XPS 8700, CD-ROM drive missing

Version of Windows?

What happens if you put a CD in the drive instead of a DVD?

Put a data CD in the drive and then reboot. Immediately press F12 and look for the option to run the diagnostics on the optical drive.

Is the drive still listed in Device Manager? If it is, manually set a system restore point to be safe. Then right-click the drive in Device Manager and uninstall device then reboot. Windows should automatically see and reinstall the drive, and test again.

If Windows doesn't install the device or it still doesn't work, open Device Manager and click Action>Scan for hardware changes

And there's always the possibility the drive failed...

THis is current list from Belarc followed by a previous view.  Note how HL-DT-ST DVDRWBD CH20N [CD-ROM drive] is missing in the first group.

12-1-19

Drives

Yes, all PCs, including desktops have a 3-volt coin cell battery on the motherboard which holds BIOS settings when the PC is off...

Good that you see the drive in BIOS. But I'd clear BIOS and replace the CR2032 battery, if nothing else than to rule that out for ~$2. After you replace the battery and reboot, see if the drive is listed in Device Manager again.

If that drive writes to CD-RW disks you can use one of them for the diagnostics. You don't want to erase it. Just put it in the drive, reboot and press F12 and look for the diagnostics option.

And like I said, there's a chance the drive died...

Did you update to Windows 10 1909 right before this happened?

You might want to clear BIOS and install a fresh battery to see if the system will see the drive again:

1. Reboot and immediately press F2 to open BIOS setup
2. Copy down all current BIOS settings and check if the optical drive listed in BIOS setup.
3. Power off, unplug
4. Press/hold power button for ~15 sec
5. Open case and remove motherboard battery (check Service Manual for details)
6. Press/hold power button for ~30 sec
7. Check data cable connection between optical drive and motherboard and power connection between drive and power supply
8. Reinstall battery (Time for a fresh CR2032 3-volt coin cell battery? ~$2)
9. Close up and connect mouse, monitor and keyboard
10. Reboot
11. See if the drive has reappeared...

You never said if you ran the diagnostics on the optical drive from the F12 menu. You need to put a data CD in the drive first, then reboot and immediately press F12...

I don;pt see it any longer in the Device Manager.  When I ran Belarc Advisor a program than examines everything about the computer, it doesn;t see the CD-ROM either.

I only have a CD-RW.  Can I use it?  Should I erase the data on it to test the F12?

I also did the F2.  Under SATA2>MAIN>  SHowed Device Type Blu-RAy, Device ID HL-DT-ST DVDRW/BDROM  CH20N, DEVICE SIZE N/A.  SO is it seeing it or the battery.  

1.  I had Windows 10, for awhile.  After this happened I did load a couple of updates for something but it made no difference.

2. There's a battery in the tower?

3.  You didn;t say what it mean if the drive is or is not listed in the BIOS setup and how that relates to the battery replacement.  

Windows 10

This system is many years old and this is the first time I had this problem.

1. How do you clear the BIOS?

2. Do you have a link for replacing the battery and taking the tower apart?

Ron:  Thanks much. It's working.  I replaced the battery but couldn't reach the jumper.  So I couldn't do the reset. I also didn't do the 30 second power button press/hold after I replaced the battery. 

One problem I'm having is the mouse was not recognized by the computer.  I had it plugged into the USB on my NEC monitor.  I had to move to the USB in the back of the computer to work.  How can I check out the USB jacks on my monitor?

You may have already done this, but I have to ask, in addition to the video cable is your monitor connected via a USB cable to your computer?

all you said to the w10  question, is I once tried, it, why  so evasive on what OS you run?

on jan 14,2020 W7 is now dead,   you did know this , right?  end of the line,

no more updates, no more defender no more MSE,  no AV updates  , the time  is NOW. W10,

do not look back do not collect $200 usd,  go to  w10 and park. please, then we fix them one at a time. at w10.

that means you must run w10 , and you need all w10 drivers to make those front USB ports work for wired keyboard and wired, mouse ( no battery wireless mice, I HOPE if yes that has dead batteries too inside )

Install w10, with the Ethernet cable connected to your router, so w10 can find all those driver, the first time.

learn to look in DM, device manager, to see if drivers are dead, or bad.

the monitor usb is just  extension USB hub, hidden in the monitor,  so if the monitor input usb cable to PC is connected to a dead USB port on the PC then the monitors USB port is now dead, for sure.

