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PC in Windows 11 cannot detect CD/DVD

Anonymous
2025-07-06T09:42:44+00:00

PC in Windows 11 cannot detect CD/DVD dfswfsdfsdfsdfsdf

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-07-06T13:03:01+00:00

    Hello Alvin Ni,

    Welcome to Microsoft Community.

    I understand that your Windows 11 PC cannot detect the CD/DVD drive. Please try the following steps for troubleshooting:

    Start with some basic checks:

    • Check physical connections (for desktop users): If it's a desktop PC, please ensure that the data and power cables for the optical drive are securely connected to the motherboard and power supply. If you have recently moved or assembled the computer, a careful check is even more necessary.
    • Try different discs: Make sure the issue isn't with the disc itself. Try inserting several different CDs or DVDs that are known to be undamaged.
    • Is the disc clean: Are there any smudges or scratches on the disc surface? Try wiping it clean with a soft cloth.

    Check Device Manager:

    1. Right-click the "Start" button and select "Device Manager."
    2. In Device Manager, expand the "DVD/CD-ROM drives" category.
      Scenario 1: If your optical drive does not appear here: This indicates that the system is not detecting the optical drive hardware at all. This could be a physical connection issue, or the optical drive hardware itself might be faulty. Try restarting your computer, or click "Action" > "Scan for hardware changes" in Device Manager. If it still doesn't appear, the optical drive may need repair or replacement.
      Scenario 2: If your optical drive appears here, but has a yellow exclamation mark or a red "X": This indicates a driver issue or that the device is disabled. Right-click the optical drive device and select "Update driver." Choose "Search automatically for drivers." If the update fails, right-click the optical drive device again and select "Uninstall device." In the confirmation box that appears, do NOT check "Attempt to remove the driver software for this device," then click "Uninstall." After uninstallation, restart your computer. Windows will usually automatically reinstall generic drivers. Right-click the optical drive device and select "Enable device" (if it shows as disabled). If your optical drive appears here with no unusual marks: This suggests that the system considers the optical drive to be working correctly, and the problem might be at the software level.

    Check the Registry (Proceed with caution, backup recommended): Sometimes, improper program or driver installations can leave corrupted entries in the registry, preventing the optical drive from being recognized.

    1. Press Win + R keys, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
    2. Navigate to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
    3. In the right pane, look for entries named UpperFilters and LowerFilters.
    4. Right-click these two entries (if they exist) and select "Delete."
    5. After deleting, close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

    Disclaimer: Generally, modifying registry subkeys or work group is intended for advanced users, administrators, and IT Professionals. It can help fix some problems, however, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For further protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click How to back up and restore the registry in Windows - Microsoft Support to view the article.

    Update/Rollback Motherboard Drivers and BIOS: The proper functioning of an optical drive sometimes depends on the motherboard's chipset drivers. Please visit your computer or motherboard manufacturer's official website. Based on your computer or motherboard model, download and install the latest chipset drivers and SATA controller drivers. At the same time, check for any available BIOS updates. Updating the BIOS may improve hardware compatibility.

    Please try each of the above methods one by one. After attempting each method, please restart your computer and test the optical drive.Once completed, please let me know which steps you have tried and the results of each step. Thank you for your patience.

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    Best wishes

    Ian | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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