Cd Drive Problem

My Cd Drive refuses to work, it is working according to Windows but when ever a disc is inserted the error message “Device not accesible” comes up. Norton Anti virus says “a disc utility has locked the device”
The problem seems to have started whenI placed an older version of Windows 98 SE into the drive, Windows took the huff and said it was an older version and was going to disable it, with no cancel’s attached and then did so.
I’ve tried every possible way to get it going again, and have discovered a file titled “Disabled Startup Items” wherein is the CD Player but it will not delete, giving a 1026 error message.
Help I’m going insane
Jon