Optical drive now missing

Hello,

I have been trying to setup my PC for over one year now and keep having issues. I have experminted and practiced reinstalling Windows 10 20H2 about 10 times. Everything was looking good and was finally ready to setup my PC today. I reinstalled Windows, ran Windows update including all the optional driver updates and started installing all my software and drivers for my external devices. This includes Photoshop CS6, Wavelab 10, Office 2016 and the driver for my USB audio interface. I got about 80% done and then my optical drive went missing with the following error in device manager,

windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. (code 19)

I tried updating the driver and then uninstalling the device in the device manager with no luck. I did some reasearch on the issue and I am not willing to hack the registry. I don't feel I should have to.

Can this be caused by not having the chipset driver from my motherboard, Asus?

Chipset driver? Probably not.

Registry errors caused by a software installer are a lot likelier.

If you're not prepared to manually fix the Registry, you may be out of options, other than a clean re-install of Windows. Make a restore point before you install any software, and carefully monitor which one creates the error.

I'd play with the Registry. Much less work. You can export keys before deleting them, and restore them if you don't like the result. Or back up the Registry entire.

Next time, I will try the Asus chipset driver instead of all the optional driver updates through Windows update.

I will pay attention to when it disappears again, if it happens again.

I have a feeling that installing Photoshop CS6 may be doing it.

If it doesn't happen again, then great and I knw not to install all those Intel optional driver updates. If it still happens with the Asus chipset driver in place before hand, then I will reinstall again with the optional driver updates and not the asus chipset drivers. Finally, I will then have to look into hacking the registry.

What a mess, my poor Samsung 970!

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These are the optional Intel driver updates which fix the issue in the device manager at first. Although, the Asus chipset driver fixes the issue also but the optional drivers updates remain available, if I go the Asus route

As far as I know, the "Asus Chipset Drivers" are almost unmodified versions of those supplied by Intel. About the only custom thing I'd expect in their downloads would be a motherboard utility. (That's something I never install.)

I have been using Photoshop CS6 for years, on a variety of different PCs. (Two at a time.) I have never had it mess with my optical drives. (I'm old school enough that my desktop PCs always include an optical drive. At the moment, both have BD burners.)

Best of luck identifying the cause of your problem.

I found the issue by restarting every step of the way.

It was an update to WaveLab 10, which is an audio editing program. It's the only update available, version 10.050 to be exact. As soon as I installed the update my optical drive went missing. I confirmed this by uninstalling Wavelab 10, restarting and my optical drive returned. I also reinstalled Wavelab 10 the original version 10.0.40 and my optical drive was still there. Again, as soon as I installed the update my optical drive went missing.

I'm very glad I found out the issue. That is, since I was convinced the Windows optional updates were the culprit.

I'm happy and sad because that update was for high dpi support and it allowed me to operate Windows in 150dpi, which is the default and recommended.

WaveLab 10, which is the most current version is a must have for me. I still can use it but have to reset to 125dpi.

What a WaveLab 10, high dpi support, update has anything to do with an optical drive, I have no idea!

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Thanks for all your help Bobkn!

If I could ask you one thing, do you recommend reinstalling Windows 10 with or without an internet connection? I asked this early on and experimented a little bit. You seemed unsided about it at the time or you didn't give a recommendation either way.