DVD confused

[Guest]

My DVD worked fine for 3or 4 years, now it can’t find any of the dvds I
recorded earlier or even new blank discs. When I put a blank disc in it will
light up and think about it for awhile but then it prompts me to insert a
disc when there is one already in there. Here’s the curveball it will play
dvd movies or dvd installation discs. I have been reading and trying some of
the suggestions that have been posted. It seems with XPs constant updates
that things have gotten worse than better Like the dvd? Plus I have not
installed any hew Hardware I’m more confused than the dvd. Any help would be
appreciated.

Thanks alan

 

[Rich Barry]

Alan, after 3 or 4 years even Dvd Drives wear out. Try the drive in a
different computer if you can.

 

[Guest]

I'm still confused, if a dvd is wore out will it still play dvd movies,
installation discs and cdroms?

thanks alan

 

[Rich Barry]

Reading commercial Disks but not able to read disks that you have
recorded or blank disks would be a sign that the
drive is getting flaky.

 

[GHalleck]

I'm still confused, if a dvd is wore out will it still play dvd movies,
installation discs and cdroms?

thanks alan

Yes, because commercial products are "pressed" whereas the home ones
are "burned". An old (and failing) DVD or CDROM drive is still able
to detect the crisper pits and lands of the pressed dics and be less
able to differentiate the "softer" pits and lands of burned discs..

 

[Guest]

thank you for the responses, you have convinced me. it's off to the DVD
Store, )