Please help with my DVD Drive - It won't read any discs!!

[Koralie]

Hi.

I'm in desperate situation with my DVD Drive.

It came with my Dell computer that I bought last year. And it read CDs and DVDs fine until recently. I don't know why it won't read them now. Everytime I insert an authentic audio CD, it tells me to "Please insert a disc into DVD Drive F:". Even though it played music from those CDs a few weeks back.

I haven't used the DVD drive for a week or so, and I can't quite recall if I did anything that would upset it. I restarted my computer, but the problem remains. :blackeye:

Can you guys please help me? If you can explain how I can fix this problem in understandable every-day type English, it would mean so much to me!! Please, the fate of my DVD Drive is in your hands!

Thank you for taking your time to read my problem.

Hopefully waiting for help,
Kate

 

[poertner_1274]

Well the laser could have simply become bad. But usually it is just one or the other (meaning CD or DVD). I would suggest checking the cables going into the drive and make sure they are properly seated and haven't come loose somehow.

BTW
:wave:Welcome to TechSpot:wave:

 

[isatippy]

Try cleaning it or even reinstalling it.

 

[Homeboy76]

Try unplugging the grey cable that is attached to the drive and plug it back in. Try to refresh the driver. :knock:

 

[kol_indian]

Try cleaning it

Try cleaning it this helps most of the times, use any of the cleaning disc available in a local computer shop if that does not work then try reinstalling and everything else fails take take it to your vendor

 

[iss]

There is one other possible source for your problem since you mention original audio cd's. some forms of audio protection like cactus sheild auton install programs on your machine when you place them in your drive and you have not disabled autoplay. the file it places on your machine is usually in a temp folder and is called Autorun.inf. this file can cause all kinds of problems with optical drives.

 

[RealBlackStuff]

It is most likely that the CD-part of your unit went 'kaput'.
I experienced this today on a Toshiba DVD-reader/CD-(re)writer.
It can still read/play DVDs but does not recognize anymore CDs.
This is apparently a major problem with these combined units. Sony DRU-710 is experiencing this same problem amongst others. From what I've read on the web, people just get it RMA'd to Sony and they get an improved DRU-720 back.

 

[RealBlackStuff]

I went to my local computership with that faulty Toshiba. My PC-man said, he had those problems all the time and knew how to fix them. He gave it to his workshop in the back, and only 5 minutes later it came back, fixed and all.
He would not tell me WHAT they did, but I gathered that they readjust and reclamp the flexible cable that goes from PCboard to the CD-lens. These machines have dual lenses, and the CD-lens is the one that becomes 'unstuck'.
HTH

 

[Dr_Seuss]

I had the same problem with mine not long ago and it ended up being the drivers. i had installed something and it effected the drivers for my DVD drive. try rolling bck the drivers by going into the "properties" of the drive if this doesnt work search the full name of the drive on google and download some new drivers for it. they're always updated every so often so no doubt you'll find them

Hope this helps