DVD Drive not reading DVDs

N

Nick Bull

Hi all,

I've got an NEC DVD RW drive that has been working fine. But now it
has stopped working properly. I can read CDs fine, but can't read
DVDs (movies, coverdiscs, recordables, etc). Anyone got any ideas?
I've uninstalled software that I've installed recently that I thought
might have been interfering (VCDEasy, etc), but no joy. Re-installed
service pack 1, re-installed nero, still nothing.

This is really starting to annoy me and I don't want to have to
re-install XP from scratch again!

Cheers

Nick.
 
G

Guest

Reinstalling SP1 isnt the area to try a repair,uninstall software,then open system
properties,device mgr,uninstall the unit,reboot computer.Re-install on desktop,you
might after the reinstall/reboot,try R.clicking the device in my computer,open when
a dvd is installed,if still wont run,open event viewer for details.

----- Nick Bull wrote: -----

Hi all,

I've got an NEC DVD RW drive that has been working fine. But now it
has stopped working properly. I can read CDs fine, but can't read
DVDs (movies, coverdiscs, recordables, etc). Anyone got any ideas?
I've uninstalled software that I've installed recently that I thought
might have been interfering (VCDEasy, etc), but no joy. Re-installed
service pack 1, re-installed nero, still nothing.

This is really starting to annoy me and I don't want to have to
re-install XP from scratch again!

Cheers

Nick.
 
O

Opinicus

Nick Bull said:
I've got an NEC DVD RW drive that has been working fine. But now it
has stopped working properly. I can read CDs fine, but can't read
DVDs (movies, coverdiscs, recordables, etc). Anyone got any ideas? 8<
This is really starting to annoy me and I don't want to have to
re-install XP from scratch again!

What program are you using to play the DVDs? (I use WinDVD for example.)
Windows or WiMP can't access a DVD unless DVD-reading software is installed.
You may need to reinstall that.

I think I've also discovered that if I have a DVD in the drive during
boot-up, Windows can get wrapped up in its underwear. I'm not sure about
this however and am still testing the idea.
 
N

Nick Bull

I've tried uninstalling the drive through the device manager, and then
rebooting and letting it re-detect it. It "reinstalled" it, but still
the same problem.

Like I said, it can read CDs fine, but not DVDs. I can't play them in
any player software, and I can't read a data DVD (from a coverdisc)
using Windows Explorer.

When I put the DVD in the drive, the light comes on on the front of
it, and the hard drive light comes on solid for a good 30 seconds
(maybe more). Then nothing. If I click on the drive in explorer
after all the lights have gone out, it just says "Please insert a disc
into drive F".

I've done various searches, and it seems as though there are people
out there that are having the same problems, but no-one seems to have
an answer.

It's starting to look more and more like I will have to do a clean
install.. :-(

Thanks,

Nick.
 
O

Opinicus

Nick Bull said:
Like I said, it can read CDs fine, but not DVDs. I can't play them in
any player software, and I can't read a data DVD (from a coverdisc)
using Windows Explorer.
When I put the DVD in the drive, the light comes on on the front of
it, and the hard drive light comes on solid for a good 30 seconds
(maybe more). Then nothing. If I click on the drive in explorer
after all the lights have gone out, it just says "Please insert a disc
into drive F".

Nick this sounds exactly like the problem I'm having. My hypothesis about a
DVD being in the drive during the bootup and causing the problem has been
disproven by testing.

Here's the hypothesis I'm currently working on: Is it very cold in the room
where your computer is and does this problem occur after the computer is
turned on for the first time?
 
N

Nick Bull

Well, having done more testing and checking, the last thing I tried
was to create a good old fashioned DOS bootdisk with CD support.
Booted up with that, and stuck a CD in the DVD drive. That read it
fine. Took that out, and replaced with a DVD. Same problem - light
comes on for 20ish seconds and then not ready errors.

Looks like the DVD laser has died, but the CD one is still OK... Oh
well, that's what warranties are there for.. *sigh*...

