There are a few options we can try including using System Restore, updating the drivers manually, and using a Microsoft “Fix It” tool.

System Restore

First, if your CD and DVD drives just recently stopped reading discs, it could be a problem related to a bad operating system update or file corruption. If so, and if you have a current System Restore point, you can use System Restore to roll back your system to an earlier point in time. Go to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore and choose a restore point from before the drive issues occurred. System Restore will recommend a restore point, usually the most recent one. If the problem has been going on for some time, you’ll want to click on “Choose a different restore point.” System Restore will then list recent restore points. These may not go back far enough in which case you will need to check the box that says, “Show restore points older than 5 days.”

System Restore has its limitations. First, System Protection must be turned on. If you turned it off, you won’t have a restore point at all. Next, older restore points are eventually overwritten by new ones, so you can’t go too far back in time.

Update Drivers

If System Restore doesn’t do the trick, you can try updating the CD/DVD device drivers again. How did you initially try updating them? Via Windows Update? Device Manager? These methods are only as good as the drivers that Microsoft has on file. Since your system didn’t update the device drivers, it’s possible that Microsoft doesn’t have new drivers on file for your drives. Check with the CD/DVD drives’ manufacturers for updated drivers and then install them following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Another trick that you can try with Device Manager is to “uninstall” the drives. Once uninstalled, reboot Windows. Windows will then detect the “new” hardware and install the most current drivers for your drives. To do this, go into Device Manager, right-click the drive that you want to uninstall, and choose “Uninstall” from the menu.

Microsoft Diagnostic Tool

Finally, Microsoft has a “Fix It” diagnostic tool designed specifically for diagnosing and repairing issues such as CD and DVD drives failing to read discs. You can read more about this particular tool and download it for free at Microsoft’s Help and Support Web site.   

Company Name: Catalyst Enterprises

Description: Catalyst Enterprises is a company that was introduced to the global market in 1992. The company is principally located at Santa Clara, California, USA.

The company provides protocol tests and validation solutions to various companies involved in developing technologies. Typically, the companies served are those that develop the Universal Serial Bus, Serial ATA, PCI Express, Peripheral Component Interconnect, Serial Attached SCSI and PCI-X.

Products of Catalyst Enterprises are used by a large number of consumers to assist them in manufacturing certain products for its own clients. Some of Catalyst’s customers include computer makers, developers of software, value-added resellers, system integrators, manufacturers of computer peripherals, storage product developers, networking companies and component manufacturers. With the company’s products, users may enhance the overall quality of work and be compliant with all the required industry standards for the user’s own products.

Catalyst Enterprises acknowledges with an increasing number of testing requirements, the demand for protocol and architecture-specific instruments had also risen. The answers to these demands are provided by Catalyst Enterprises through the wide array of Catalyst’s products.

Catalyst Enterprises offers a wide range of solutions for PCI/PCI Express, USB, Storage, Adapters Wireless and Extenders. Under the product PCI/PCI Express, the company provides solutions CatScan/CatScan Pro and PCI-X.

Under the product Storage, options are available for SAS/SATA Error Injector, SAS/SATA Analyzer/Exerciser and ATA Analyzer. Under the USB solutions product, the company provides options Conquest and Conquest Pro.

The company also offers the EUSB Analyzer as part of its Wireless solutions.

All of thee product solutions offered by Catalyst Enterprises are specifically designed to meet the customer’s particular needs. Its products enable Performance Analysis, Real-time Protocol Error Detection, Triggering methods and Performance Characterization.

Catalyst Enterprises also provides a wide range of online support that facilitates technical and sales inquiry, manual and datasheet downloads and software upgrades and repairs. The online support also provides information to users about the company’s seminars, tradeshows and seminars that are usually held by the company.

While the trainings are primarily found in Santa Clara, California, the seminars are made available through the company’s distributors in Asia, Africa, Middle East, Europe and Australia. The company can also extend its accommodation to its customers in the United States and Canada through online shopping.

Company Name: Brainboxes

Description:   Brainboxes was founded in 1984 as a privately-held company with its headquarters in Liverpool United Kingdom.  The company is involved in the design and manufacture of add-on cards for computers.  Developments in R&D manufacturing have given Brainboxes a product reputation described as highly configurable, easy to use and extremely dependable. 

The company has the following people as its top executives: Eamonn Walsh (Chairman and Technical Director), Stephan Evans (Managing Director), Patricia Walsh (Financial Director) and Owen Scullion (Sale Manager).

