the Disappearing DVD Drive (Fixed!)

Well. The DVD problem is fixed. I learned a couple of things:

1. My memory is certainly not infallible. When I described the way the drive sat out and how it had always done so along with the cushiony aspect, this was a complete and utter fabrication of my imagination.
2. The damned drawer simply wasn't seated properly. It somehow had slipped out of alignment. Friend shut the machine off, opened the drawer, breathed magic dust or something on it, then closed it perfectly flush. And voila, fixed.
3. DVD burner works great now. Burned a number of data dvds to deal with my now-rampant paranoia about not being able to get files etc onto backup media.

So, there we have it. There was nothing wrong with it the entire time, I just didn't close the damned drawer properly. Let's never forget to look at the most basic solutions first. Just so glad this got figured out before I wiped the machine of confidential & priviliged data and sent it in for repair.

ORIGINAL POST:

Please help, twitterverse!!!

My HP laptop has suddenly stopped recognizing the lightscribe DVD burner entirely.

The drive does not show up under "My Computer" in Windows Explorer anymore, and the eject button doesn't even work. So far as the OS is concerned, no CD or DVD drive is attached to the computer at all, although it is present (and enabled) in BIOS. The Device Manager in Vista does not even have a CD or DVD option listed.

I can use a paperclip in the pinhole to open the tray, but if I put a disc in and close it, the computer still does not recognize the drive or the presence of a disc. Most curiously, and most inconveniently, the Drive Tray Now Acts As A Power Button if tightly closed.

The drive drawer has always sat a little bit outside the case when closed, about 1/8" or so, and not flush with the case; it has a bit of "play" to it. It used to be that if I put a disc in and closed the drawer, I could push it all the way closed, flush with the case, and a cushiony-type spring action would bring it back out to its regular 1/8" non-flush position. I just assumed this existed to keep the drive drawer from being slammed shut, so that the components in the tray did not get damaged.

Well. Now, if I push the drive drawer in all the way, so that it's flush with the case, it seems to act like a power switch and abruptly cuts all power to the laptop - without giving Vista a chance to power itself down or enter sleep state or anything. It just immediately cuts all power, and I then get a "Windows did not properly shut down" warning screen when I turn the laptop power back on.

I contacted HP support, and they sent me to a Microsoft page with instructions on how to change the registry info to fix it by deleting supposedly corrupted files. However, those two files are not even listed in my registry.

I tried re-installing drivers from HP but that had no effect. I ran Windows Update and installed what was available but it made no difference. Computer doesn't recognize it, and it still cuts off the power. HP support had assured me that the magical Microsoft page would fix that too.

So now I'm at a loss. What do I do? Should I use some sort of Registry cleaner like argente registry cleaner or some other program you might suggest? It would be disastrous to have to re-install Vista, as I can't back up any of my data since I can't burn any DVDs.

I'm at a complete loss. Any suggestions would be most greatly appreciated, either @Lurquer or here in the comments section. Thank you so much!!

Technical Info: The laptop is an HP Pavilion Verve Special Edition, model dv2740se, running 32-bit Vista Home Edition, with SP1 installed. AMD processor, if that makes any difference.