The error is most likely caused because of a problematic driver. If the problem started just after the Windows update then the issue might be the new driver. On the other hand, if the problem started without any change in the computer then the drivers might be corrupted or outdated. There is a slight chance that the issue is caused by a hardware problem as well. So, don’t rule that out. Here is a list of methods that will help you solve the issue.
Tips
Method 1: Delete the UpperFilters and LowerFilters entries from the registry
There are a few registry values that you can change to fix this issue. This solution is complicated and since you are going to make some changes with a sensitive part of your system, it is better to first create a backup and have a way to come back to your current state if things go wrong. Backup Registry Here’s how you can create a backup of your System Registry: If you have made a mistake and you wish to recover an existing registry backup, you can do that easily by doing this:
Open the Run dialog box by pressing Windows + RType regedit in the box and press Enter or click ok.In the registry editor, click File from the toolbar and then clickGo to the location where you have stored the backup file, left click the file and then click Open or simply double click the file.
Delete UpperFilters and LowerFilters strings Now that you know how to backup and recover files and hopefully you have created a backup of the above mentioned file; let’s proceed to make the changes and fix the original issue.
If you cannot see the UpperFilters and LowerFilters then you will have to create the strings, here’s how:
Restart your computer and recheck the error, hopefully your DVD drive has reappeared again. Note: The filters are, in most cases, what causes the letter for the CD/DVD drive to disappear from Windows Explorer, which is why this is the most popular fix. If you are not too confident about fiddling around with your computer’ registry, simply download this .zip file, run the .reg file inside, and it will delete the entries for you.
Method 2: Use a Microsoft Fix It Tool
Download the Microsoft Fix It tool designed to troubleshoot issues pertaining to CD and DVD drives. For computers running on Windows XP, Vista or 7, this Fix It can be found here. For computers running on Windows 8 or 8.1, this Fix It can be found here. Run the Fix It utility. When prompted by the utility, click on Detect problems and apply the fixes for me.
If the problem is indeed caused by messed up Lower/Upper filters, the Fix It tool will detect and successfully fix the issue.
Method 3: Manually assign a letter to your CD/DVD drive
In the event that your CD/DVD drive is not visible in Windows Explorer because Windows has not assigned a letter to it, manually assigning a letter to the drive will do the trick. Press Windows key once Type diskmgmt.msc into the Search bar and open the program
In the bottom half of the Disk Management window, check to see if there is no letter under CD-ROM 0 or CD-ROM 1.
If there is no letter for the CD/DVD drive, right click anywhere on or near the term CD-ROM and click on Change drive letter and paths. Click on Add. Open the dropdown menu in front of the Assign the following drive letter option and select a drive letter for your CD/DVD drive.
Click on OK. Back in the Disk Management window, press F5 to execute a refresh, upon the completion of which the respective letter will have been assigned to the CD/DVD drive.
Method 4: Uninstall DVD drivers
Uninstalling your DVD drivers and then restarting your system should be the next thing on your list. Uninstalling a driver might seem illogical but the Windows have its own generic drivers for every device. So, if you reboot the system after uninstalling a specific driver, Windows will automatically install a driver for that device. Since Windows own drivers are the most compatible versions so this is bound to work. Follow the steps given below to uninstall the DVD drivers
Once done, restart your system. Windows should automatically install the most compatible versions of drives once the computer is rebooted. Your problem should be solved.
Method 5: Uninstall IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers
If the method 4 didn’t work then do the following. Note: Make sure you have followed the method 2 before following the steps given in this method.
After you have completely uninstalled all of these software/drivers restart the computer. Windows will automatically configure the drivers and your issue should be resolved after this. Check to see if your DVD drive has returned. Note: If a restart didn’t help then restart again. A lot of users have confirmed that the problem was solved on their second restart.
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