Several recognitions that the company has received include awards like “Best Mobile Computing”, “European Manufacturer of the Year” and “Best Meyerside Export Award”.

In 1994, Brainboxes was a part of the first batch of companies who achieved a global ISO9001 standard in quality management.  The year of 2001 saw Brainboxes move into the ISO9001: 2000 standard, covering all aspects of design and manufacture of Brainboxes products, as well as customer support.

Brainboxes technical expertise and dedication to wireless technology earned them the reputation of being one of the 50 companies around the globe to carry a Bluetooth SIG product, which is the Bluetooth PCMCIA card.   This illustrates the position of the company to be at the development forefront of wireless technology. 

Brainboxes focuses on the production line for Bluetooth technology, RS232 and RS422/485.  Their Bluetooth technology has been used for several wireless applications in the engineering business.  Other industries that use Brainboxes products include medical, banking, marketing and clothing sectors.  In addition the company also designs software drivers.

One of the products of Brainboxes is the Type 1 Compact Flash Card; it allows communication to be possible between a PDA and other devices with Bluetooth.  It has an easily upgradeable firmware while supporting several Bluetooth profiles.  Brainboxes’ Bluetoooth technology is able to operate at a rate of 14 dBm.

Another impressive product of Brainboxes is their RD232 Adapter.  It allows connection of a device that has an RS232 to any bluetooth device.  Communication is made possible between the two devices without having to install additional software. Other items distributed by Brainboxes are Bluetooth Adapters, Bluetooth connectors, PCI Serials, PCMCIA and Express Card serials.

The Brainboxes Express Card was released in June 19, 2008 as the answer to supply the growing requirement for connectivity products that have smaller and thinner designs.

Brainboxes have customers like Motorola, Reuters, IBM, BT and Agilent.  The company has bluetooth software that has been adopted by Microsoft Corporation, which is used to support some of its products.  Fujitsu has also agreed to a partnership in 1997 with Brainboxes to supply their serial cards.

Company: 2L International

Description: A member of the Tulip Company, the European based technological company 2L International B.V. maintains offices in both Spain and the Netherlands.  2L International is responsible for providing software and hardware solutions to the mobile and connectivity markets mostly in the European continent. 

The management team of the company includes efficient executives like Petra Pel (Business Unit Manager), Roel Brandenburg (Account Manager), Van Til (Product Manager), Kjeld Beijer (Director for Marketing & Development), and Dennis Slagers (Manager for Technical Product Development).

The mobility solutions of the company are marketed and distributed under the PaceBlade brand.  These products include various multifunctional applications for businesses along with advanced tablet personal computer systems.  The company’s products find a wide array of usage in the development and manufacturing, logistics, transport, industrial, and medical industries.  2L International capably provides IT solutions to the various needs of these industries.

The usage of the PaceBlade brand began sometime in 2004 when Tulip Computers acquired its technologies.  With the acquisition, PaceBlade represented the company’s operation in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of high quality tablet format computer systems.  These tablet computers symbolizes the company’s hardware solution for computer mobility.  Support of the PaceBlade line is primarily handled by Nedfield Holding.  PaceBlade maintains offices in Amsterdam, Germany, and Taiwan.

Aside from PaceBlade, 2L International was also responsible for the introduction of the Conceptronic and the Dynalink product lines.  Dynalink represents the hardware solution for telecommunications and data communications like ADSL and ISDN devices. 

Conceptronic on the other hand is used by the company for the promotion of its multiple products and services encompassing data communication, wireless, multimedia, and connectivity solutions.  Dynalink has become an established name in the Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg (Benelux) markets.

Although focused on the European market, the company also maintains a customer base of companies with established reputation in the global market ensuring their rapid growth in their various industries.  To address the demands of the international community, the company maintains strategic partnerships and collaboration.

With the mobility (PaceBlade) and connectivity (Conceptronic and Dynalink) solutions of the company, being handled with clear definition, the IT market is assured not only of quality but comprehensive products as well.  Not only are the company’s products of the highest quality (with reasonable cost), but they also conform to RoHS and CE standards which are required in the European markets. 

2L International’s leadership in the European data communication market is cemented by its various support companies and brand name products as well.

Company: Avigramm

Description: Avigramm Technology Corp. is a company based in Tsin Chu, Taiwan which specializes in manufacturing PC cameras, color scanners and other computer peripherals. The company conducts business in pure ODM and OEM capacities and also manufactures private brands for various foreign clients from the United States, Italy, Spain, China and Japan.

