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The Problem; I updated bothe the driver and firmware for my Optiarc BD ROM BC-5500S, Blu Ray player, in My Sony Viao VGN_NS295J, and now my computer will not recognise the drive at all.

I have looked about and there seems to be some discussion about the drive and three common cures wich are;

Step 1:
Uninstall and reinstall CD/DVD drivers:


After Restarting the Notebook Perform the Step 2.

Step 2:

Clearing upper and lower registry filters

1.Unplug all non-essential external plug and play devices, especially cameras.
2.Click Start , and enter "regedit" into the Start Search field.
The registry editor window appears.
3. Select Computer in the main window.
4. Click File, Export, type a filename that is easy for you to remember, and click Save.
A copy of the registry has saved for back-up purposes to the Documents folder. If problems occur after using these steps, browse to the file and double-click it to restore the registry.
5. Click the plus sign ( +) next to the following items in the list:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE h
SYSTEM
CurrentControlSet
Control
Class
6. Select 4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318. Make sure you have selected this exact key name.
7. Select the LowerFilters value and press the Delete key. Confirm the deletion by clicking Yes.
8. If an UpperFilters value is also listed, select UpperFilters in the right window and press the Delete key.
Confirm the deletion by clicking Yes.
9. Delete all other UpperFilter and LowerFilter values within the 4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318 key if they exist.
10. Close the registry editor and restart the computer. The disc drive should now be recognized by Windows.
restart the Notebook.


Step 3:

BIOS RESET

1. Click Start, Shut Down, and then click Restart.
2. When the HP logo appears, press the F10 key to enter BIOS configuration utility.
3. Press F9 to load the setup defaults.
4. When changes are finished, Save and > Restart the notebook.
5. Press Enter to confirm and restart the notebook.

All of this i tried, however to no effect. In fact after doing step 2, when i restarted the computer it failed to load and went into automactic restore to a last know good config.

My Question is does anyone have any idea if I am able to fix this problem, or have I stuffed the drive and need to get a new one ( and if so what drive is a good one to get?).

If any more info is required I will endevour to provide it. Cheers All.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by tje210

Dani AI

Generated

Brief expert addendum referring to ’s report: a firmware flash or a driver change can leave a laptop optical unit invisible for either OS-level or hardware-level reasons. ’s suggestion to restore the prior firmware is a valid avenue, but there are safer diagnostics to run first so effort and risk are minimised.

Try this focused diagnostic flow (in order):

  • Confirm whether the drive is enumerated by the laptop firmware (BIOS/UEFI). If the BIOS sees it, the issue is software/Windows related; if the BIOS does not, the problem is likely hardware or a failed firmware flash.
  • Perform a full power drain and reseat: remove AC and battery, hold the power button ~30s, then reseat the optical module in its bay and try again.
  • Boot a clean external environment (Linux live USB or Windows PE) to see whether any OS can detect the drive — that separates Windows/driver problems from hardware/firmware failures.
  • If possible, test the drive in another machine or via an enclosure/adapter for slimline laptop drives; that will confirm whether the drive electronics are responding.

If the device never appears in BIOS or in a second OS, a corrupted/partial firmware flash is the likely cause. Only attempt a re-flash if you have the exact OEM/VAIO firmware and the manufacturer’s flasher; using a generic Optiarc image on a Sony-branded module can permanently brick it. When in doubt, contact Sony/Optiarc support or an authorised repair/RMA channel.

If recovery fails, replace the unit with a physical match: same slimline form factor (thickness), same interface (slim SATA), and preferably the OEM Vaio part number. As a low-cost workaround, an external USB Blu-ray/DVD drive restores functionality without opening the laptop.

Member Avatar for tje210

try to get the firmware back to what it was before you updated it. rule of thumb... don't update firmware unless you have a compelling reason to... e.g. nifty new feature you REALLY want, or the drive isn't working, etc. ditto with the driver.

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