I have an e-machine lap top that will not read the cd/dvd. The drives were updated. and I am not getting any error message. I can hear the thing spinning.

My guess would be that the drive needs replaced.

eMachines use cheap parts so put a good replacement drive in then you'll be away :)

Before you chuck it, clean the optic of the drive very carefully with something like a spectacle cleaning cloth or a photographers lens cleaner. The lenses look upwards so any airbourne muck will land on it. Crafty bit of design, that.

Never open one up, That would be a separate drive from the hd. Any recomondations.

i can't quite understand your last post, do you mean you've never taken the covers off a laptop?

Or maybe the CD drive - you can see the optic on a laptop CD drive (unless it is a caddiless one) in the middle of the slide-out tray.

Canned air works well too

Thanks for all the help. The new drive sounds like the solution. Sorry I didn't get back yesterday but I keep haveing login trouble. Hopefully its cleared up.