Can't access cdrw drives without loading Nero first!

[grafx]

I have 2 cdrw drives, a TDK and Aopen. Everytime I try to access either one, Windows XP fails to recognize that I have a cd drive until I first load Nero (v5.5105). Even if I use Nero to do a burn and close it and then try to access a drive, I still have to load Nero again to see the drive. This has only been happening in the past couple months. Do I have an option selected somewhere which shouldn't be chosen?

Thanks.

[CDRecorder]

Do you mean that the CD-RW drive won't even read unless Nero is open? If so, I don't know of any option that could cause this problem.

You might want to upgrade to the latest version of Nero 5. You can upgrade to a newer version of Nero 5, and I think you could actually upgrade to Nero 5.5 for free. Check the Nero web site for the downloadable updates. If you install Nero 5.5.10.50, make sure you install this patch, too.

[grafx]

[quote="CDRecorder"]Do you mean that the CD-RW drive won't even read unless Nero is open? If so, I don't know of any option that could cause this problem.

Yes

[CDRecorder]

Did you try updating Nero?

Also, you might want to try going into Device Manager and uninstalling the IDE controller(s) used by the optical drives. Then, reboot.

[john]

I have same problem. Noticed properties for drive E (lite-on 52/32/52) has no sharing tab, drive F (lite-on combo) has tab. Newly built system, winXP, no other burning software except Nero 5.5.10.50 with patch. Had same problem with earlier PIII machine. IF you put a data disk into drive F 'explore' will show contents; in drive E, when you select 'explore' a dialog box opens asking you to insert a disk. If you open Nero, you can copy from drive E. Any ideas - looks like you can only read from drive with Nero

[CDRecorder]

Grafx and John: What chipsets do your motherboards have, and are you using IDE drivers supplied my the manufacturer or are you using the IDE drivers supplied by Windows?

Also, you should check which version of ASPI (if any) you have. You can find out which version (if any) you have with Aspi Version Checker. Search for "aspichk.exe" at http://www.adaptec.com. If you don't have ASPI, you should download and install it. 4.60 seems to be the best version. You can find it at the Adaptec web site by searching for "aspi32". It says that it won't work on Windows XP, but I am running a version of 4.60 (it came on the install CD for an old CD-RW drive) with no problems on my Windows XP computer.

[john]

current system albatron 865pe pro p4 2.4 using default windows driver. older PIII system soyo mb, via chipset with most recent drivers. it happens with lowest drive letter cdrw - can switch physical drives but stays with drive letter. worked around it on PIII system, which also has clone cd on it, by changing drive letters so that clone cd virtual drive is 'e', cdrw's are 'f' & 'g'

[CDRecorder]

Did you check what version of ASPI you have?

[john]

downloaded & run aspiinst from adaptec, infotool shows winaspi32.dll ver4.71,aspi32.sys 4.71, winaspi.dll 4.60, wowpost.e... 4.60 - still the same

[CDRecorder]

Do you have all of the latest updates for Windows installed?

[john]

have all windows updates installed - first noticed this when I installed winXP on PIII system (had winME) that also was a clean install.

[CDRecorder]

Did this problem occur before you installed Nero or any other CD-recording program?

[john]

just realized I copied folders and settings from old pc to new P4 so I probably migrated problem also.

[CDRecorder]

That's definitely possible. If you could do a clean install of Windows and Nero, that wouldn't be a bad idea.

[john]

worked around problem by installing clone cd and swapping drive letters so that drive 'e' is the clone cd virtual drive. now drive works ok

[CDRecorder]

I'm glad that its working for you!