My Windows XP Home stopped mounting new CDs and DVDs when I insert
them into the DVD-ROM drive. D: drive, which represents my DVD-ROM
drive, remains unavailable. I have to go to Device Manager and open
the properties of DVD-ROM device, select Volumes tab, and click
Populate button in order to make the file system of the disc become
readable. I think this started happening after I installed and
uninstalled Apple iTunes for Windows.

Hi there,

You need going to Start>Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Computer Management

From there, go to "Disk Management"; select your DVD drive on the
left, right click and go "change Drive Letter and Path". Give it a
drive letter ( should offer it automatically ), and you should be set.

Windows XP and 2003 tend to have issues with multiple drives / hard
drives; once you've done the above it should be sweet in the future -
it's a one-off fix.

Hope it helps,

Crousty.

please give the model of your drive by going into start > control
pannel > system > hardware > device manager > expand the cd/dvd rom
menu and post what model your drive is... for example my cd-rw drive
is an LG CD-RW CED-8120b... but before you do all that open your comp
up and check your cd-rom connections make sure ribbon is not torn or
inserted improperly  and make sure power is also connected right...
also make sure jumpers are set right if u know what and how to do so

Found a solution in form of a Registry fix. Downloadable here:
http://aumha.org/downloads/cdgone.zip. Just worked!!!!