CD Drive problem

I'm having a problem with my CD Drive. When I insert a disk, the computer doesn't recognise it, and acts as though I haven't put in a disk at all. When I open the CD drive, there is no data there. I've tried reinstalling the CD drive, but it hasn't worked. I can hear the CD drive making the noises it makes when it's normally loading a cd, but still nothing comes up on the computer. Does anyone know why this is happening?
Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Ok, I forgot to mention it's a CD/DVD drive. I just tried to play a DVD, and it worked. But CDs aren't.

Have you tried multiple CD's ? Have you tried Different brands or types of CDs? Have you tried crying helplessly? :cry:

I've tried lots of CDs, and i've tried audio cds, and game cds, but nothing works, only DVDs.

Well, The cd and dvd use two seperate lasers ( I am fairly sure ) so it is possible that your 'cd' laser is dying. You could also try cleaning the drive with canned air.

Aside from that, try finding a cd you can boot with. Windows may not be detecting the cd properly, but raw hardware may be able to. This would tell us to focus our efforts on windows, or the hardware.

Gluck - let us know.

Bipper

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bipper

Aside from that, try finding a cd you can boot with.

---

I don't wanna sound stupid or anything, but what do you mean by this? :p

I think he means find a CD that works.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by starseeker

I think he means find a CD that works.

---

But the CDs i've tried do work.
My pc is a year old if that makes any difference. (The drive came with it) :p

Floppy disks are your only answer.

Bipper means to find a cd with an operating system on it, to see if the computer would recognize it when it first starts up after being shut down, before it loads windows.

When bipper said to find a CD you can boot with, he meant find a CD which you can use to boot up your computer in place of your hard drive. Examples would be WinXP disc, Knoppix live disc, etc. I recommend Knoppix; it'll give you the most flexibility if you need to do anything.

Edit: *shifty eyes at Allie*

Ok, not that i have a clue what i'm doing, but I don't think i have any of those disks. :S

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bipper

Well, The cd and dvd use two seperate lasers ( I am fairly sure ) so it is possible that your 'cd' laser is dying. You could also try cleaning the drive with canned air.

Aside from that, try finding a cd you can boot with. Windows may not be detecting the cd properly, but raw hardware may be able to. This would tell us to focus our efforts on windows, or the hardware.

Gluck - let us know.

Bipper

---

I don't think they do, actually. The DVD laser is thinner and more precise, so it would be fully possible to detect the lower-density bumps of a CD. Besides, I can only see one laser pickup lens on my DVD drives.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mirage

I don't think they do, actually. The DVD laser is thinner and more precise, so it would be fully possible to detect the lower-density bumps of a CD. Besides, I can only see one laser pickup lens on my DVD drives.

---

To clarify, two laser modes. Eitherway, supposidly companies are reasearching raiding multiple laser nodes in one drive to optimise out put speeds - should be interesting.

Anyways; if you have a windows instalation CD try booting off that CD.if not run a google for knoppix and download that, then burn as an ISO to a CD and try that. If you need to do the latter, just ask :)

bipper

Yes, I read about putting multiple lasers in the same drive aswell, but that's for the future anyway. It just sounds weird that a laser diode made for two types of lasers should suddenly stop being able to make one of them. Are you sure they are actually different?

On the other hand, I can't possibly think of any other reason for not being able to read CDs but only DVDs. Is it still covered by warranty?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mirage

On the other hand, I can't possibly think of any other reason for not being able to read CDs but only DVDs. Is it still covered by warranty?

---

I think it is, but that's gonna mean taking the whole computer back right? (I'm not very good at this type of thing)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bipper

if not run a google for knoppix and download that, then burn as an ISO to a CD and try that.

---

If I do this, would i just have to try and run the CD? What's meant to happen if all is successfull?

It would load the Knoppix operating system. And then you'd know that your cd reader is fine and it's a software problem.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Necron

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mirage

On the other hand, I can't possibly think of any other reason for not being able to read CDs but only DVDs. Is it still covered by warranty?

---

I think it is, but that's gonna mean taking the whole computer back right? (I'm not very good at this type of thing)

---

You should talk to them first. Be adamant and specific. Tell them the DVD drive on your computer does no longer read CD-ROMS and that you want it replaced. You can also say that you have tried several different CDs and DVDs, and that no CDs worked, while all DVDs worked. Don't let them try to bull you with "DVD drives only play DVDs", because that is a blatant lie. All DVD readers are meant to be capable of reading CDs, no questions.

Thanks for the help everyone :)