DVD/CD drive dissappears or becomes hidden, including error Code 45 "device is not connected"

Is the "disappearing DVD/CD drive" issue (or error Code 45 " . . . device is not connected . . . reconnect this hardware"), as reported in forums over the years, a Windows issue, or due to Microsoft dropping support in each major update for certain drivers/devices/co-decs etc.?  Does Microsoft and/or Dell stay silent on this or similar issues and fail to give an effective answer due to sales/revenue concerns?  Or is some odd part of the drive itself actually worn-out (although that's not been cited by anyone re. this error code)?  In a 2017 Dell forum post, for example, a participant concluded it's a Windows issue (see: nbcouch, ‎06-05-2017 02:42 PM, RE: How to resolve code 45 error for Dvd/cd driver), but I haven't seen any effective/definitive answer from Dell or Microsoft experts there or in any of the similar posts or forums over the years regarding this issue.  Does anyone know or have an answer or updated information or experience on this issue/error code?

My case:  Two weeks ago I installed the new "1903" update for Windows 10 on my 2014 Dell Inspiron 17-5748, with a HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GU90N drive.  I use the drive to occasionally play/burn standard CDs from my old collection, or watch an older codec DVD.  I hadn't used the drive for about 2 months, but in doing so this week experienced the "hidden drive" error code 45 issue.  I've carefully executed all the "solutions" suggested by Dell & Microsoft experts over the years (uninstalled/re-installed the drivers, disconnected/reconnected the drive, ran the newest diagnostic/fix tools, etc.), plus today installed the new cumulative update for "1903".  After doing a driver uninstall/reboot the drive will appear in File Explorer and even briefly show the CD inserted, but the drive becomes "hidden" again after I try to run the CD or do anything further (the drive will spin, is clean, and appears in AOK shape).  The drive then shows only in Device Manager/View/Show Hidden Devices.

I can or will try rolling-back to the previous version of Windows, but wanted to check with you all first:  is it the drive or more likely Windows?  I've never had problems before with Windows 10 major updates, and wish to ultimately stick with the latest version for other reasons.  I have an external Pioneer BDR-XD05B that uses Cyberlink Power DVD software with the latest codecs, and that works fine as you'd expect.  In its sales material Cyberlink points to Window's dropping support for Windows Media Player and on up to the present:  "Unfortunately, Windows 10 no longer supports H.265/HEVC video playback (doesn't even support Blu-ray disc & DVD), so you may have playback issues if you want to play these files on your PC."  Forget Blu-ray and newer codecs:  I simply want to play/burn my old CDs.  So: is the reason I can't play even old CDs on the HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GU90N due to the "1903" update and non-support for the drivers, codecs, or something else?