I went to use my writer today and it doesn't work. There is a big yellow i in the device manager. I tried restore. Nothing. I tried uninstall and re-install. Nothing. What to do. What to do.
Xp home

It is likely that the hardware has failed. For testing, do you have another system that you can install the writer to see if it works? If it doesn't work in another system either, then it most likely the hardware.

Writers are inexpensive enough that you may just prefer to buy another one. They are not difficult to install *internally, or you could buy an external USB or Firewire connected device. Of course, you could alway get a shop to install it for you, too. In the process, they could test the old writer to verify the hardware problem.

*The new writer will include complete instructions with all the steps. When you remove the old writer, note how the wires are connected and the direction of the red stripe on the ribbon cable. Install the new one in the same manner. Pay attention to the jumper setting. The new one will have the same value as the old.

Dwight