So when I plug in this external USB tdk 5200f cd/rw driver, the device manager does not see it as a rewritable, just a regular cd-rom. I have looked everywhere to try and find an updated driver for it. Can't find it anywhere. Any help would be appreciated. the tdk website is useless.

Confirm this drive is a cd/rw
http://www.dvdinfopro.com/

Also Device manager may report CD only, even though it is a CD R/W