• ePSA test passed, ? CDROM test, (it does not ask for media)
• Tray ejects. by near by button.
• F2 BIO sees the DRIVE CD (or what it is there DVD/BRD etc) show makers name even.
• Windows, see the drive in DM device manager.
• windows , with data CD present , see files on the drive with explorer ( This PC, new w10 named)
• windows  same way see Real DVD movie files(VOB) not fake, DVD-r, real store bought movies)
• Windows, load VLC and play the movie, see it does work just 1 step here, VLC . works  always.
• Not sure how to use support assistant me, i fear it, (driver update and bios update hell)

my guess is your pc is not too  OLD. 2015 (as old as) and came with w7 on it new. am i right>?

and missed the free w10 updates back then?   ouch. August 18, 2015 free update? ended, 7-29-2016

Dell has all your drivers here, for  w7/8/.10

the cure is, update to w10 64bit. (for sure, do that ,stay there and fix that fails)

then get all drivers working, first. for sure any ports on the PC that are dead, first, then sound working.
then last wifi, wifi can be very hard to get working, but that too is fiddly steps to fix.

then test CD, in the CD/dvd/BRd try,  make sure a REAL DATA (not music) CD is seen in explorer (this-pc)

if not look in DM device manager next, it must be there.  (if not you did not connect ethernet as I told you do do)

the Ethernet works, out of the box, if you connect this simple cable, the PnP can work plug and play using the huge vast Microsoft, PnP servers, so the newer CD/DVD/BRD drive can be loaded with a matching driver.

if not the optical drive will be dead,all of it or 1/2.  some fail  only CD works if the dvd side driver is missing. (yes odd/rare)

This PC as all PC are cock-a-block full of Devices, and each one needs driver to work, use and ethernet cable to the router (even walmart has the cable in the rack waiting)

leave wifi for last, if using it.

DELL as bios update to fix front USB3 ports,  as told here, on you 1st sport page,

then if the USB3 drivers are bad, the front ports will be dead. not just lame per above line.

oddly dells has no spec pages on PCs.  you'd think it be like first click on support. but no.

here is what others report as you can see there are 2 chips for USB not one.  one is usb2 other is uSB3

when you see that, always suspect, bad drivers, if the USB3 ports are dead, ok, this very very common  then.

some dells have blue colored jacks signify USB3, did you see that? or the SS-E  (E looks like pitch fork)

SS means in USB jargon SUPER SPEED< USB 3. clearly marked on my T3610 DELL for  example.

wiki quote.

USB 3.0 adds a SuperSpeed transfer mode, with associated backward compatible plugs, receptacles, and cables. SuperSpeed plugs and receptacles are identified with a distinct logo and blue inserts in standard format receptacles.

vaST PC made with USB3, from 2010 up, Not new) love to fail for USB3, this is a fact upgraded to w10

and is because of 2 thinks,  1: not using ethernet connected w10 installs or upgrade or 2, (some chips are not in the MS PnP servers, like my wondrous, NEC chip USB3. that only HP has, on tap.  (my 1 HP does that )

The worst PCs are the first USB3 PCs,  using mix  o chips to pull that off  and not sending those drivers to MS.

I'd say yours will work right, if you us Ethernet and for sure that and click USB in DM and pick update driver.

bingo it works

when telling any story to the poor  guy blinded in a text box, tell what you have there, connected. all things

for sure wireless devices or bluetooth, anything, and expect it to work.

notwithstanding at the w10 install the wifi works right off the bat before and after w10 loaded, then forget my ethernet comments,  (change that to be internet connected all the time)

We never mess with wifi until all else works,  the piddle about with wifi  and be close to your AP, router. not 100feet far.

see that SS?