How To Flush the CD-ROM Cache in Windows XP

I have had this persistent problem with Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), and I couldn't find anything online that addressed it, so I wrote this document.  The problem I was having was that I would have one CD or DVD in my drive, then I would eject it and put in another one.  However, Windows did not recognize that the contents had changed.  Even right-clicking on the device in My Computer and selecting 'Eject' would not work.

I did finally find a fix for this problem.  Here's how to reliably flush the Windows XP cache for your CD-ROM or DVD drive.

Ejecting the Media and Flushing the Cache

• With the old CD in the drive, right-click on My Computer and select Manage
• Go to Storage - Removable Storage - Media
• Right-click on the contents of the old CD, and select Eject.  (If the media contents are not listed here, see the steps below)
• You may now insert the new disc and Windows should recognize its contents properly.

If the Media Contents Were Not Listed

If you performed the steps above but the contents of the first CD were not listed in the 'Media' window, perform these steps:

• With the old CD in the drive, right-click on My Computer and select Manage
• Go to Storage - Removable Storage - Libraries
• Find your drive in the list, right-click it, and select 'Inventory'
• You should now be able to perform the steps above to eject the media and flush the cache.