Code 41 DVD player problem solved!

May 25, 2005

This is one of those entries that I make for the sake of posterity. Here’s the problem:

My laptop suddenly stopped recognizing my DVD drive. Even though the computer would power up the DVD drive and recognize it when I installed drivers, I would always end up with a “code 41″ saying the drivers had been loaded but the computer could not find the drive. This was after a moderately, but not severe, drop. So I assumed the drop had wiped out my DVD player which was always temperamental anyway, and I ordered a replacement from eBay.

Replacing the hardware did not work. And let me tell you, poking around in the innards of a laptop is not my idea of a good time.

Anyway, if this is bugging you, this might be your answer. I know, I know. It’s called CD-ROM Access Is Missing and Messages Cite Error Code 31, Code 32, Code 19, or Code 39 After You Remove Easy CD Creator in Windows XP which might cause you to dismiss it out of hand at first because, like me, you never used Easy CD Creator and Code 41 isn’t listed. Well. Turns out that uninstalling other CD burning tools — like iTunes, for example (grumble) — might screw up your registry’s driver information, rendering your drive inoperable. So, to recap:

• Uninstalling iTunes disabled my DVD drive because it didn’t clean up after itself.
• The Windows error message was entirely misleading about the cause.
• The Windows support document that addresses the problem is not titled so’s you would notice it addresses the problem.
• I’m out $70.

All around a truly irritating computer experience in which neither brand ingratiates itself.

Posted in Technology