Hi there! I'm new/confused/lost

Info (I'm using)
-Vista
-a Gateway GM5472 personal computer (labeled on the front of the pc)
-the DVD drive is a: HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-H40N ATA Device (this is how it shows up in my device manager)


Problem

It was working fine until I attempted to install another dvd drive (with lightscribe). I plugged it in and then tried it out, but both drives stopped working. Panicked, I took back the lightscribe drive to walmart. But the other driver still doesn't work (I didn't touch any cords in the back, or disturb the drive itself at all). It still shows up in the device manager but it has the icon of a small black ! inside the yellow triangle.
inside the device manager the "check for solutions" button doesn't do anything. under the driver tab I can't update the drivers because their already updated all the way. I'm lost... someone help me out here. please and thank you!

Hello and Welcome to PCHF

• A black exclamation point (!) on a yellow field indicates the device is in a problem state. Note that a device that is in a problem state can be functioning.

You can no longer access the CD drive or the DVD drive, or you receive an error message after you remove a CD recording program or a DVD recording program in Windows XP: "error code 31"
Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure that you back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 (Windows registry information for advanced users) Description of the Microsoft Windows registry
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

Log on to Windows by using an account that has administrator rights and permissions. Then, follow these steps.
Step 1: Start Registry Editor
Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK. Registry Editor starts.
Step 2: Delete the UpperFilters registry entry
1. In Registry Editor, expand My Computer, and then expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
2. Expand SYSTEM, and then expand CurrentControlSet.
3. Expand Control, and then expand Class.
4. Under Class, click {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}.
5. In the right pane (topic area), click UpperFilters.

Note An UpperFilters.bak registry entry may also appear. To delete the UpperFilters registry entry, you must click UpperFilters and not UpperFilters.bak.
6. On the Edit menu, click Delete.
7. When you receive the following message, click Yes to confirm the deletion of the UpperFilters registry entry:
Are you sure you want to delete this value?
The UpperFilters registry entry is removed from the {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} registry subkey.

Note Do not exit Registry Editor. You must have this program for the next step.
Step 3: Delete the LowerFilters registry entry
1. In Registry Editor, expand My Computer, and then expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
2. Expand SYSTEM, and then expand CurrentControlSet.
3. Expand Control, and then expand Class.
4. Under Class, click {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}.
5. In the right pane (topic area), click LowerFilters.

Note An LowerFilters.bak registry entry may also appear. To delete the LowerFilters registry entry, you must click LowerFilters and not LowerFilters.bak.
6. On the Edit menu, click Delete.
7. When you receive the following message, click Yes to confirm the deletion of the LowerFilters registry entry:
Are you sure you want to delete this value?
The LowerFilters registry entry is removed from the {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} registry subkey.
8. Exit Registry Editor.
Step 4: Restart the computer

whoa this is terrifying. I need some time to backup all of my files to an external just incase I mess something up good.

also I just figured out that if I mess things up real bad (but am still able to reformat)

how can I re-format without a optical drive? can I use an external one?

also thank you for all of the info geekgirl, how do you know all of this?!

Lets hope you dont need to format

Yes you can use an external drive as far as I know

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I had the same problem, error code 41, Windows not recognising device. After perusing countless posts, I followed Geekgirls' mini tutorial about removing upper and lower filters. Though I have never messed with my registry before, I tried it and It worked like a charm. I was then able to install the software for my wireless router. Thanks Geekgirl for providing the thorough information needed to solve my problem. It was on the money!

Thank you for taking the time to share that information with us, its nice to know it does work in some situations.