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CD-ROM not working in Windows 10/11 [SOLVED]

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Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Although traditionalCDandDVDdiscs are falling behindUSB flash drives, a lot of users still use this kind of media. But, after Windows 10 upgrade, some of them reported various issue regarding their CD readers.

So, I found some solutions for these reported issues, and I hope they’ll be helpful.

How can I fix CD drive problems in Windows 10?

How can I fix CD drive problems in Windows 10?

Table of contents:

Some people say that after they upgraded their computers to Windows 10, their CD drives simply disappeared.

This issue could be caused by some software compilation, which is related to Windows 10, but if disc drive disappears after some time of using Windows 10, the problem might behardware-related.

Anyway, I prepared solutions for both cases, so check them below.

  1. See if CD drive is recognized by BIOS

To check if your CD drive is recognized byBIOS, do the following:

If you can’t find your disc drive under Device Configuration, then your problem is probablyhardware-related, so you should contact the tech support, or consider getting a new CD/DVDdrive.

But if your drive is detected by BIOS then the problem is software-related, so check some of the following solutions.

2.Use Device Manager to solve the problem

Once you determined that your disc drive is present in BIOS, and that the problem probably isn’thardware-related, but your disc drive still doesn’t recognize discs, or it’s not shown in theFile Explorer, perform a couple of actions in Device Manger, and maybe you’ll solve the problem:

Windows can’t automatically find and download new drivers? Don’t worry, we’ve gotthe right solutionfor you.

Now, keep your Device Manager window opens, and check if the CD/DVD drive icon appeared in the file explorer. If the icon is still absent, there are some more things in Device Manager you can try in order to fix this problem.

ExpandDVD/CD-ROM drives section again, and follow the instructions, depending on what is shown:

If you want to know how to clean your registry,check out this useful guideand learn how to do it easily.

  1. Reset BIOS Settings

Resetting BIOS settings can solve a lot of problems, and hopefully, it will solve the disc drive problem, as well. Here’s exactly what you need to do to reset your BIOS

Your BIOS settings will now be reset to default, and you can try to run your disc again, and see if there are any improvements.

  1. Reset the computer power

Under some conditions, the disc drive might lose communication with Windows, even after restarting the computer.

This issue often causes problems with the disk drive, and the solution is to reset the computer power. Here’s exactly what you need to do to reset the computer power:

Since we’re talking about power, you can turn off your computer again, and check if all the cables from your CD/DVDdrive are connected to the motherboard.

But, if you’re not sure how to do that, ask someone who does, or simply ask a service for help.

Fix Problems With CD Burning Software

Besides ‘regular’ problems with CD drives, some users also report that they’re able to run CDs, but they’re unable to burn them with certain burning software.

Probably the best solution for that is clearing the upper and lower registry files in your Registry editor. You can find a detailed explanation of how to clear upper and lower registry files in our article aboutCD ROM problems in Windows 10.

Also, you can consider usingWindows 10‘s built-in burning tool, because it’s very easy to use, and you can move your files to aCD, just like you move them to the USB flash drive.

That’s about it, I hope at least one of these solutions helped you with yourCD ROMproblems inWindows 10. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, just reach for the comment section below.

But if you don’t like this idea and you insist on having an internal one, do check outthis selection, as well.

More about the topics:cd rom,windows 10

Ivan Jenic

Windows Hardware Expert

Passionate about all elements related to Windows and combined with his innate curiosity, Ivan has delved deep into understanding this operating system, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting.

When he’s not tackling diverse driver-related problems, Ivan enjoys watching good movies and spending time hiking with his family and friends.

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Ivan Jenic

Windows Hardware Expert

Ivan has delved deep into understanding the Windows OS, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting.