DVDs have already moved out of fashion due to the arrival of external hard drives. Yet, we can’t entirely refute the importance of CDs and DVDs as they are still used for many essential actions like installing the Windows 10 OS. Some users also use it for storing various types of files, So if and when the DVD drive is not working in Windows 10, it causes worry and a state of panic, just like when the laptop keyboard is not working.
The CD or DVD drives can start malfunctioning due to several reasons. If your device drivers are corrupted, the firmware is outdated, or dirt gets accumulated, it can lead to DVD drive breakdown. However, there are many solutions to get rid of this problem.
DVD Drive Not Working – 16 Quick Solutions To Solve The Issue
There are several solutions to apply if your DVD/CD drive is not detected in Windows 10. Make sure you follow these solutions in the order they are mentioned below. Let’s take a glance at these solutions to fix the DVD drive not working issue.
1. Update Windows 10
Microsoft releases timely updates to fix the bugs and other problems in the Windows 10 operating system. If you haven’t updated your OS in a long time, it can cause your DVD/CD drive to break down. Hence, if your CD or DVD drive is not working at any point, make sure you install the update.
To begin with, open the Settings app and click on Update & Security.
Next, click on Check for updates. Windows will install any new available updates.
After installing the updates, restart your computer and see if the DVD disc drive has started working correctly.
2. Force Eject A Disk
Sometimes, the DVD/CD drive isn’t ejected after pressing the eject button on the CPU or laptop. If Windows 10 won’t play DVD properly, try forcing the ejection process using the computer.
Right-click on the Start menu button and choose File Explorer from the drop-down list.
Next, right-click on the DVD drive and select Eject from the drop-down menu.
Check if the CD Drive ejects appropriately. If it doesn’t, make sure you avoid forcing it out physically and damage the computer hardware.
3. Force the DVD Disc Drive to Eject With A Paperclip
This solution is strictly for people who use desktop computers. This is an excellent method to try out if you are used to following secondary workarounds or hacks to solve any hardware-related issues.
Very few people are aware of a small hole situated right next to your CPU’s eject button. If your DVD drive is not working, insert a small paperclip in this hole to force the drive to eject open. If you need to use this hack very often, it means you need to change the CD Drive on your PC.
4. Remove Virtual Drive Software
A virtual drive software emulates an actual storage drive like an optical disc drive, hard drive, or a floppy disk. If you have installed any such software on your PC, we recommend uninstalling it to see if it is causing any physical hard drive problems.
To uninstall the software, you need to open the Control Panel using the Start menu search box.
Then, click on Programs & Features.
Next, search for the virtual drive software you have installed, right-click on it, and click Uninstall. After the uninstallation process is complete, check if the physical DVD/CD has started working.
5. Update Drivers To Fix DVD Drive Not Working Issue
Outdated drivers often cause issues and affect the PC in several ways. Hence, it is essential for users to regularly update their drivers to avoid any problems with applications or CD/DVD disc drives. Usually, you can also update the drivers by installing the latest Windows updates. However, if any driver update is missed out, you can refer to the guide on how to update in Windows 10.
6. Edit the Windows Registry
If your DVD drive is not working, you can make a few tweaks to your PC’s registry. However, do create a backup of your original registry settings so that you can restore them in case if the operation goes wrong. You can also create a system restore point as a backup.
Before making the changes in the registry, you need to remove the corrupt registry files that might obstruct the optical drive. To do that, open the Command Prompt in the admin mode from the Start menu.
Then, enter the following command and press Enter.
reg.exe add “HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\atapi\Controller0” /f /v EnumDevice1 /t REG_DWORD /d 0x00000001 
Restart your PC after this step.
After the PC restart, open the Run command using the Win key + R shortcut. Type regedit in the address bar and click on OK.
When the registry editor opens, navigate to the path given below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}Now, right-click on UpperFilters in the right pane and delete it.
Do the same for LowerFilters and restart it. If you don’t see any entries for lower filters, close the registry editor and restart the computer. If there are no UpperFilters or LowerFilters, this solution won’t work for you.
7. Disable the DMA Mode
DMA, better known as Direct Mode Access, is used by the hardware subsystems to access the RAM without disturbing the CPU.
To disable the DMA mode, press Windows key + R to open the Run command window. Then, enter the devmgmt.msc command and click Ok to open the Device Manager.
Then, expand the CD-ROM in the Device Manager window.
Right-click on the CD drive and select Properties. Choose the Advanced Settings tab, and uncheck the DMA Enabled box under the Device Properties tab. Close the Device Manager after this step.
Restart your PC after this step and check if the CD drive has started working well.
8. Update the BIOS
BIOS is an acronym that stands for Basic Input/Output device. It comes pre-installed in every PC and is used to initialize the hardware settings of a computer. BIOS cannot be updated automatically because it is the first initialized program after the PC starts.