The company was established in 1997 and from the start was focused on the production of Internet-related graphics, image, video and audio products. It has more than 30 workers and has offices located in San Jose, California and Cologne, Germany to effectively serve international customers. James Gan is Avigramm’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Avigramm Technology Corp. is known for its MiniDoc scanner, which pioneered in a breakthrough solution of providing a transportable USB scanner with its own rechargeable battery. The scanner is available in white, red, orange and blue colors and is compatible in both Macintosh and Windows systems. In the year 2000, Avigramm also introduced the revolutionary MiniClip, the world’s smallest USB device for video capture. It that same year, the company also launched a portable fax scanner geared for employment in the Internet.

On January 24, 2000, Avigramm Technology Corp. signed a partnership and bundling deal with ABBYY USA in which Avigramm bundled ABBYY’s FineReader 4.0 Sprint OCR software with its MiniDoc scanners for its worldwide distribution. FineReader 4.0 is based on the FineReader Engine, which has garnered 20 exceptional awards from top global magazines as of January 2000. FineReader is capable of recognizing 53 languages and its Windows interface is provided in 10 different languages. It features a user-friendly one-push button function and is capable of transferring results directly to various formats, including TXT, RTF, MS Excel, MS Word, Word Pro, and WordPerfect. The FineReader Engine is equipped with perception technology known as Integral Purposeful Adaptive (IPA) that utilizes an algorithm for structural patterns for character recognition in combination with other popular algorithms, such as the raster classifiers and feature classifiers. With its outstanding performance in morphology and these algorithms, FineReader is capable of accurate recognition even with documents produced from various sources such as fax machines, photocopiers, typewriters and dot-matrix printers.

Avigramm’s claim to fame comes from its portable scanners, particularly the MiniDoc, which is available and sought after in various parts of the world.

Company: Aktiv Company

Description: Aktiv Co. is a Russian manufacturer of hardware and software information security products under the Guardant trademark. It is one of the leaders in the manufacturing and development of security solutions. The company maintains its headquarters in Moscow, Russia. 

Aktiv Co. develops custom-made electronic devices and anti-piracy hardware keys. It protects applications from illegal copying and unauthorized distribution and use.

It produces the Guardant Net II and the Guardant Stealth II dongles. A dongle, a small hardware device attachable to a computer, allows secured software to operate.

The Stealth II dongle has a wide range of hardware capacities ensuring high-level security. Its major features are 256-byte non-volatile memory, hardware-based programmable user data protection, three passwords for dongle access, and a complex protection system based on onboard one-way data conversion algorithms and symmetric data encryption. It is compatible with DOS, Win16, and Win32.

The Net II dongle has the same protective attributes as the Stealth II, except for the need for multiple dongles. It also lessens license cost.

The microcontroller is the major technology behind the Guardant dongles. It is a flexible device that can be “taught” to solve different protection tasks. The microcontroller’s micro-programs used to execute hardware algorithms that cannot be read or modified. The hardware algorithms are responsible for impossibly removing API function cells from the application, making data decoding unfeasible. The GSII64, a block algorithm newly developed for Guardant dongles, is defiant to cryptanalysis.

Aside from the Guardant dongles, the company also produces Guardant software development tools. These are the dongle functional tests, and search and programming utilities. It also provides dongle drivers and the Guardant Application Programming Interface.

Another popular product called the ruToken has a USB for its base authentication token which supports different acknowledged standards such as PC/SC, ISO/IEC 7816, GOST 28147-89, Microsoft Smartcard API, PKCS#11 (v. 2.10+) and Microsoft Crypto API. It uses state-of-the-art technology which is not only cost effective, but also in authenticating users.

In January 29, 2004; Aktiv Company and Dekart, which is described as a first-rate dealer of cryptographic technologies, merged ruToken into Dekart’s data authentication and privacy solutions, to offer enterprise and individual users with better option of the port-based USB authentication tokens working with Dekart’s password solutions.

Company: AGFA

Description: Founders Paul Mendelsohn Bartholdy and Carl Alexander von Martius put up the Agfa Company in 1867 in Berlin, Germany.  Initial operation of the company centered primarily on the manufacturing of stain, dye, and color products.  With its acquisition of Rietzchel (a camera company), Agfa gained the technology to venture into the camera industry.  The company began marketing reorganized camera units to the market.

