DVD constantly disappears

  • Thread starter Thread starter smlunatick
  • Start date Start date
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smlunatick

I have recovered a XP Pro SP3 system for an spyware infestation. Now,
my standard DVD drive constantly disappears from Device Manager. I
have to select "Show Hidden devices..." and uninstall / Scan for
hardware changes...

Everything then works.

How can I completely fix this?
 
smlunatick said:
I have recovered a XP Pro SP3 system for an spyware infestation. Now,
my standard DVD drive constantly disappears from Device Manager. I
have to select "Show Hidden devices..." and uninstall / Scan for
hardware changes...

Everything then works.

How can I completely fix this?
Click to expand...

1) Use Device Manager to remove the DVD drive from the list.
2) Power down the PC, disconnect the data (PATA/SATA) cable from the drive.
3) Reboot the PC and verify Device Manager shows not entries for your
optical drive.
4) Power down the PC, reconnect the cable, power up and let Windows discover
the
new device.
 
1) Use Device Manager to remove the DVD drive from the list.
2) Power down the PC, disconnect the data (PATA/SATA) cable from the drive.
3) Reboot the PC and verify Device Manager shows not entries for your
optical drive.
4) Power down the PC, reconnect the cable, power up and let Windows discover
the
new device.
Click to expand...

I've done this already. When the DVD drive is not connected to the
PATA cable, the XP will not list out the drive. It will not
"reinstall" the non-existing drive. Then, when the drive is
reconnected, XP will detect and re-install it. Then, after any other
reboots, the drive will disappear.
 
1) Use Device Manager to remove the DVD drive from the list.
2) Power down the PC, disconnect the data (PATA/SATA) cable from the
drive.
3) Reboot the PC and verify Device Manager shows not entries for your
optical drive.
4) Power down the PC, reconnect the cable, power up and let Windows
discover
the
new device.
Click to expand...

I've done this already. When the DVD drive is not connected to the
PATA cable, the XP will not list out the drive. It will not
"reinstall" the non-existing drive. Then, when the drive is
reconnected, XP will detect and re-install it. Then, after any other
reboots, the drive will disappear.

Try another DVD drive, this should eliminate
the actual drive as the problem.
 
JS said:
1) Use Device Manager to remove the DVD drive from the list.
2) Power down the PC, disconnect the data (PATA/SATA) cable from the
drive.
3) Reboot the PC and verify Device Manager shows not entries for your
optical drive.
4) Power down the PC, reconnect the cable, power up and let Windows
discover the
new device.
Click to expand...

You need to "Show Hidden Devices" for this to work the way it is intended.
However, the "show hidden devices" doesn't work properly unless an
environment variable is set first.

In the environmental variable window set the following variable.

devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1

This can also be temporarily set from a command prompt window by typing:

set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1

However, in this case closing the window undoes the action.
 
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