If your CD or DVD ROM drive has recently disappeared, you may want to read this post. If it disappeared on its own, then it can be one of a few problems:

1. The driver has been uninstalled/corrupted or the wrong driver is installed. You can either use Microsoft Update to update to the newest driver, or you can RollBack the driver to the previous version.
2. You’ve disconnected the data/power cable. Check the cables.
3. The drive has died. You’ll need to buy a new drive.

If it disappeared after you uninstalled or installed a software package, then here’s a registry hack (fix) that helps solve your issue. Most of the time this is a result of uninstalling or installing a second version of a CD/DVD Burning Software kit.

1. Make sure that the driver is correct/up-to-date/installed properly.
2. Microsoft recommends uninstalling any CD/DVD Burning Software PRIOR to performing this hack.
3. Open up the Registry Editor. Start >> Run >> regedit.
4. Go to this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Class/{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
5. Delete the keys “UpperFilters” and “LowerFilters”.
6. Reboot the computer.

You should now see your favorite Optical drive in your My Computer.