Unless anyone has any other ideas! (NEC 1300A DVD+/-RW drive).

Nick.
 
O

Opinicus

Nick Bull said:
Looks like the DVD laser has died, but the CD one is still OK... Oh
well, that's what warranties are there for.. *sigh*...

Nick, I uninstalled Intervideo's DVD player and installed the PowerDVD in
its place.

And now miraculously, my DVD drive is responding and playing DVDs.

Sunspots? Aurora Borealis effect? Gremlins?

Who knows?
 
G

George Worroll

Opinicus said:
Nick, I uninstalled Intervideo's DVD player and installed the PowerDVD in
its place.

And now miraculously, my DVD drive is responding and playing DVDs.

Sunspots? Aurora Borealis effect? Gremlins?

Who knows?

I'm having similar issues.

Regionless DVD-Video plays. CD-Audio plays. CD-ROM works. DVD-ROM
works. Video CD works.

Region coded DVD does not play, nor is the disc even recognized as
being in the drive. I have tried 6 different discs, two of which are
brand new, the others have all played in this computer before.

The only app I've installed(that does anything with either optical
drive at least) since last watching a regioned DVD succsessfully is
iTunes. I uninstalled it, no change.

Reinstalled Power DVD, no change.

Updated drive firmware, no change.

Updated aspi layer, no change.

Removed and reseated drive connector cables, no change.

Blew out the dust with a can of compressed air, no change.

I am completely lost.
 
O

Opinicus

Reinstalled Power DVD, no change.
Updated drive firmware, no change.
Updated aspi layer, no change.
Removed and reseated drive connector cables, no change.
Blew out the dust with a can of compressed air, no change.
I am completely lost.

I feel your pain... In my own case I spoke to soon about Power DVD fixing
the problem. The next day when I started up my machine again, the drive
refused to read DVDs. Uninstalling, reinstalling, etc do not seem to
consistently make a difference. I have been told (by someone who is
knowledgeable about such things) that this behavior is a sign of a flaky DVD
reading laser. The solution, in my case, will be to replace my existing DVD
drive with a new one--which I will get around to after the New Year.
 
S

shdizzy

RE:DVD PLAYBACK TROUBLE/DVD READING PROBLEMS

Hello all.

I have suffered with this problem lots of times..My current drive
being a brand new pioneer dvd 106 dvd-rw drive..It worked flawlessly
for weeks then developed the problem of not even recognising
dvds..cd's cdr's no probs but dvds..forget it...

Anyway....
To rectify this problem i would suggest opening up your pc cases, and
check to see if the ide cable has come lose from the drive concerned.

Failing this i would then check to see if the ide cable which attaches
your drives is the 80 pin cable type as opposed to the 40 pin cable.

Also while you are at it, it might be a good idea to remove any
secondary drives attached to this cable..ie a cd rom /dvd-rw /cd-rw
etc and set the the drive as master, and see if this rectifys the
problem..

Finally..lol...if you have got this far with no luck what so ever..it
is probably a problem with the aspi layers installed in your pc..

I had the same trouble after installing a raid controller card, and
found the above fixes worked albeit on a tempory basis (probably due
to the fact i am forever installing new drives/roms/readers to my
setup), but..installing a new aspi layer/driver...cured the problem...

I have the driver if anyone would like to try it, but cannot remember
for the life of me where i d/loaded it from...but if you want it..just
email me and i will email you the driver to try...

for those of you who would rather search for this driver on the
net..the file name is aspight.exe (a self extracting archive) just run
the exe and follow the install instructions...

Hope this helps...it did me...:)
 
G

Guest

I've been in the same boat for a while guys, mine is a Pioneer DVD-116 drive installed in a HP Pavilion machine running XP. God this problem sucks ASS MAN! I've already tried most of the stuff out there, uninstalled the drive, the driver, the software (several times over) and I've even updated the firmware in the bugger, but to no avail...

I would DEFINATELY like to try your aspi layers idea, can I get a copy of that .exe?
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Top