Fix: Windows 11 DVD Drive Not Detected [External/Internal]

Windows 11 » How To

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by Vladimir Popescu 

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Key notes

  • If Windows 11 does not recognize DVD drive, reinstalling the controller drivers is necessary.
  • Modifying the registry is also a great way to make your DVD drive work again.
  • In some instances, it might be necessary to remove certain entries from the registry to fix this.
windows 11 not recognizing dvd drive

Many users reported that Windows 11 is not recognizing the DVD drive after the upgrade to the latest version.

In fact, this issue affects almost every version of Windows, and we wrote about it in our DVD player not working after upgrade guide.

Many reasons can lead to the problem you are experiencing, but there’s a way to fix your Windows 11 DVD/CD drive, and this guide will show you how to do it.

How can I fix Windows 11 not recognizing DVD drive?

1.  Reset the DVD drive using the Registry editor

  1. Click on the Windows button from the Taskbar.
  2. Type regedit into the Search box and click on the first result. open Registry editor from start menu
  3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\atapi\
  4. Now, Create a new key named Controller0 by right-clicking on atapi.Create key controller0
  5. Select Controller0 and then right-click on an empty spot on the right side to create a new DWORD EnumDevice1.Create DWORD Value
  6. Set its Value Data to 1 and restart your computer.assign EnumDevice1Value

If Windows 11 still does not recognize your DVD, proceed to the next method.

2. Remove IDE/ATAPI Drivers

  1.  Press Windows + R at the same time to open the Run window.
  2. Type devmgmt.msc into the box and press Enter.open device manager
  3. In Device Manager, expand IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, then locate Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller.
    navigate to IDE controllers
  4. Right-click the device and select Uninstall device. Follow the instructions to uninstall the driver.Uninstall IDE controller driver
  5. Restart your computer when prompted.

After doing this, check if DVD/CD-ROM drives are still missing from the Device Manager.

3. Remove the UpperFilters / LowerFilters registry key

  1. Click on the Windows button at the bottom-left of your screen.
  2. Type regedit into the Search box and hit Enter. open Registry editor
  3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}navigate to control class
  4. Right-click on UpperFilters and LowerFilters. Next, delete them by pressing Delete. If you do not find this variable in the given registry, skip to step 6.
  5. Close out of the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

If your DVD/CD drive is not reading the disc, be sure to try this solution.

4. Update DVD driver or uninstall DVD device 

  1. Open Device Manager by pressing the Windows + R. Type devmgmt.msc and press Enter.open device manager
  2. In the Device Manager, Select DVD/CD-ROM drives and right-click on your driver name. Select Update driver or Uninstall device.update or uninstall DVD drivers
  3. Proceed with the process and restart your computer.

Now you just have to test your drive. If you’re wondering how to check DVD if the drive is working or not, simply try reading a couple of discs and see what happens.

⇒ Get PC HelpSoft Driver Updater

When dealing with drivers, it’s important to have them updated no matter what you want to achieve with your devices. This is where a driver updater tool comes in handy, to avoid significant issues and errors in the future.

The Windows 11 issues with recognizing the DVD drive can be fixed easily by using the above methods.

If you are still having DVD-related issues such as DVD not working, check out our other guides to fix them.

Which solution worked for you? Let us know in the comments below.

More about the topics: Fix Driver issues, Windows 11 Fix

Vladimir Popescu

Vladimir Popescu Shield

Being an artist his entire life while also playing handball at a professional level, Vladimir has also developed a passion for all things computer-related. With an innate fascination for research and analysis, and realizing many other people share his passion for this subject, he delved into writing Windows-related articles, so other people can also benefit from the acquired information. When not writing kick-ass articles, Vladimir likes to spend his time doing Crossfit and creating art.