Select the product you need help with

"CD Recording Software Will Cause Windows to Become Unstable" error message when you start Windows XP

Article ID: 315345 - View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q315345

SYMPTOMS

When you start Microsoft Windows XP, you may receive an error message that is similar to the following:

Devices or applications disabled
CD Recording software will cause Windows to become unstable. Windows has prevented these drivers from loading. Click here for more details.

When you view the details, the following information is displayed:

A CD Recording driver is installed that may cause stability problems including shutting down and problems using a CD/DVD drive.
The driver will be disabled.

The drivers may be installed by Easy CD Creator or Windows Media Player or Real Jukebox.
You might not be able to record CDs until you obtain compatible drivers.

www.roxio.com
www.microsoft.com
www.switchboard.real.com

The following event ID message is logged in the system event log:

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Service Control Manager
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7000
Date: 2/2/2003
Time: 4:46:16 PM
User: N/A
Computer: computername
Description: The Cdralw2k service was not successful because of the following error: This driver has been blocked from loading.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://support.microsoft.com.

Back to the top | Give Feedback

CAUSE

This behavior may occur in the following situations:

You have an early version of Easy CD Creator installed on your Windows XP-based computer.
You removed an early version of Easy CD Creator before you upgraded your computer to Windows XP.

This behavior occurs because the drivers for some early versions of Easy CD Creator are incompatible with Windows XP. When you remove Easy CD Creator, some registry settings and files may remain on the computer.

Back to the top | Give Feedback

RESOLUTION

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/ )

How to back up and restore the registry in Windows

To resolve this issue, manually remove registry settings and files that are related to the Easy CD Creator program. To do this, follow these steps.

Create a Windows XP restore point to undo any changes that you make to the operating system. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Quit all programs that are running.
2. Click Start, and then click Help and Support.
3. Under Pick a task, click Undo changes to your computer with System Restore.
4. Click Create a restore point, and then click Next.
5. In the Restore point description box, type before Easy CD Creator removal, and then click Create.
6. Click Close, and then close the Help and Support Center dialog box.
If the Easy CD Creator program is installed, remove it. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Switch to Category View if Control Panel is not already in Category View.
3. Click Add or Remove Programs, click the Easy CD Creator program in the Currently installed programs list, and then click Remove.
4. Follow the steps to remove the program, and then click Close to close the Add or Remove Programs dialog box.
Click Start, and then click Search.
Click All files and folders.
In the All or part of the file name box, type cdr*.sys.
In the Look in list, click Local Hard Drives (C:), and then click Search.
In the right pane of the Search Results dialog box, rename the following files if they are listed:
Cdr4_2K.sys
Cdralw2k.sys
To do this, right-click a file, and then click Rename. Rename the .sys file name extension to .old, and then press ENTER.
When you are finished renaming the files, close the Search Results dialog box.
Click Start, click Run,type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
In the right pane of Registry Editor, right-click the UpperFilters value (if it is present), and then click Delete. Click Yes on the Confirm Value Delete message .
Right-click the LowerFilters value (if it is present), and then click Delete. Click Yes on the "Confirm Value Delete" message.
Locate the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdr4_2K
On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes on the "Confirm Key Delete" message.
Locate the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdralw2k
On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes on the "Confirm Key Delete" message.
Locate the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdudf
On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes on the Confirm Key Delete message.
Locate the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UdfReadr
On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes on the Confirm Key Delete message .
On the File menu, click Exit.
Restart the computer.

Back to the top | Give Feedback

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about the Easy CD Creator program, visit the following Roxio Web site:

http://www.roxio.com

(http://www.roxio.com)

Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.
The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

Back to the top | Give Feedback