I am unable to use my CD/DVD drive. Nothing happens when I insert a disk to set up my printer. When I go into the Device Manager, there is a yellow (!) mark by the CD/DVD drive. It says it cannot install the driver because it is corrupt or missing. How can I get this working again so that I can use my CD/DVD drive?
DVD Driver is Missing or Corrupt
The Device Manager is a useful tool when hardware acts up. As you can see, it is telling you that the DVD drive cannot function because its device driver is either missing or corrupt. File corruption and disappearing files happen for a variety of reasons. For example, if your computer crashed or shutdown unexpectedly, that can wipe out files. In addition, installing new software or devices could interfere with other devices, replacing shared files with newer or older versions that may not be compatible with other devices.
Recovering from a DVD Driver is Missing or Corrupt Message
You have a couple of different options that you can try. The first, and easiest, is to do a System Restore. System Restore rolls back the system to an earlier time; it’s like a backup of your operating system. It does not affect your data and you can undo it if you don’t like the results. Go to Start> All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. From there, pick a date from before the DVD problem started and restore your computer to that point in time.
Using Device Manager’s Update Driver Feature
If you do not have a restore point, then go back into Device Manager and double-click your CD/DVD device. Click the Driver tab and then the Update Driver button. Use the Automatic option and see if Windows can find an updated driver online. If so, it will install it automatically and you will need to reboot.
On the Driver tab, you will also see the drive’s manufacturer, model number, and other information. Write this down. If Windows can’t find the driver automatically, you may need to go to the manufacturer’s Web site and search for a driver there.
Uninstall DVD Drive
Before you go to the manufacturer’s Web site, let’s try tricking Windows into reinstalling the drive. While in Device Manager, highlight the DVD drive, right-click it, and choose uninstall. Reboot your computer and Windows will detect the drive and attempt to load device drivers for it. You may need to reboot once it is reinstalled.
Check the Manufacturer’s Web site
If nothing has worked so far, go to the DVD drive’s manufacturer’s Web site and look in the support section for a download area. Search for a driver for your exact model of drive and select the driver that matches your operating system. Download and install according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