Windows 10 releases regular BIOS updates that help the system to remain compatible with the drivers, hardware, software, and firmware. Users need to be very careful while updating the BIOS since any wrong step can damage the computer beyond repair. You can check the guide on how to update the BIOS manually.
9. Run the SFC Scan
The System File Checker scan is used to eradicate all the corrupted system files and replace them with new files. If your DVD drive is not working properly. You can perform the SFC scan using the Command Prompt in the administrator mode. Follow this brief guide on how to perform the SFC scan and eradicate the DVD drive issue.
10. Perform the DISM Scan
The Deployment Image Servicing and Management scan is used to troubleshoot the issues related to .wim store in a Windows 10 PC. If your DVD drive is not detected in Windows 10, you can use the DISM scan to troubleshoot the potential problems.
To begin with, open the Command Prompt in administrator mode using the Run command or the Start menu search box.
Then, run the following commands in the Command Prompt window.
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealthDISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Once the commands are executed, restart the computer and see if the CD drive problem has been resolved.
11. Use the Hardware & Devices Troubleshooter
The Hardware and Devices troubleshooter is used to identify potential hardware problems in a computer. If the Windows 10 DVD drive doesn’t work as expected, you can use this troubleshooter to detect this issue.
Note: The Hardware & Devices troubleshooter has been discontinued for Windows versions v.1809 and above.
To start with, open the Settings app using the Win key + I keyboard shortcut. Then, click on Updates & Security and select Troubleshooting in the left pane.
Now, select Hardware & Devices troubleshooter and click on Run this troubleshooter to start the process. Follow the on-screen prompts and restart the computer after the process comes to an end.
12. Create New Registry Keys
If Windows 10 won’t play DVD as expected, you can create new registry keys to resolve the problem. However, make sure you create a backup of your registry so that you can restore it in case the operation goes wrong.
Press the Win key + R keyboard shortcut to open the registry editor. Then, enter the regedit command and click OK.
Navigate to the location given below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\atapiThen, right-click on atapi and select New key from the drop-down menu.
Name the new key as Controller0. Now, select the Controller0 key and move to the right pane.
Right-click in the empty space, select New, and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value from the options list.
Name the new DWORD as EnumDevice1. Now, double-click on EnumDevice1 and set the Value data from 0 to 1. Click on OK to save the changes.
Now, try to eject the DVD/CD drive and see if it works correctly. If it doesn’t work properly, create a new key using the same process and name it as Controller1. Then, see if the drive starts working again.
13. Check Your Disk Drive Connectivity
If your DVD drive is not working, verify which port it is connected to on the motherboard. Usually, media drives like a disk drive are connected to the SATA 4 or SATA 5 ports on a motherboard. However, in some computers, the disk drive is connected to the SATA 1 port on the motherboard.
So, you can reconnect the drive to the SATA 4 or SATA 5 port and see if it works as expected. Make sure you check your motherboard manual before going on with this process. It is also better to do this method under supervision or consult a computer expert if you have never worked with computer hardware before.
14. Set the DVD Drive as First Boot Device
The first boot sequence is a process in which the computer checks the order of devices listed in the BIOS. Usually, the hard drive is the first boot device, i.e., the initial device from which the user decides to boot a PC.
You can set the DVD drive as the first boot sequence and check if it works correctly. To enter the BIOS, press the BIOS key during the boot sequence; every computer has a different BIOS key, depending on the model you use.
Then, navigate to the Boot section and select your disk drive as the first boot device. You can check your motherboard manual for detailed instructions if you are unaware of the process.
15. Perform a System Restore
System restore is a process used to roll back to the settings of a previous point in a computer. If you make any complex changes in your PC and it starts malfunctioning, you can use the system restore process to restore the previous settings, provided you have saved a restore point. If you experience any issues with your DVD drive after installing any new program or changing any other setting, you can go for the system restore process to resolve it.
16. Uninstall and Reinstall the Driver
Uninstalling and reinstalling the DVD driver helps in deleting all the corrupted files.
To uninstall the driver, open the Run window and enter the command devmgmt.msc and press OK. Doing this will open the Device Manager.
Next, expand ‘DVD/CD ROM drives.’ Select the drive you are using and right-click on it; choose Uninstall from the drop-down menu. A new window will pop up asking for your confirmation to uninstall the driver. Click on the Uninstall button to start the process.
After the driver is uninstalled, close the Device Manager and reboot your computer. The CD drive will be installed automatically; check if it works fine.
In case if the driver isn’t installed automatically, click on the Action tab and select ‘Scan for hardware changes’ from the drop-down menu. This process will discover the uninstalled driver and install it again. Now, restart the computer to save the changes.
Conclusion
DVDs may already be seeing the twilight of their existence, but that doesn’t go to say they can be discarded easily, primarily when it is still being used to install the Windows 10 OS.
Hence, it is essential to have a CD drive in fine working condition, even though you might not need it very often. The solutions mentioned above are a self-help guide to resolving the DVD drive not working issue. If none of them works, you can consult a computer expert to fix the problem.
