The Portable Freeware Collection Forums

The Problem :
For a while now, I have a CD/DVD drive that shows up in the menus just fine,
but whatever CD or DVD I put in it, Windows Explorer (File Explorer) & similar File Managers (like XYplorer) show "no files" (empty, "insert a CD").
However, the files all show with many "rescue" programs, like: Recuva, Iso Buster, CD Reader, CD Roller, Phoenix Data Recovery.
But what is really surprising, the files are there just fine with other CD/DVD programs - like audio CD rippers, or DVD rippers. Now, figure that !

My Conclusion :
It is just Windows Explorer that has a problem.

My Web Research :
I have tried all those usual remedies on the web - like removing lower and upper filters, but nothing worked,
these remedies seem to be all for scenarios when the CD drive itself is not visible at all.

My Question to You Guys (& Girls) :
OK, fine, I can use portable Recuva all the time as a work-around,
but does anyone know how to fix the actual problem ?

I had a similar problem after updating to Win10. IIRC, the only thing that worked was reinstalling the OS unfortunately.

Dear " Shnbwmn",

Thanks for Your reply !

Well, reinstalling the OS is a bit too much for me,
I think that, until I find a solution, I will just live with the Recuva work-around.

Obviously, it is not the whole OS at fault (& in need of replacement),
but just one tiny registry line that relates to Windows Explorer.
We just do not know which one !

What a tantalizing puzzle,
one for the "Sherlock Holmes types" among us.

@Stoik
Have you tried Windows Repair or a similar tool?

I would try "Microsoft Fix it" specifically the fix it tool that reads "Problems with cdroom or unit (drive) of DVD when reading or recording CDs".

Thank You
"Smaragdus" and "Marc".

I have already tried
Windows Repair (all-in-one), and
Microsoft Fix It (Fix problems with CD or DVD drives that can’t read or write media).

They did not work.

I presume we are talking about the same Microsoft Fix It.
The one I used was "CDDVDWin8.meta.diagcab" from :
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/mat ... e_problems.

In essence, these tools are applying a mystery fix to a mystery problem.
It would be nice to know what that problem actually is.

Thanks again for Your intellectual interest and Your input.

OK, I fount the cause and the solution.

CAUSE :
The reason for this program is that, somehow,
a windows driver that is supposed to recognize the CD-specific CDFS file system (similar to the NTFS file system for external hard-drives) was disabled from running at Windows startup.
Some CDs use the less common UDFS file system, this drive can also be at fault.
You can verify this by runing the program "Servi Win" (drivers tab) - "cdfs.sys" & "udfs.sys" will be missing altogether (not just "stopped").
Rarely would the drive ("cdfs.sys" or "udfs.sys" file in C:\Windows\System32\Drives\) itself be missing/damaged (since drives are well proteced by Windows self-protect mechanisms !),
usually it is the registry key controlling the drive that gets deleted/altered ["Start"=dword:00000004 -> means: do not start ever, should be 1 instead of 4 to work OK] by some "wild" software.

FIX :
Run ("install") the attached registry keys "cdfs.reg" & "udfs.reg" to fix the missing/flawed registry keys [they contain -> "Start"=dword:00000001].

cdfs.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdfs]
"DependOnGroup"=hex(7):53,00,43,00,53,00,49,00,20,00,43,00,44,00,52,00,4f,00,\
4d,00,20,00,43,00,6c,00,61,00,73,00,73,00,00,00,00,00
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="File system"
"Start"=dword:00000001
"Type"=dword:00000002

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdfs\Enum]
"0"="Root\\LEGACY_CDFS\\0000"
"Count"=dword:00000001
"NextInstance"=dword:00000001

udfs.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Udfs]
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="File system"
"Start"=dword:00000001
"Type"=dword:00000002

REFERENCE :
http://club.myce.com/f34/solution-not-b ... -a-301726/
http://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/ ... vd-359754/

Great detective work, Stoik. Good to know the problem is now solved.

Glad that got solved. Thanks for posting about the solution and adding "solved" to the thread subject. That's a great way to pass along good info.