Optical drives never require a driver when used in any Windows OS beginning with Windows 95. The OS provides the driver automatically that allows this drive to read a data or music disk only. To burn disks or play dvd disks requires compatible 3rd party recording and dvd decoding software.
Before Windows can see the drive it must have a Windows 98 driver installed for the USB enclosure. Is this a factory built usb drive or was it assembled using parts and pieces?
Can you identify the chipset used in the usb enclosure?