my pc doesn't think I have a cd drive

[puddleofpiddle]

But I do!!! I can't find any way of accessing it though - is there some way of downloading a driver for it? I've scoured through the control panel but no luck finding a driver or a drive...
Thanks for any help!

Go into Control Panel, double click System, click on Hardware, then click on Device Manager. This will give you a list of all the devices attached, so click on the DVD/CD drive bit (technical term. Keep up at the back) and it should open and tell you whether or not it's working and offer to troubleshoot.

Is it a new pc? If no, do what Nicholas suggests. If it is new you might need to download a driver.

I installed Windows 8 over a Windows 7 laptop and it didn't come with any cd/dvd driver. I haven't got the details with me at the moment, but I googled 'dvd driver windows 8' and found the least dodgy-looking download (please don't ask me to quantify that) and I can now use my cd drive again

old pc but I think ds1 has been fiddling...
Thanks Nicholas- I've done all that and windows checks for a solution, finds the driver file but there's no option to install it...

frettchen - I may follow your dodgy advice, I only need to install the program for my new camera, then I probably won't use the cd bit again for another 5 years!

crap. I followed nicholas' instructions, windows reckons the driver is installed and up to date but on the device properties box it says:

Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)

off to scour t'internet for a downlaodable driver...!