DVD/CD-ROM drives stop working in Windows 7

"It could be a bugged upper/lower filter set by a DVD/CD-rom application:

Go to run (or hit Win+R), type Regedit and click OK.
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
Right-click the key and Export it before making any changes
In the details pane of Registry Editor, on the right side, delete UpperFilters and also LowerFilters.
Restart your computer

(if it doesn't help, double-click the exported reg file and reboot to return to the previous state)

Other things to try:

Uninstall daemon tools and any other DVD/CD related tools (Remove StarForce, Remove Securom). One by one, with a reboot each time, to find the culprit
Use deviceremover to remove the culprit driver (and reinstall a good one). But be carefull with this advanced tool, it could damage your system"

"I suggest that you follow the Drive Management steps here – read it carefully, it worked for me.


Right-click My Computer
Click on Manage
On the left side click on Disk Management
On the right side, find your optical drive and make sure that the drive letter it wants to use is not being used by another drive or
maybe your card reader. If there is a conflict, right click on the
optical drive and select change drive letter. Pick a letter, OK and if
there is a disc in the drive the AutoPlay should immediately come up."