Methods to resolve the problem
Method 1: Guided Help to delete the registry entries
Note We recommend that you uninstall all CD recording or CD writing programs before you delete the registry entries. You can reinstall any programs that you use after you resolve this problem.
Guided Help is available to delete the registry entries that can cause CD access problems. Guided Help can automatically perform the steps for you.
The actions that this Guided Help performs can be undone after Guided Help is finished. To undo this Guided Help, run Guided Help again. On the Welcome page, click Undo this Guided Help, and then follow the instructions.
For more information about Guided Help, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
915092
Description of Guided Help for Microsoft Knowledge Base articles
Description of Guided Help for Microsoft Knowledge Base articles
Requirements to install and to use this Guided Help
• You must be logged on to Windows by using a computer administrator account to install and to use this Guided Help.
• You must be running Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Media Center Edition, or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition to install and to use this Guided Help.
"You must first download Guided Help. To start, click the following link."
Download Guided Help
You can no longer access the CD drive or the DVD drive, or you receive an error message after you remove a CD recording program or a DVD recording program in Windows XP: "error code 31")
Method 2: Manually delete the registry entries
Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure that you back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 (
Windows registry information for advanced users) Description of the Microsoft Windows registry
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.Log on to Windows by using an account that has administrator rights and permissions. Then, follow these steps.
Step 1: Start Registry Editor
Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK. Registry Editor starts.
Step 2: Delete the UpperFilters registry entry
1. In Registry Editor, expand My Computer, and then expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
2. Expand SYSTEM, and then expand CurrentControlSet.
3. Expand Control, and then expand Class.
4. Under Class, click {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}.
5. In the right pane (topic area), click UpperFilters.
Note An UpperFilters.bak registry entry may also appear. To delete the UpperFilters registry entry, you must click UpperFilters and not UpperFilters.bak.
6. On the Edit menu, click Delete.
7. When you receive the following message, click Yes to confirm the deletion of the UpperFilters registry entry:
Are you sure you want to delete this value?
The UpperFilters registry entry is removed from the {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} registry subkey.
Note Do not exit Registry Editor. You must have this program for the next step.
Step 3: Delete the LowerFilters registry entry
1. In Registry Editor, expand My Computer, and then expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
2. Expand SYSTEM, and then expand CurrentControlSet.
3. Expand Control, and then expand Class.
4. Under Class, click {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}.
5. In the right pane (topic area), click LowerFilters.
Note An LowerFilters.bak registry entry may also appear. To delete the LowerFilters registry entry, you must click LowerFilters and not LowerFilters.bak.
6. On the Edit menu, click Delete.
7. When you receive the following message, click Yes to confirm the deletion of the LowerFilters registry entry:
Are you sure you want to delete this value?
The LowerFilters registry entry is removed from the {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} registry subkey.
8. Exit Registry Editor.
Step 4: Restart the computer
If a CD recording program no longer works after you restart the computer, you must reinstall the CD recording program.
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Similar problems and solutions
For more information about a similar problem, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
320553 (
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320553/) CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive appears to be missing after you install Windows XP or Windows Vista Beta 2
For a Microsoft Windows 2000 version of this article, see 270008 (
Cannot Access CD-ROM and "Code 31" Error Message in Device Manager After You Remove Adaptec Easy CD Creator from Your Computer.
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APPLIES TO
• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional
