DVD Drive can't read CDs!

[phillr]

Hello, I'm on a Compaq nc8430 laptop. Inside it has a Matshita DVD-RAM
UJ-8505 dvd drive. As of at least one month ago, it could read/burn both DVDs
and CDs perfectly fine.

I definietly have NOT used the drive much, if at all, in the past month. I
tried burning a CD today and discovered that the drive couldn't recognize it!
I had a few other brands, the drive would not burn to any of them. I tried
the blanks on a different computer (desktop) and they burnt fine.

I then tried reading some CDs, nothing mounted. I tried the same burnt CDs
on my desktop, they read fine.

Any idea what's going on? Do I need a new DVD drive?

 

[M.I.5¾]

Hello, I'm on a Compaq nc8430 laptop. Inside it has a Matshita DVD-RAM
UJ-8505 dvd drive. As of at least one month ago, it could read/burn both
DVDs
and CDs perfectly fine.

I definietly have NOT used the drive much, if at all, in the past month. I
tried burning a CD today and discovered that the drive couldn't recognize
it!
I had a few other brands, the drive would not burn to any of them. I tried
the blanks on a different computer (desktop) and they burnt fine.

I then tried reading some CDs, nothing mounted. I tried the same burnt CDs
on my desktop, they read fine.

Any idea what's going on? Do I need a new DVD drive?

Yes.

Basically, the CD laser is knackered. Unfortunately the lasers are short
lifed items and represent the greatest failure mode. They generally last,
on average, around a couple of years or so, but occasionally one is
encountered that has a much longer or shorter life than that. Your main
problem is that, unless the drive is under warranty, that laptop drives
(especially the likes of HP and compaq) are not particularly cheap. On the
other hand drives for a compaq should at least be available.

I assume that you have tried reading burned CD-R disks. Does it read
premasterd CD disks? Most drives (but not all) read these using the DVD
laser.

 

[xcal]

please excuse my ignorance
"that laptop drives (especially the likes of HP and compaq) are not
particularly cheap"

so you can't replace laptop CD or DVD drives, with other drives made from
other manufacturers ?

 

[xcal]

I would try reinstalling windows

 

[JS]

Have you checked Device Manager to see if the DVD is recognized.
(No yellow ? mark).

JS
http://www.pagestart.com

 

[M.I.5¾]

please excuse my ignorance
"that laptop drives (especially the likes of HP and compaq) are not
particularly cheap"

so you can't replace laptop CD or DVD drives, with other drives made from
other manufacturers ?

You may be able to, or you may not. The main problem is that the bezel on
the front of the drive is invariably bespoke to the laptop design. In
addition some laptop designs require an adaptor on the rear of the drive to
match the drive connector to the motherboard connetor. These parts do not
always interchange. The drives themselves have a relatively short
production life cycle but HP does keep a reasonable stock of spares.