DVD-ROM will recognize some DVDs but not others

[momoffive]

I have a Gateway E series 4100. I am trying to install Microsoft Office 2010 but the dvd drive will not even recognize that there is a disk in the drive. I cleaned the drive but it took several tries of opening and closeing the drawer in order for it to recognize the cleaner. I have installed other software recently with no problem. It looks as thought it is trying to read it but cant.
any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[SNGX1275]

Very likely just an old dying drive. My typical advice is to try and boot off a bootable dvd because that rules out a software conflict. But in your case, it works with some disks and not others, so this wouldn't tell you much, unless you could find a bootable disk that isn't working in Windows.

I think your best bet is to just replace the entire drive, you can get them for less than $20.

Alternatively, if you have a computer that can read the disk, you can just copy all the contents (including hidden files/folders) over to a flash drive, then install the software that way. This won't work with certain copy protected disks (commonly games and movies) but it would work with Office.

 

[momoffive]

These computers are at our private school. We purchased 18 license aggreements. I have only been able to get it installed on 3 of the 18 and that took several attempts to get it to read. The comuputers were given to us. We really can not afford to purchase any new equipment. It took alot of convincing on my part to find donars to purchase the software.

 

[momoffive]

thank you. I'll try the flashdrive.

 

[scruffdogg]

I have the same problem but mine is a brand new Asus 24x

 

[Bjornsdatter]

My VAIO VPCSB3C5E had close to the same problem. It wouldn't read ANY dvd's, which freaked me out. I did ALL of the smart things, everybody said in here - doing a LOT of things to the machine, but then I thought - what if I opened the damn thing, to see what was wrong. I opened the drive, dusted it off and moved the little laser reader up and put in my dvd, and voila: it worked in no time. Not even thanks to the people in here. Try it out before trying wrecking your computer!