Assuming the drive hardware is OK, then the issue is a windows problem. Unfortunatelty you don't mention what version of windows you use and what actions you have actially taken to resolve the problem :(
In any case, the likely issue can be found by googling "upper lower filter issue". As an example, this MS page contains solutions that may be helpful and are relevant for many Windows versions. Alternatively (and usually the solution) this MS page (while related to "windows vista" but liklely relevant to other windows versions) gives you an outline of the "upper lower filter" registry problem and how to resolve it.
But all these solutions mean nothing if the laser is dead within your CD drive. So if you have access to another computer, try removing it from the problem computer and installing it into this other computer as it will allow you to verify if the HW is OK :) Then you can confidently know that the issue is a software issue (registry, driver, etc)...
As for forum members trying to help you further, it's impossible since we don't know what you have done as saying "almost everything " is not very descriptive... So if the links above do not resolve your issue, then you may need to be much more methodical and descriptive in how you have approach solving your problem.
Cheers...
[edited to correct typing errors]