if you lose your dvd writers on vista try this

[patriot7]

Exit and close all applications currently running on your PC.
On Start > Run type Regedit and press the Enter key.
Next, navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\ Control\Class\ {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
Delete any of the following registry entries if they exist under this key:
LowerFilters
LowerFilters.bak
UpperFilters
UpperFilters.bak
Restart your PC and open My Computer to ensure that the CD-ROM drive is visible.
Also, open the Device Manager again to ensure that the yellow exclamation mark and the error code is now gone.
Restart your PC and open My Computer to ensure that the CD-ROM drive is visible.
Also, open the Device Manager again to ensure that the yellow exclamation mark and the error code is now gone.:Hit:

 

[phawk754]

nice post ,,here is some more info on it

You can no longer access the CD drive or the DVD drive, or you receive an error message after you remove a CD recording program or a DVD recording program in Windows XP: "error code 31"

not sure why but it saying to only del UpperFilters and LowerFilters