Files on CD/DVD Drive Inaccessible to Explorer

[rufus]

First of all let me say I have searched this newsgroup for previous
posts on this problem -- including: "** DVD / CD-ROM drive disappeared
**" and "cannot explore CD-ROM Drive with windows explorer Any ideas?"
-- and have not found any solutions.

I have two CD/DVD drives, the primary install DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive is
Q:\ and the CD/DVD-RW drive is R:\

The problem is with the drive letter, as it is assigned to *any*
CD/DVD drive. I know because I have switched drive letters in Disk
Management and the problem follows the letter Q:\.

Whichever CD/DVD drive Q:\ is assigned to is inaccessible to Explorer
or any other file manager (I use PowerDesk).

Interestingly, Q:\ is accessible to any software associated with the
file types on the drive -- i.e. MP3 files are accessible from WinAmp,
DVD files are accessible from WinDVD, etc., etc., etc.

Also, if Q:\ is assigned to a removal HD (I have a MyBook 500 GB with
two logical partitions, N:\ and O:\), Q:\ becomes accessible, as well
as whatever letters I have assigned to the two CD/DVD drives, such as
R:\ and S:\.

I therefore surmise that the problem is associated with the install
CD/DVD drive letter itself. Which makes it difficult to just retire
that letter as a solution, since it raises so many repair/reinstall
issues, particularly with Microsoft products.

Now this happened to me just a day or so ago. And though I've worked
with computers for ten years I've never encountered this before. Over
the years I have highly customized my interface, so I am lost when it
comes to navigating a default installation of WinXP.

However, a friend of mine recently asked me to help him with his new
XP computer, and I noticed his CD/DVD drive wouldn't display any files
on a CD/DVD either. But there was a little blue link at the bottom of
his My Computer window that said something to the effect of "To view
files on this drive click here." Which makes me think there's some
setting somewhere, which I accidentally set, that makes files on the
primary install CD/DVD drive (in my case Q:\) invisible to Explorer.

Does anyone have any idea how to set this back?

Thanks.

rufus

 

[Ayush]

I don't know whether Preventing acces to drives applies to your situation or not but try this :
XP Pro:
+Click STart > Run
+Type gpedit.msc > Click OK
+Under User Configuratio,Navigate to "Administrative templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer"
+Double click "Prevent access to drives from My Computer" and set it to Disabled


XP Home/Pro:
+Click Start > Run
+Type regedit > Click OK
+Navigate to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer"
+If there is a item named "NoViewOnDrive" on right side then delete it.
+Then Navigate to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer"
+If there is a item named "NoViewOnDrive" on right side then delete it.

Restart your pC and try to access drive.


--
Ayush [ Be ''?'' Happy ]

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Replied to [[email protected]]'s message :
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[rufus]

I don't know whether Preventing acces to drives applies to your situation or not but try this :
XP Pro:
+Click STart > Run
+Type gpedit.msc > Click OK
+Under User Configuratio,Navigate to "Administrative templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer"
+Double click "Prevent access to drives from My Computer" and set it to Disabled


XP Home/Pro:
+Click Start > Run
+Type regedit > Click OK
+Navigate to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer"
+If there is a item named "NoViewOnDrive" on right side then delete it.
+Then Navigate to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer"
+If there is a item named "NoViewOnDrive" on right side then delete it.

Restart your pC and try to access drive.

Thanks for your suggestions. The "Prevent access..." was there and I
set it to "Disabled." The Registry entries were not there. I rebooted,
and the problem persists.

In trying to find information via Google, I came across a lonely
suggestion by someone to someone who has this same problem, namely, to
enable "CD recording on this drive" in "Properties." After your
suggestions didn't work, and after another frustrating hour of trying
to find a solution, I thought what the hell, what harm can it do? So I
enable CD recording on Q:\ and sure enough, now I can view the files.

However, this is not a final solution. I recall having this enabled in
years past in order to have direct access to a CD-R/RW, and it causes
conflicts with some backup software and DVD writing software -- I
can't remember now. But for the time being it will do, till I can find
out what the deal is.

The other CD/DVD drive is not enabled for direct file access, and it
displays the contents of CD/DVD's just fine.

Thanks again. If you or anyone thinks of anything else, please, let me
know!

rufus

 

[Lou.DAmico]

If you go to Device Manager can you see the drive shown there? If so,
uninstall the drivers and re-boot. It may just need to reinstall the
hardware. I have a bunch of pc's (gateway) that are doing that and that
always seems to work for me.

Lou

 

[rufus]

If you go to Device Manager can you see the drive shown there? If so,
uninstall the drivers and re-boot. It may just need to reinstall the
hardware. I have a bunch of pc's (gateway) that are doing that and that
always seems to work for me.

Lou

Thanks, Lou. I tried that early on.

The strange thing is, if I assign any drive letter *other* than Q:\ to
either of the CD/DVD drives, the files on either are visible. But if I
assign Q:\ to either drive, they are not.

If I assign Q:\ to a drive on my removable HD, it has no effect on it.

Q:\ is the install drive for all software, including WinXP, listed in
the registry. Therefore I surmise that this issue has something to do
with the install drive letter, not the CD/DVD drive itself.

Whatever the setting is that causes this behavior, I can't find it.

In the meantime, the suggestion I found on the net -- to turn on
writing to this drive in Properties -- permits the files to be visible
on Q:\. In the meantime, I'm still looking for a permanent solution,
as permitting writing to that drive creates conflicts with some CD\DVD
writing software.

Thanks again!

rufus