Lost my CD-ROM/DVD driver. HELP!

Hi there,

I am quite a newbie to all this tech stuff, but I've got a MAJOR problem! :sad:

I can't use my CD/DVD device any more. The device manager lists it (when it sees it) as "TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S203D" with the manufacturer (Standard CD-ROM drives), Driver Provider: Microsoft, Driver Date: 01/07/2001, Driver Version: 5.1.2535.0. I use Windows XP Home Edition SP3 and I get an error for this device saying "Currently, this hardware device is not connected to the computer. To fix this problem, reconnect this hardware device to the computer. (Code 45)" or even "No drivers are installed for this device."

I have even got a CD-ROM stuck inside, it won't eject it, nor recognize it. I have already tried everything I could, troubleshooting or looking for a driver download on the internet. However, I've got no results so far and I desperatly need my only CD-ROM/DVD drive!

PLEASE, IF ANYONE OUT THERE COULD HELP ME, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH! I think you guys here are my last hope.

Sincerely yours, Kassiopeia :heart:

Please read this carefully and try it.
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/cd_dvd_drive_problems

Hi, Ferrit!

Thanks a lot for answering. I appreciate it a lot. :wave:

Unfortunately I've been struggling with this problem from days now and I've already tried all the ideas on the microsoft support site, even their Fix-it program. Nothing worked. I reedited the registry, as they say, deleted the Upper and the Lower filters, but as a result couldn't retrieve my drive in the Device manager any more. And My Computer stopped showing a D:\ drive and I could find it nowhere else on my computer. It was a complete disaster. :knife: I had to restore the registry and then I got my drive back on the list of Device Manager.

A few weeks ago I installed a DAEMON application, which created virtual drivers in order to make images of the CDs or DVDs (I still don't understand the concept very well - completely new to me). And I created with this app a virtual driver (it's called E:\). The Device manager shows also this driver, near my physical TSSTcorp. I thought this might have caused the problem in the first place, so I deleted the virtual driver with the Daemon prog. But what happened next left me in complete dispair: not only my TSSTcorp had disappeared from the Device manager, but any sign of CD/DVD drivers as well. :confused: I couldn't try anything more, as there was nothing there to begin with. I got almost frightened and created quickly the virtual driver back. And after uninstalling and reinstalling the CD/DVD drivers on my computer, I could see again my TSSTcorp being listed.

I know, this might sound long and boring :bor: and crazy, especially for those knowing more about this stuff, but I am really DESPERATE, because I have been working for days now on this issue, tried almost everything and every site I found on the internet and ... nothing. :confused:

Why can't I just find a site (I thought this one was the solution!), where I can simply download the driver for my device from, and than reinstall it. I thought this shouldn't be such a problem, but no site whatsoever has shown until now a driver for my TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S203D device :(. I have found other versions, with a letter or a number different from mine, but I didn't dare to mess up with those. I even found sites, which were offering downloads precisely for my device, but ... one had to pay for a subscription or something like that and I don't have any means for undertaking e-payments.

I hope you guys were able to get a better picture of my agony, hope I didn't bore you to much with my complaints :o, but ... IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY TO DOWNLOAD THE DRIVE FROM A SITE AND REINSTALL IT ON MY COMPUTER in order to fix what is broken or missing? At least for this question I would like to find an answer, so that I can stop searching if the mission is impossible.

Thank you all again for your kind support and waiting anxiously for your answers.

Kassiopeia :heart:

You need to understand that the drivers you think
your trying to find dont exist.
Those are built into windows and avaliable to the device already.
I am betting the damage was done from tha DAEMON program.
I have seen it a ton of times.
Is there a fix?
Yes the one i know works is format and reinstall.
Since you have tried all else. Something somewhere in the registry is messed up.
If you can restore back to before that DAEMON software then maybe
Otherwise its a reload

As an add-in, you might try to uninstall whatever 'daemon' program you installed using Revo Uninstaller and then rebooting and if necessary THEN using the previously suggested 'fixes'.


Worth a try anyway.

Generally, if one of the virtual drive programs like Daemon Tools has caused a problem with Windows not recognizing your optical drive, you are going to need to uninstall it as well as all other CD/DVD burning software on your computer (including iTunes).

Using Revo is a good suggestion, because otherwise, you may end up spending a lot of time searching the Registry and manually removing entries for Daemon Tools, and even using MSCONFIG to troubleshoot leftover drivers or services that might be causing a problem. Some of these virtual disk programs cause really weird behaviors like making Windows report your hard drive as an optical drive (and the reverse).

So, my advice would be to uninstall all your burning software and virtual disk software, remove the filter drivers yet again, then re-boot and see if the drive is detected correctly. If not, a repair installation may be your best bet, because trying to troubleshoot this issue manually can take a bunch of time.

If your optical drive is working OK after uninstalling software and filter drivers, then you'll need to reinstall your burning software. Install iTunes last.