Being based in the European continent, the company during its early stages focused on this market and pursued manufacturing, development, and dispensing of both analog and digital products that cater to the creation, reproduction, and processing of still images.  The company operation was subsequently divided into three major divisions that consisted of the Agfa Materials, Agfa Healthcare, and Agfa Graphics.

In 1963, the company entered into a merger with Gevaert but continued to pursue its development and production of photographic equipments, components, and camera units.  The established worldwide production mechanism of Agfa allowed it to put together particular market requirements which provided the company with a solution of avoiding negative impacts brought about by instabilities in world currencies while maintaining reduction in the cost of transportation.

The Board of Directors for the Agfa-Gevaert Corporation was composed of Chairman of the Board Julien De Wilde with Director of Companies: Michel Akkermans, Willy Duron, Roland Junck including Independent Directors John Buttrick, Karel Van Miert, and Horst Heidsieck.  Other luminaries in the company’s management team are Jo Cornu (Chief Executive Officer and President), Christian Leysen (CEO of the Axe-Group), and Company Secretary Wilfried Van Lishout.

The company successfully developed a complete understanding of the process involved in the mixing of ink materials (like oil, aqueous, curable, and solvent) for use in inkjet printing systems.  The scope of the development process covered the Piezo Printheads classification for particular image classes. 

This technology allowed the company to venture into the creation of multi-bypass printing covers to complement its solitary bypass production.  This developed technology has been widely adapted in the computer industry by giants such as Toshiba Tec, Konica Minolta, Fujifilm Dimatix, Seiko Epson, Xaar, and Agfa UPH.

Currently the company in focused on the development of Integrated Inkjet Systems which involves the designing of different inkjet inks from the ground up.  This process is intended to provide new avenues of technology for incorporation into the Agfa-Gevaert Graphics System.  The procedure allowed for the understanding and attainment of the finest possible balance in quality for various inkjet systems.

The company’s Graphics System supports proofing, computer-to-film, computer-to-plate, workflow computerization, and scheme management systems.  This is a comprehensive system that encompasses software, hardware, service, and consumable solutions for the IT market.  Agfa technology plays a vital role in the Motion Picture, Microfilm, Coating Mechanism, Traffic System, Security, Identification, and Photography industries.

Company: Actebis

Description: Considered as the third largest ICT (Information and Communication Technology) provider in Europe, the Actebis Group is known as a manufacturer of consumer electronics, telecommunication, and computer peripherals.  Founded in 1986 with operations emanating from Westphalia in Germany, the company’s resources is also represented by its corporate presence in seven countries in Europe which include Sweden, Norway, France, Denmark, Austria, and the Netherlands.

Actebis is also the registered owner of NT Plus which is a wholesale of telecommunication solutions based in Osnabruck, Germany.  The company’s Chief Executive Officer Klaus Hellmich heads a management team composed of Ralf Retzko (Chief Finance Officer), Barbel Schmidt (Managing Director for Austria and Germany), ), Ivan Renaudin (Managing Director for France and the Netherlands), Volker Schwellenberg (NT Plus and subsidiaries), and Torben Qvist (Managing Director for Norway and Sweden).

The services provided by the Actebis Group to its business partners cover marketing, logistic, and financial services.  From 2007 until now, the ARQUES Industries AG which is a German equity investment corporation serves as the parent company of Actebis.  The group’s primary focus is in the area of mobile computing and computer monitor areas of the IT industry.  Actebis is responsible for providing business to business and business to consumer market solutions via its Peacock and Targa product range respectively.

Personal computers, digital cameras, radio technology (software and hardware), printers, Internet telephony, monitors, and flat screen televisions compose the other elements of the company’s product portfolio.  In a landmark move, Actebis Peacock in cooperation with SECUDE and Seagate pioneered the implementation of the Full Disk Encryption (FDE) for Hard Disk Drives in the European market.  This technology which expanded the extent of coverage of the company’s product lines also allowed for simpler transition from the conventional software based FDE to the more advanced hardware centered FDE.

The approach effectively combines hardware and software technologies for FDE.  With the dual technology strategy in a single user interface, the system gains more flexibility in the area of implementing management functions.  With the development of this process, business systems gain additional advantages in the field of data encryption as well as data migration to the more advanced FDE system.

In another successful collaboration, the company tapped the data security entity Norman ASA for introducing the Norman Virus Control application to the computer industry.  This award winning technology is responsible for providing protection for all Targa and Peacock based computer systems with functionality of online updating after completion of an online registration process.

