check the device manager. Does it display, next to the disk drive thing a yellow triangle with an exclamation point in it? When you click on the device properties, what does it say? an error or is thing okay?
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=314060 is a microsoft solution for non working CD/DVD drives, but give it a shot anyway after you sure you have a good system restore point in place. I don't know if this will work for you because I'm not sitting at your computer.
Otherwise, try posting in the Windows forum.