I have a Windows 2008 Server guest running on an ESXi 6.5 host (Dell Optiplex 3010). The host has a built-in SATA DVD-RW drive. I have tried to connect the DVD drive to the guest OS is ESXi settings as follows: I have selected "Host device" for CD/DVD Drive1, and checked the "Connect at power on" option. The CD/DVD Media dropdown shows "Local TSSTcorp CD-ROM (mpx.vmhba0:C0:T1:L0)". When I inspect the hardware configuration it shows CD/DVD Drive 1 as not being connected however, and it is not recognised as a DVD burner in the Windows guest. For example, if I right-click on an ISO file in the guest OS and select "Burn Disc Image" there are no devices listed in the dropdown list on the Windows Disc Image Burner page that opens, and a message saying "a disc burner wasn't found".
Windows Explorer does show a DVD drive in the "Devices with removable storage" section, but I insert a data CD and double-click on the drive in Windows Explorer it pops up a message saying "Please insert a disc into DVD drive E:" - i.e. it is not reading the data on the CD.
Any ideas why the CD/DVD drive is not being connected to the guest VM?