DVD drive showing as CDROM :(

[Lensmeister]

Hi everyone.

I am hoping you can help me as i have tried loads of google searches and can't seem to work out a solution.

I have recently had to format my Laptop. Toshiba Satellite A40-151 running Windows XP Home. Before the format I was able to use my DVD rewriter. It's a NEC DVD RW ND2510A connected through a USB cable.

Before the format I was using Nero, DVD Shrink, Movie Maker. Since the format I haven't put any of those on, apart from DVD Shrink. But I have added SUPER, WinDV, TMPGEnc and TMPGEnc Dvd Author. So until now I haven't needed to burn any DVD's from my laptop until today, so I began the install. I plugged in the DVD and it has come up as a CD ROM. I deleted it out of the Device manager and tried reinstalling it but it still comes up as a CDROM.

Can anyone help please ?

Thanks if you can.

[kitty]

Did you see if a driver is needed or available?

[Lensmeister]

I have gone through device manager and the driver is ok according to Windows. But there was no CDROM or drivers etc. with it.

And it used to work once prior to the format

[ntscuser]

If you've inserted a DVDRW which was previously formatted as a CD-ROM that is what your PC wil see the drive as being.

[SingSing]

It is an external USB drive, you may have to dig out the disk come with the enclosure/drive, and install the whatever.

Should try again after installing nero and powerdvd, and see wether you can play a regular DVD or not ?

[RLT69]

I plugged in the DVD and it has come up as a CD ROM

1. What do you mean by this?

Do you mean in Device Manager under the "DVD/CD-ROM drives" listing, the properties of the NEC DVD RW ND2510A do not show it as a DVD RW? When you select the properties of the unit do you see a "DVD Region" tab?

2. Have you put a DVD disc in the unit, either a data disc or a movie and see if you can access it? Note with a movie you will need WinDVD or PowerDVD installed to play a movie.

3. Since you reformated your HD you will need the device drivers for that unit. Unless the instuctions for that unit explicity state that you do not need drivers, you will need a USB driver for that unit. Go to NEC's website and look for drivers/instructions if you do not have a drivers disc for your burner.

[kschang]

It's perfectly NORMAL for DVD readers and DVD burners to show as "CD ROM" in Windows. Don't worry about it. It's a "Microsoft feature".

As long as the burning programs work, don't worry about it.