Description: Based in Taiwan, China Abit became involved in the manufacturing of computer components and motherboards upon its debut in 1989.  Two years later, it has established such an enormous market presence that it had attained sales amounting to $10 million to become one of the highest sellers of computer motherboards in the IT market.  The company made an IPO (Initial Public Offering) in 2000 to join companies listed in the TAIEX (Taiwan Stock Exchange).

From its enormous revenues and established market niche, Abit was able to construct its own factory in Suzhou, China.  This technologically advanced manufacturing facility supported the global demands for the company’s product lines. 

Subsequently, the company headquarters were relocated to Neihu, Taipei.  Requiring a fresh infusion of capital, Abit partnered with Wan Hai Industries (major investor of China Airlines) in June 2005.  The strategic partnership with the container company allowed the meeting of production demands.

After a few months, the company called for a meeting of all stakeholders to discuss the intentions of Universal Scientific Industrial Co., Ltd. (USI) to purchase the motherboard business of Abit including its branding. In addition also covered in the stockholder meeting were the issue of the Neihu building sale, release of the directors from non-competition restriction clauses, and the disposition of the company assets.  The Taiwan office was acquired by the Deutsche Bank as part of its debt clearance process.

With the successful acquisition by USI, other business divisions of Abit were converted into distribution of networking and computer peripheral product.  Contracts for the manufacturing of computer motherboards were exclusively done in the Suzhou factory.  The company name was also changed to Universal Abit to reflect the strategic alliance.  The company announced that it will cease motherboard distribution in 2009 to concentrate operation in the CE field.

Motherboards manufactured by Abit have established a reputation in the computer industry for supporting the overclocking operation of processors.  This procedure is usually done to attain higher processing speeds without replacing the processor.  Abit was the very first company to introduce to the IT industry the jumperless configuration system which it termed Softmenu.  This technology allowed the user to initiate overclocking procedures from the computer BIOS eliminating the need to directly manipulate motherboard jumper settings.

The μGuru chip extended the evolution of this groundbreaking functionality in the computer industry.  This chip made it possible for users to customize the microprocessor hosted by the Abit motherboard with the operating system running allowing for real time overclocking.  Another first introduced by the motherboard manufacturer in the undervolting technology.  Abit products remain in computer markets in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, and Australia.

It sounds as though perhaps the device drivers are missing though it could be as simple as the camera being in the wrong mode. Double check to be sure that your camera is in the correct mode for connecting to the PC (often “preview”).

Using the Device Manager for Basic Troubleshooting

Once you’re sure that the camera is in the correct mode and connected properly, go into Device Manager which is in the Control Panel under System. (If you have Windows Vista, it’s easier to go to Start and type Device Manager into the Search bar. Once you see its icon, click it to launch.)

Device Manager will list all attached devices and give you a visual indication of the device’s current status. Look under Portable Devices. Can you see your camera listed there? If it’s not listed, then something is up with the actual connection such as a bad USB cord or a dead camera battery. If it is listed, is there a yellow warning icon? Double click the device and see what the status message says. The Device Manager usually will tell you what is wrong and often includes a button to push that will initiate the solution.

Updating the Canon PowerShot Drivers

There’s a good chance that the problem is due to corrupt device drivers. You have several options here including using the Driver Update feature found in Device Manager, using Windows Update, and going to the Canon Web site for the latest device drivers.

Since you’re in Device Manager already, click the Driver tab followed by the Update Driver button. Choose the automatic option and Windows will search its database for the correct driver. If one is found, you will need to reboot your computer once the installation finishes.

If you haven’t updated Windows in a while, running Windows Update may be useful. Windows Update often delivers updated drivers from various manufacturers. Go to Control Panel and find Windows Update. If any Canon drivers are delivered, install them and reboot.

If neither of those options work, try Canon directly. You will need to select your country and enable pop-ups (if not enabled) to use the site. Find the “Support: Drivers and Downloads” section. Enter your exact product information by choosing “consumer products” and picking your camera model from the list of digital cameras. Once your camera appears, select your operating system. Make sure to be exact as there are big differences from subtle operating system names (such as Windows Vista 32 versus Windows Vista 64).

If a driver is available, download and install it. You will need to reboot your computer to ensure that the driver installation is complete.

Physical Camera Connection Issues

It is possible that the cable or connectors are bad, especially if the camera isn’t appearing in Device Manager. If it’s a USB cable, what happens when you try a different USB port? What happens if you try a different USB cable? A pin could be bent on any of the connectors including pins in the cable, the computer port, and the camera. Carefully inspect each of these areas for damage.