Can't write to CD/RW

HL-DT-ST CD-RW GCE-8486B [CD-ROM drive] On an emachines T3624 running XP Home. All updates, no malware, temp files cleaned out.

I can move and copy doc files and programs to a CD/RW. However, rather than these transfers appearing at the top of the drive folder as temps files to be copied, they appear listed with files that have already been copied. In spite of this, when I highlight them and click "Copy these files to CD" I get "Welcome to the CD Writing Wizard" as usual. But when I click Next I get

"Insert a writable disc to continue.
There is no disc in the drive.
Please insert a writable CD into Drive E:\."

The same occurs even when I attempt to us a new CD/RW. I have even tried setting the write speed to 1x.

Also the drive no longer automatically opens on the screen when I insert a disc.

It goes smoothly on my ME machine, just not on the XP.

According to the Device Manager the drive is enabled and working properly.

I have not attempted to uninstall, then reinstall the drive from Add Hardware because I have never done it with the CD/RW drive and I want to make sure I don't make matters worse. I've tried to looking for solutions here and elsewhere, but can't seem to find any references that quite suite the problem.

If anyone can help me get this scwoowy wascal working right, I'd sure appreciate it.

Thanks.

Charlie