Vista - DVD drive disappeared

My DVD drive in my laptop has disappeared again
Last time i removed the upperFilters and lowerFilters as described here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/320553/

This time the drive doesn't even show up in the device manager.
The drive has power and can accept dvds and eject them.

What shal I do

If the drive does not show up in Device Manager, check the POST screens
during start-up or go into BIOS set-up mode to see if the drive shows there.
If it doesn't show during BIOS or POST, then the drive is likely defective
and needs replacement.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] rgharper@xxxxxx
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"ebdrup" <ebdrup@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:95FE8321-FC37-4C78-9565-FE2B892D9BC7@xxxxxx

I've faced this problem on the same computer both with windows 2008 and vista. It's a laptop with Debian (it's Ubuntu without the added bugs if you wonder), but force of need called for more than Wine. So I've tried both Win2008 and Vista, vLited and vanilla (Business, MSDNAA) and faced the same problem in all permutations. CD/DVD-rom kept disappearing after a random amount of time and no googled solutions helped; re-installing fixed it everytime. A lot of installing and never figuring out the problem, I finally managed to pin down the cause.

Since winblows loves to own the MBR without ever being asked, I always have to (re-)install a boot manager (Smart Boot Manager, installed in dos-mode) to be able to boot into debian. It's so silly that I never could have dreamt that could be the problem, but a bunch a re-installs later have confirmed. The disappearing is not at all random but always occurs after I install the boot manager. Can't google up a solution for all the kings horses and all the kings men. So trying places like these to see if anyone has heard of such a problem. Can't imagine why Vista/2K8 need to own the MBR in order to be able to see a CD/DVD-drive. Anyway, a solution would be greatly appreciated.


PS. When the device disappears it disappears from the device manager as well (while working perfectly in Debian and dos-mode). Tried installing daemon-tools, and confirmed that it's ONLY the physical CD/DVD-drive that disappears. DT-drives don't disappear no matter what I do or when I install them.

Well, when writing the above I got the genius idea of restoring the MBR (to a "windows one"), so I booted into PE and ran BootSect. I can now definitely say that my theory is correct; the CD/DVD-drive reappeared with drive-letter and all. Can someone please tell me why the heck is going on because this is somthing I have never seen with any other OS?

Anyone?

DVD Drive Icon Disappeared from Computer - Fix

Thanks for no help..did you even read my post?