dvd/cd-rw combo drive not reading discs

[ineedhelp28546]

I have a lite-on dvd/cd-re combo drive that wont read any type of discs. the computer reads the drive, the drive letter is good, but yet it wont read a disc of any format. i had installed another drive so i can do direct copy burns to save time and hd space. after 2 direct burns, my burner stopped reading discs. ive checked my ide cables, switched boot order for both drives, changed drive letters, removed both drives, and removed the other drive, and still it wont read.i have run outta ideas on what i could do, can anyone help? i have windows me, and this is the first time ive had this type of problem. what can i do to fix the problem or is my drive dead? maybe this might help in the problem. websites below do not work... for me anyway.

Field Value
Device Properties
Driver Description (CD-Rom Drive)
Driver Date 06/08/2000
Driver Provider Microsoft
INF File MSCDROM.INF
Hardware ID LITE-ON_COMBO_LTC-48161HK, GenCD, SCSI\LITE-ON_COMBO_LTC-48161HK


Field Value
Optical Drive Properties
Device Description LITE-ON COMBO LTC-48161H
Manufacturer Lite-On
Device Type DVD-ROM/CD-RW
Interface ATAPI

Writing Speeds
CD-R 48x
CD-RW 24x

Reading Speeds
DVD-ROM 16x
CD-ROM 48x

Device Manufacturer
Company Name LITE-ON IT Technology Corporation
Product Information http://www.liteonit.com/ODD/e_index.asp
Firmware Download http://www.liteonit.com/ODD/English/...e_dvd%20rw.asp

[Platypus]

Probably the easiest way to find out if the drive has died is to see if it can boot from a bootable CD, eg the WinME installation CD. This eliminates any operating system issues. If the drive is correctly installed, registered by the BIOS, set as the first boot device, and cannot recognise the disk to boot up the Windows installation, then the drive has an internal fault.

The only correctable thing likely to cause this problem would be if something had lodged on the laser lens disrupting the beam, and using a cleaning disk could solve that.

If booting from a CD is successful, this would point to the drive installation in Windows as being at fault.