External DVDRW Model GP70N suddenly stopped being recognized

[vmhoffers]

When I purchased my HP laptop (Windows 11)  I also purchased an external HP DVDRW Model GP70N.  Whilst it used to be recognized on the HP, it is not now.

• The DVD drive IS recognized on another computer
• When plugging it into a USB port on the HP and inserting a disc, it starts up but does not show in Explorer.
• It shows in Device Manager with no warning triangles
• I have tried 2 different USB ports on the HP. -nothing
• I have tried selecting Update Driver in Device Manager but it says that the driver is the latest
• I have Uninstalled the DVDRW in Device Manager, restarted the laptop and plugged the DVDRW back in-nothing.
• The laptop has all Windows Updates

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @vmhoffers,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

Thank you for posting your query. I will be glad to help you.

I understand how frustrating this is, especially since the HP DVDRW GP70N works on another computer but not on your HP laptop. The fact that it shows in Device Manager without errors but not in File Explorer means Windows recognizes the hardware, but cannot mount the disc. Here’s how to fix it:

Why This Happens

• Drive letter not assigned (Windows sees the device but doesn’t show it in Explorer).
• Upper/Lower filter corruption in the registry.
• Disabled optical drive service.
• USB power management is interfering with external drives.

Recommended Fixes

Step 1: Check Disk Management

1. Press Win + X → Disk Management.
2. Look for the DVD drive. 
   • If it appears without a drive letter, right-click → Change Drive Letter and Paths → Assign a letter (e.g., D:).
3. If it doesn’t appear, move to Step 2.

Step 2: Remove Upper/Lower Filters

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\
   {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
3. In the right pane, delete UpperFilters and LowerFilters (if present).
4. Restart your laptop.

Step 3: Enable Optical Drive Service

• Press Win + R, type services.msc.
• Find Shell Hardware Detection → Ensure it’s Running and Startup Type: Automatic.

Step 4: Disable USB Selective Suspend

• Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Change Plan Settings > Advanced Settings.
• Expand USB Settings > USB Selective Suspend → Set to Disabled.

Step 5: Update Chipset & USB Drivers

• Go to Official HP® Support → Enter your laptop model.
• Update Chipset and USB Controller drivers.

📌 Official HP Guide:👉 HP PCs - CD/DVD drive is not detected (Windows 10) | HP® Support

I hope this helps.

Take care and have an amazing day!
 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,

VikramTheGreat