Only one CD drive installed, and other programs (Windows Explorer, Nero, Windows Media Player, etc.) access it and play the tracks. No help in the EAC FAQ, either...

As a test, I used Windows Media Player to rip the tracks to MP3, and it did so with alacrity (much faster than EAC ever did) and a quick listen to the end result shows decent quality.

So far there appear to be just two operational discrepancies: (1) EAC apparently sees the drive but not the CD, and (2) if Windows autoplay option is set to "Take No Action", then Windows explorer gives an error message "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Set Associations control panel" when I click on the H: drive.

What does it mean, "...Create an association in the Set Associations control panel?"

tanstaafl.