CD burner issues

I upgraded recently from Win98 to XP, and Nero apparently didn't make the transfer, because when I tried to write a CD nothing would happen. I tried with the Nero burning software that came with my burner and with InCD as well. So I went to install a fresh copy, and I kept getting an error that "the installation wizard was interrupted before it could complete..." and setup would shut down. So I tried installing the trial version of Nero from another disc, and it installed fine. But upon rebooting, my CD burner disappeared from My Computer, and was inaccessable from Start>Run. The Device Manager said the burner has a code 19 error (Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged.) So I removed the device and rebooted, and windows went to install the driver files, and had an error. Same code 19. So now my burner is not showing up anywhere, and windows can't seem to install it correctly. It's a CyberDrive CDWO38D, and yes the firmware has been updated. How do I get my burner back?? What the hell happened? I'm deathly afraid of reformatting, because if I can't install windows from the drive, then my computer is a paperweight. My hard drive and burner are on the same IDE port because the other one is 'scrambled' (or so I've been told. Long, frustrating story, don't ask. I'll figure that one out later). Help, please!

that may very well be the problem if you have you hard drive and burner connected the the same ide port. probably the only way to get your burner back is to figure out how to fix the other ide port that the burner should connect to. im not really sure how to fix that though......sorry......some of these other guys man know.

previous version of nero dont work with xp.
but you cannot install a newer version into xp os directly. i dont know why but once you install the new version of nero into xp os where there was no pre-nero installed, it wont recognize your cdr drive.
just uninstall nero and reboot.
then install the previous version of nero the one you used with win98, and check if you can find your cdr drive. reboot if you want to. then upgrade that version to a new version.
only upgraded nero will work with xp. as long as i can tell. this method worked with mine.

good luck.