HELP: DVD/ CD-RW drive fails to recognize blank, CD-Rs Options

[sadolakced acid]

system:

Toshiba Satellite 2405-S221
windows xp home, with SP2

combo optical drive:
Toshiba DVD/ROM sd-r2212

alright, my problems probably came with installing SP-2, but i didn't notice it till i tried to burn a CD-R.

Problem:

drive does not read Blank CD-Rs.

when there is no disk in the drive, it appears as "DVD/CD-RW Drive (D:)" with a generic CD drive icon in my computer.

when i put in a blank CD-R, the drive spins up an apparently recognizes that there is a CD-R in the drive, and the name changes to "CD drive (D:)" and the icon changes to one of a CD that says CD-R on it, so apparently it recognizes the disk.

when i double click it (or right click -> open, right click -> explore, or drag a file to it), the following error message pops up:
_________________________
(Title bar) My Computer

D:\ is inaccessible.

Incorrect function.
__________________________

some facts about my problem:

-the blank CD-Rs work with other computers.
-burned CD-Rs work.
-audio CDs work.
-program CDs work.
-i can't get drag and drop CD to recognize it either.

the programs i have that might conflict:

- Drag'n Drop
- Exact audio copy
- windows media player
- real audio player
- winamp
- The godfather
- media tagger
- creative music organizer and player

Things i have found on other forums:

1. other people have problems with this, it's apparently the toshiba model that has the problem. the model i have and a very similar one are apparently the only ones to have this strange problem.

2. speculation that it's the motherboard drivers or something like that?

3. that no one has posted a solution.

Things i have tried:

1. tried to update DVD/ CD-RW driver. (result- no driver updates avalible to update to)

2. made sure that the drive was recognized in windows as able to write to CD-Rs (it was at the right setting)

3. uninstalled roxio CD creator or some other thing that i've never had, but is often offered as a solution.

so: help? anyone? please? i'm tired of not being able to burn CD-Rs