Mike, I think you could be right here. After giving this more thought, I now recall that I first experienced the problem about a week and a half ago, after I had initially installed Adobe PhotoShop Elements 3.0. I had purchased the downloadable version from Adobe and backed the installer exe file on a CD.

After experiencing a problem with the program after the initial installation, Adobe advised me to deinstall it (add/remove programs) and then reinstall it again, by inserting the backup CD I had created (burned with Nero) earlier. When I initially inserted the CD, I remember it coming up BLANK and freaking out, because I clearly recalled burning the installer exe file to that disc earlier.

Mike, perhaps sometime around that time (Adobe Elements or Nero Update installation) a device driver(?) file may have gotten corrupted which is now preventing my PC from automatically recognizing & mounting newly inserted CDs. The strange thing about this though is that once the CD is ejected (via Windows menu) and reinserted, or if Windows Media Player or Nero is launched, Windows then decides to mount and recognize the CD.

Mike, your Registration Edit advice sounds pretty complicated for a someone like me (a musician rather than a computer expert) but I will consider doing what you suggested (abeit nervously), but for the sake of my sanity, I'll probably attempt performing a system restore first . The only problem is that I still need to determine WHICH system restore point/date to use.



GOOD idea.

Yes, I too have succesfully used system restore to resolve past problems.

I checked my computer's recent (last 2-3 weeks) restore points, and in addition to the daily system restore points automatically created by my PC, there were also a number of other restore points created 'prior to' and/or 'immediately following' new software program installs or existing program updaters. These include Nero 6, Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0, and iPod Updater software.

If I go back and reset the System Restore Point to the day before a new software installation or software updater, does that mean I have to reinstall all software apps & updaters made SINCE that time AGAIN?! Exactly what/which files are changed and deleted when a System Restore is made? Will I lose data & preference files created by app programs?

I really appreciate all the help and time you guys have given in helping me on this. Mikeathome, Keybplayer, Ygmusic, SD_Fan, KFingers, and Msutliff, MANY thanks for your valuable input. In the meantime, I'll keep you guys posted on developments.

Scott