cannot read cds on dvd rw rom drive
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Thread: cannot read cds on dvd rw rom drive

  1. #1
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    Unhappy cannot read cds on dvd rw rom drive

    My dvd rw drive suddenly stop reading cds. The drivers say they are working fine. I tried to uninstall them and reinstall them but it didn't work. I downloaded the firmware upgrade from the manufacturer site but the firmware program says it is not compatible with the dvd drive, eventhough I downloaded the exact firmware for the exact drive. Also, when I open explorer I see dvd-rw drive (d and also dvd drive (k. I don't know what the k: drive is for. I only have one dvd drive. When I disconnect the ide ribbon cables from the motherboard the d: drive disappears but the k: drive remains.

    Here's the specs:

    Windows xp home on a emachine w3050; I have a toshiba samsung dvd rw drive tsh552B. I greatly appreciate it if anyone could provide some input. Thanks in advance.
    One's mastery is evaluated by one's ability to impart that skill onto another.

  2. #2
    Intel Mod Platypus's Avatar
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    To avoid chasing the impossible, the first thing you should try in this situation is to attempt to boot from a bootable CD with the drive (eg XP install disk or Linux Live CD). If the drive cannot read these CDs to boot from, then the drive itself is faulty, the only viable thing to try is a laser lens clean. If it then still can't read CDs to boot from, then it's bin time. Generally the CD section of the dual laser fails.

    If the drive can be used to boot from a CD, then it is physically capable of reading CDs, and the Windows installation can be further investigated.

    Seems to me a DVD K: drive remaining when the IDE cable is disconnected suggests a virtual drive, possibly created by your burning software.

  3. #3
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    Thumbs up thanks

    Yes, it seems like it is time for the bin. It didn't read the windows xp boot disk or the laser lens cleaner. Thanks for the help, I'll get a new one.
    One's mastery is evaluated by one's ability to impart that skill onto another.

  4. #4
    Driver Terrier NooNoo's Avatar
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    The laser lens cleaner doesn't get "read"... it just spins it to clear the lens... unless you have a posh one that talks to you or plays for a set length...
    Did you set your bios to boot from CD first?

    You can see the message Press any key to boot from cd...
    if the bios sees the cd drive and the disk in it.
    Last edited by NooNoo; January 12th, 2009 at 09:31 AM.
    Never, ever approach a computer saying or even thinking "I will just do this quickly."

  5. #5
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    The bios

    yes I went into setup and set to boot from cd rom but it still didn't work. It made a noise when the cd rom came on but it always makes that noise even if I just put in a cd. I bought a cheap dvd drive and it works perfectly so I guess I'll just keep the new one. Thanks Noo Noo.
    One's mastery is evaluated by one's ability to impart that skill onto another.

  6. #6
    Driver Terrier NooNoo's Avatar
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    Anytime, the method of checking that Platypus described should always be the first test, not the last!
    Never, ever approach a computer saying or even thinking "I will just do this quickly."

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