Quick explanation behind CD/DVD problems caused by CDROM filters
CDROM class filters have been a documented root cause of many different CD / DVD device driver issues. (CDROM is the name of a Windows device class. Every CD/DVD on your computer is a member of this Windows class.) A class filter is applied to every device that is a member of the particular class!
A misbehaving CDROM class filter can result in
- The CD/DVD device looks like it doesn't work
- The CD/DVD device driver reports an error
- The CD/DVD device drive letter may actually even disappear from My Computer and Windows Explorer
Filter related issues can occur because (to list a few reasons)
- You uninstalled software that fails to properly remove itself in the registry
- You install software that fails to install itself (and its filters) correctly
- A vendor has supplied a filter containing software bugs!
As an added fyi!!!
I've recently discovered a Windows MEDIA class filter (specifically a buggy filter that comes with many Logitech web cams) as the root cause behind months of a sound card device driver problem. (All sound cards are members of the Windows device class named MEDIA) [post=718369] See this post[/post] Below are examples of other Windows device classes
/* EDIT */
ALSO NOTE: Problems due to class filters are harder to detect if only because they're usually installed by a 3rd party! Meaning you may be looking for a solution to your Sigmatel audio driver problem while the cause is due to a class filter seeming totally unrelated you downloaded from Logitech for your web cam! Hint: Look at/suspect all the devices in the same class as your problem device!
Code:
Listing 60 setup class(es).
fsbl-standalone : fsbl-standalone
AcronisDevices : Acronis Devices
WCEUSBS : Windows CE USB Devices
Dot4 HPZ12 : Dot4 HPZ12
USB : Universal Serial Bus controllers
PnpPrinters : IEEE 1394 and SCSI printers
Dot4 : IEEE 1284.4 devices
Dot4Print : IEEE 1284.4 compatible printers
CDROM : CDROM
Computer : Computer
DiskDrive : Disk drives
Display : Display adapters
fdc : Floppy disk controllers
hdc : IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers
Keyboard : Keyboards
MEDIA : Sound, video and game controllers
Modem : Modems
Monitor : Monitors
Mouse : Mice and other pointing devices
MTD : PCMCIA and Flash memory devices
MultiFunction : Multifunction adapters
Net : Network adapters
NetClient : Network Client
NetService : Network Service
NetTrans : Network Protocol
PCMCIA : PCMCIA adapters
Ports : Ports (COM & LPT)
Printer : Printers
SCSIAdapter : SCSI and RAID controllers
System : System devices
Unknown : Other devices
FloppyDisk : Floppy disk drives
Processor : Processors
MultiPortSerial : Multi-port serial adapters
SmartCardReader : Smart card readers
VolumeSnapshot : Storage volume shadow copies
? : ?
1394Debug : 1394 Debugger Device
1394 : IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers
Infrared : Infrared devices
Image : Imaging devices
TapeDrive : Tape drives
Volume : Storage volumes
Battery : Batteries
HIDClass : Human Interface Devices
Dot4Print HPZ12 : Dot4Print HPZ12
61883 : 61883 Device Class
LegacyDriver : Non-Plug and Play Drivers
BTW : Bluetooth Devices
SDHost : Secure Digital host controllers
Avc : AVC Device Class
Enum1394 : IEEE 1394 IP Network Enumerator
MediumChanger : Medium Changers
DriverInterface : DriverInterface
NtApm : NT Apm/Legacy Support
SBP2 : SBP2 IEEE 1394 Devices
Bluetooth : Bluetooth Radios
WPD : Portable Devices
Dot4Usb HPZ12 : Dot4Usb HPZ12
VSO devices : VSO devices