| Driver corruption | Uninstall via Device Manager; restart. |

| System file corruption| Run DISM and sfc /scannow . |

| Blocked by policies | Check Group Policy settings . |

| Defective hardware | Test on another PC; return if faulty. |

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If the burner remains undetected after these steps, return or replace it under warranty. Sandstrom devices typically include a 1-2 year warranty. For persistent software issues, consider a Windows reset (keeping files) as a last resort. Let us know which step resolved your issue!

Best regards,

BblytheX