Check the BIOS to make see if the devices are recognized there. You will have to reboot the system and press F2 or Delete while the system is first loading to enter the BIOS. It should tell you which key to press as long as the boot process is displayed, if the boot process is not displayed, you will have to consult the manufacturer's manual or website for info to gain access to BIOS.

Or:  If you know the particular model of both drives, you can go straight to the Manufacturer's website to obtain drivers for them. If the drives came with the system from Compaq, you can get the drivers from Compaq. If not you need to go to the sites for the specific vendor of the drives.

Or:  If the drives still work, then you should be able to install the original drivers from the CD that came with the system.

I personally would go to the manufacturers website and obtain the latest drivers for the drives, then install them. This 'should' resolve the problem.

> Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 12:12:24 -0800
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [PCBUILD] Lost E and F Drives
> To: [log in to unmask]
> 
> I have a compaq presario 5430 running win xp and somehow have lost my dvd 
> rom and the cd rom. They were drive E and F but are no longer recognized at
>  all.
> My actions to this point have been (1)  I went to Device Hardware and 
> initially had the yellow question mark in Device Hardware overlaying each
>  Rom device. So,  I right clicked and ran the troubleshooter. It couldn't 
> complete and came back with a code 39 error. (2)  At that point, I right
> clicked and deleted the drivers, thinking that when I rebooted it would 
> source out what was on the machine and reinstall it. Unfortunately, that 
> wasn't  the case.
> Now, they are no longer in "my computer" or "device hardware" at all. They 
> aren't recognized anywhere.
> Next, I'm thinking to unplug them from the ribbon and boot up.Thinking this 
> would change the settings. Then shut down, plug them back in and reboot.
> Thinking this might make the machine rereference them as new and pull the 
> drivers.
> In retrospect,  I think this might have happened when I disconnected an 
> external HP dvd writer from the computer. I don't know for sure but maybe it
> used the same drivers and eliminated them when it recognized that the 
> external writer was no longer connected ?!
> This machine is about 4 years old and I haven't used either of these drives 
> much at all so I'm not 100%  sure when I lost them.
> Please, in simple terms, explain the right way to get them back. Other 
> ideas?? Thanks in advance.
> Vern Plumlee
> 
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>            web based bulletinboard for questions and answers:
>               Visit our sister website at http://nospin.com

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