Troubleshooting CD-ROM Problems in Windows 2000 and Windows NT

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If you are experiencing problems with your CD-ROM drive in Windows, follow these steps:

1. Make sure the CD-ROM drive is listed on the Windows hardware compatibility list (HCL).
2. If you use a SCSI CD-ROM drive, make sure the SCSI controller is listed on the Windows HCL.
3. If you use a CD-ROM drive or SCSI controller that is not listed on the Windows HCL, contact the device manufacturer for a Windows device driver or compatibility information.
4. Verify that the CD-ROM drive is installed using the manufacturer's specifications.
5. If you try to install a SCSI CD-ROM drive:
   • Verify that the SCSI bus is terminated correctly. On a SCSI bus, the last SCSI device should be terminated with a terminator provided by the manufacturer (refer to the SCSI adapter's documentation for more information about termination).
   • Verify the CD-ROM SCSI ID. The SCSI ID of the CD-ROM drive should normally be set to SCSI ID 2 or above. Make sure the CD-ROM drive is not configured to use the same SCSI ID another device is using. Refer to your CD-ROM drive documentation for information on how to set or change the SCSI ID of your CD-ROM drive.
   • Verify that the SCSI ID of the SCSI controller is set to SCSI ID 7.
   • Verify that no other adapters are configured with settings that conflict with the SCSI controller settings.
   • Check the Windows Event Viewer for error messages regarding the CD-ROM drive or SCSI controller.
   • If you are using Windows NT 4.0, open Control Panel, double-click the Devices icon, and make sure that the SCSICDRM device has a Startup value of System.
   • If you are using Windows 2000, open Device Manager and verify that the SCSI controller and CD-ROM are detected, and that Device Manager indicates the device is working properly.
6. If you try to install an IDE CD-ROM drive:
   • Use a device driver designed for the CD-ROM drive that you have installed.
   • If a specific driver for your IDE CD-ROM drive is not provided by the manufacturer of the drive, install the IDE CD-ROM driver supplied in Windows. This driver is compatible only with IDE CD- ROM drives that are ATAPI 1.2 compliant. To verify the ATAPI compliance level of your CD-ROM drive, contact the drive manufacturer.
   • If you have three or more IDE devices on your system, including the CD-ROM drive, you may need to modify the Windows Registry to add support for more than two IDE devices. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

     103934 Adding More Than Two IDE or ESDI Drives in Windows NT

7. If you try to install a CD-ROM drive that uses a proprietary, non-SCSI interface:
   • Verify that the proper device driver is installed by running Windows Setup and selecting Add/Remove SCSI Adapters from the Options menu.
   • Check the Windows Read Me (Readme.wri) file and the Windows HCL for notes concerning your proprietary interface CD-ROM drive.
8. Determine if the CD-ROM drive is recognized by Windows. Run Windows File Manager or Windows Explorer to see if a drive letter is assigned to the CD-ROM drive.
9. If the CD-ROM drive is assigned a drive letter, try to view a directory of the CD-ROM drive. Make sure a data compact disc is inserted into the CD-ROM drive.
10. If you can read a data compact disc, but cannot play a music compact disc, use one of the following methods:
    • In Windows NT 4.0: Double-click Devices in Control Panel, and then set the Cdaudio device startup to System. Some SCSI-1 CD-ROM drives require the Cdaudio service, as do SCSI-2 drives that do not support SCSI-2 Cdaudio.
    • In Windows 2000: Double-click Sounds and Multimedia in Control Panel, click the Hardware tab, and then check to ensure the CD/DVD drive is listed, as well as Audio Codecs. If they are not listed, use the Add/Remove Hardware icon to reinstall these drivers.For additional information about how to reinstall audio and video codecs and drivers, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

      276423 How to Reinstall Audio and Video Codecs in Windows 2000

11. If the system is configured to dual-boot to another operating system, confirm that the CD-ROM drive functions in the other operating system. If the CD-ROM drive does not function properly in MS-DOS or another operating system, contact the manufacturer of the drive for assistance.

For additional information about how to troubleshoot problems with your CD-ROM drive in Windows, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: