dark_crusader5 said:
I'd prefer a low/no cost method
Everyone hopes for this, but if your drive is dead, it's dead.
Try opening your case, checking the jumper settings, unhooking a reseating
the cables and rebooting. It sounds like you have tried this:
1) Log on with Administrative Privileges
2) Open the Registry Editor:
a) Go to Start then select Run.
b) Type regedit and click OK.
3) Backup you registry by:
a) Highlight My Computer by clicking on it once.
b) Click File (Windows XP) or Registry (Windows 2000), then Export
Registry File.
c) Select export range All; to ensure your entire registry is backed up
completely.
d) Select where you would like to save this backup, name the File, and
Click on the SAVE button.
4) Remove the Upperfilters and Lowerfilters values:
a) Go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\
{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
b) Highlight this key by left clicking on it once.
c) On the right hand side delete the values Upperfilters and Lowerfilters.
5) Restart your computer.
But did you try this:
http://www.dougknox.com/
Select 'Windows Utilities' and scroll down to 'Restore CD/DVD drives to
Windows Explorer.'
Perhaps his utility will do the trick. =)
And if none of that works..
A new CD drive is not too expensive.
For example:
http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?level=SK&id=455887
with a $20 mail-in rebate and free shipping, the cost comes out under $30.
or
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?j=1&id=1051384591182&skuId=4813642&type=product
with $40 in mail-in rebates and free shipping, the cost comes out under $20.
For Pricing/Opinions/Reviews on various products:
-
http://www.dealsites.net/
-
http://www.techbargains.com/
-
http://www.edealinfo.com/
-
http://www.fatwallet.com/
-
http://www.epinions.com/
-
http://www.pricewatch.com/
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http://www.couponfinders.com/