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General discussion

DVD drive thinks it's a CD drive

Nov 6, 2004 12:08PM PST

Notes: XP Home user, fairly new to all this, fairly desperate.

During a moment of rash foolishness I used fakeCD to create a fake CD drive on my PC. Unfortunately due to aforesaid rash foolishness I failed to specify where to put it, so it put it over my DVD-ROM drive. Now when I click on it in My Computer it says "CD drive" in the Details panel. The Properties still says ATAPI DVD-ROM, but I can't play DVDs.

The maker of fakeCD says this is a known problem where people have done this over a hard drive and not been able to access files, and suggests uninstalling fakeCD and rebooting. Done that. Restored to a restore point before fakeCD, uninstalled and reinstalled DVD-ROM drive. Nothing works. Any ideas?

Discussion is locked

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Re: DVD drive thinks it's a CD drive
Nov 6, 2004 8:00PM PST

try reinstalling your dvd burning programs...you can try just reinstalling over the top of themselves, but probably your best bet would be to uninstall them first from Add=Remove Programs, reboot, and then use the install cd's to install them clean again. It appears that you broke the association of the dvd playing away from the default program, and a clean install should automatically make the association back again for you.

TONI

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Re: DVD drive thinks it's a CD drive
Nov 7, 2004 11:28AM PST

If the previous suggestion does not help:
when you said restore winXP did not solve the problem it might be, because FakeCD replaced some important DLL files and restore won't replace them back.
I suggest to uninstall DVD-ROM programs and drivers and repair winXP. Don't install it over!!! just chose to repair problems and replace bad files.
Don't use "Recovery Console" !!!! it will format your hard drive and delete everything.
for more info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341
Don't use "Recovery Console" (Method 2: Reinstall Windows XP by starting your computer from the Windows XP CD) !!!! it will format your hard drive and delete everything.

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Re: DVD drive thinks it's a CD drive
Nov 10, 2004 5:13AM PST

Thank you for the suggestion, eyal. However I moved house recently and have just contacted the person in the household who organised it all. Said person is not overly fond of the computer or overly well organised and has neglected to bring any of the original packing or documentation. No box, no manual, no installation CD. Am I right in saying that I am now completely and utterly up the creek without a canoe?

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no install cd's for what?
Nov 10, 2004 7:52AM PST

DVD program, burning program, XP??????? More info needed to help you as right now you are not up the creek yet. Just kinda drifting while we find you a paddle.

TONI

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Re: no install cd's for what?
Nov 11, 2004 3:35AM PST

Sorry. No install CDs for XP.

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Re: no install cd's for what?
Nov 11, 2004 3:51AM PST

So you only need the installation cd for the dvd program so it can default to being the viewer again...do you have that cd? There is a good one that you can download for free that Robert has mentioned a couple of times.....as soon as I find that link I will post it for you, if Robert doesn't see this first.

TONI

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Hi, rissa. how are you?
Feb 17, 2008 8:25AM PST

I just post in (after several years off) and I just wonder (and curious) what has happend at the end? I guess you have a new computer? you can send me a message directly using my profile.

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Re: DVD drive thinks it's a CD drive
Nov 23, 2004 6:46PM PST

I uninstalled my burning program and re-installed it... I am using Nero 6.3.1.25

I can now use Nero to save to my DVD... Thanks... But I still have one unresolved issue and another question...

Unresolved issue... I cannot drop and drag / copy and paste to put data onto the DVD-RW; I still get the same error. I can use Nero, but copy and paste is sometimes just easier for 1 or 2 files...

Question... This time Nero did a quick format of the DVD... Do DVDs have to be formatted? INever formatted a CD... Also I can right click on the drive with a DVD in it and the format option does not appear... It appears on my 3.5" floppy... Should it appear? Do DVDs need to be formatted? If so, is there an easier way to format the DVD... Even after writing the data, formatting was not an option... I tried with this media and new media...

Thank you

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For that...
Nov 23, 2004 8:57PM PST

"I cannot drop and drag / copy and paste to put data onto the DVD-RW; I still get the same error. I can use Nero, but copy and paste is sometimes just easier for 1 or 2 files..."

You would have to install InCD or similar software. Given how finicky I've found such software and the need to wait hours for the media to format, for me I just use the recording software.

Bob