Unable to load a CD

[Kero]

I'm having this weird problem. When I put any CD in the CD-drive, it loads it fine (makes the loading sound) but there is no auto-run. And when I try to open the CD I get an error saying something like "Unable to read the CD. The CD may be corrupt". This happens with every CD I've tried. Also I tried to load an CD-image with a virtual-drive, but it gave the same error.
This problem started about 2 weeks ago. I don't have a clue what's causing it. Maybe a program, maybe Windows update? So I'm hoping someone there would know and help me a little

OS: Windows XP Professional SP1
CD-RW: Liteon 12x10x32
V-CD: Daemon-Tools and Alcohol 120%

[clauded]

I'm having this weird problem. When I put any CD in the CD-drive, it loads it fine (makes the loading sound) but there is no auto-run. And when I try to open the CD I get an error saying something like "Unable to read the CD. The CD may be corrupt". This happens with every CD I've tried. Also I tried to load an CD-image with a virtual-drive, but it gave the same error.
This problem started about 2 weeks ago. I don't have a clue what's causing it. Maybe a program, maybe Windows update? So I'm hoping someone there would know and help me a little

OS: Windows XP Professional SP1
CD-RW: Liteon 12x10x32
V-CD: Daemon-Tools and Alcohol 120%

more then likely your cdrom drive needs cleaning or is gone dead on you,try cleaning the lens first good luck

[eboyjones]

more then likely your cdrom drive needs cleaning or is gone dead on you,try cleaning the lens first good luck

Lens cleaning does sometimes help. But every time this happens to me it's time to get a new cd-rom. It will save you a lot of headache trying to fix something that is going or gone bad verses how inexpensive they are to replace.

[confus-ed]

more then likely your cdrom drive needs cleaning or is gone dead on you,try cleaning the lens first good luck

This sounds good to me - the only 'practical' way to test a cd rom is either at boot (so use your windows cd & see if you can boot from it) or try the cd rom in another beast (but you need to be happy taking machines to bits)... software might be causing this especially as I spy its a writer

I'll agree with the next post too - 'usually' by the time you get around to lens cleaning the cd unit is on 'its last legs'

A new cdr is pretty cheap these days & fitting isn't really hard - if you can do lego, you can do computer maintenace

[Kero]

I think the problem is not in the CD-drive, because this problem also occurs with virtual drives, so the lens isn't the problem. Maybe my Windows XP is somehow messed up. Is there some kind of registry that has some CD related information?
Or how about a full Windows re-install?

[confus-ed]

I think the problem is not in the CD-drive, because this problem also occurs with virtual drives, so the lens isn't the problem. Maybe my Windows XP is somehow messed up. Is there some kind of registry that has some CD related information?
Or how about a full Windows re-install?

Ahh so ... Sorry, I never really 'clicked' on the virtual cd bit - so it can't load a file its already got on Hard drive into your virtual cd device ?

In that case - software ! - "Daemon-Tools and Alcohol 120%" - these are your culprits !!!

Both of them load proprietry drivers as will any other writing software that can interfere with any cd type devices operation on a system ... how easy this'll be to 'untangle' is another matter - I'd try uninstalling all of your cd writing/'interferance' stuff, deleting the device from device manger for good measure, & giving it another whirl ...

However you mightn't manage to untangle it sufficiently, so then you either track all the files involved & make sure they are removed - uninstalling doesn't always sort it! (a right royal pain I can tell you) or you resort to plan b .... fdisk & re-install (if the sytem is 'messy' this mightn't be too bad an option anyway ).

[Orangeman]

When this happened to me I had to open my case and unplug and replug the molex connector that was the power supply to CDROM. Turned out problem was that it was a Busilink. When I got a Sony the problem was corrected.

What is interesting is this problem has happened only in the last two weeks. So it could be either hardware gone bad or software gone bad.

But a third option I would check into is other software you've loaded that could have an affect on your CDROM.

I vaguely remember loading something like a Soundblaster CDROM 50mb buffer that I had a terrible time with. It was supposed to make my sound run more smoothly. It did everything else but!

Something similiar may have happened to you.

[Kero]

I found out that the problem was in my antivirus software. I tried to scan the CD's data and didn't allow it to load in peace, but I don't know why this affected my virtual drives too. But anyway, thanks for all your help! =)

[confus-ed]

I found out that the problem was in my antivirus software. I tried to scan the CD's data and didn't allow it to load in peace, but I don't know why this affected my virtual drives too. But anyway, thanks for all your help! =)

Well its fixed (OR IS IT !?!) .... but some of us I guess assumed you were talking about a range of cd's (so data, music, 'pressed'-factory ones, & burnt CDRs) ...just a suggestion but your anti-virus s/w does/didn't like the disks in question for some reason (pressumably - though we've assumed in this thread already - because it has a virus) - merits 'investigation' if you ask me !