CD-RW drive not detecting disc

Greg · #1 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 05:57 PM

What should I check for when my CD drive is not reading any disc I put in? It's an older drive that I've used before in the past and has worked fine, but now it's not reading any CDs that I put in there.

Joshua · #2 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 05:58 PM

Have you tried rebooting? Is your computer even recognizing the drive?

Greg · #3 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 06:08 PM

Yes, I've rebooted the computer. It seems to be recognizing the drive. When I open up "My Computer", the drive is listed. When I click on "eject" after I right click on the drive, the drive will open up, so the computer appears to be seeing the drive, however the drive is not reading any CD put into it.

danmpem · #4 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 06:22 PM

Is the disc recognized by other computers? Is it a data disc or music? Is it finalized?

danmpem · #5 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 06:27 PM

Oh, you mean that the drive isn't reading any CD's, so it's not a single CD that's the problem.....hmm. Are you on Windows XP? Open the Device Manager. Start-->Control Panel (In Category View)-->Performance & Maintenance-->System-->Hardware Tab-->Device Manager. Find your CD-RW Drive, Right-click, Uninstall. Once it is uninstalled, restart your computer. How is it now?

Greg · #6 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danmpem

Oh, you mean that the drive isn't reading any CD's, so it's not a single CD that's the problem.....hmm. Are you on Windows XP? Open the Device Manager. Start-->Control Panel (In Category View)-->Performance & Maintenance-->System-->Hardware Tab-->Device Manager. Find your CD-RW Drive, Right-click, Uninstall. Once it is uninstalled, restart your computer. How is it now?

Hi Dan,

I just completed the uninstall and restart and nothing has changed. When a CD is installed in this drive, you can hear it start spinning, but nothing comes up.

This drive is the second of two drives. I have the first drive, which is a CD-ROM drive, set as the master drive. The second one, the one I'm having a problem with, is a CD-RW drive which is set as the slave drive.

I can play a CD in the CD-ROM drive with no problems, then I try to play the same CD in the CD-RW drive and it just doesn't read it for whatever reason.

???

danmpem · #7 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 09:34 PM

Go onto the manufacturer's web site and download the latest updates for that CDROM drive. Is it the one that came with the computer? If so, the computer manufacturer should have it on its drivers & downloads section of its web site.

Greg · #8 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 11:11 PM

This drive did not come with the computer, it was installed after the fact. I don't know the manufacturer...the drive was given to me by my sister as a gift a few years back. It wasn't a popular sounding name brand from what I can remember. I'll open the case and see if the manufacturer is printed somewhere on the drive itself.

SolaGratia · #9 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 11:44 PM

I had the similiar problem you now have, but with Vista. What I did to fixed it was to go to the microsoft help page, I entered my problem (what was wrong), I then followed the instructions that guide me as to what I needed to do. Basically, I needed to delete two (lower and upper) programs that were not allowing my computer to read CD's. If your computer is new this is a normal problem that you have to go through. Usually, your computer manufacturer should also help if it is new or within warranty.

Hope this helps!

danmpem · #10 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 03:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolaGratia

I had the similiar problem you now have, but with Vista. What I did to fixed it was to go to the microsoft help page, I entered my problem (what was wrong), I then followed the instructions that guide me as to what I needed to do. Basically, I needed to delete two (lower and upper) programs that were not allowing my computer to read CD's. If your computer is new this is a normal problem that you have to go through. Usually, your computer manufacturer should also help if it is new or within warranty.

Hope this helps!

Right, try to Google it. Also, make sure you don't have Roxio installed. It is notorious for conflicting with other programs and drives, especially optical ones.

SolaGratia · #11 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 02:21 PM

This is the website I used to fixed the problem: Microsoft Help and Support

Entered the description of your problem in the search box, find a solution and proceed with the instructions!

gene_mingo · #12 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 02:26 PM

How limited is your budget? For me this is an issue were I might just shotgun the solution. For less than $50 you can usually find a combo dvd/cd burning drive these days.
To bad you don't live closer to me, I would just give an old cdrw drive I have laying around collecting dust. (I have to hide all my old pc parts in the garage, otherwise my wife will toss them in the trash can.) I am sort of a pack rat when it comes to old hardware.

D. Paul · #13 (**permalink**) 06-30-2008, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danmpem

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolaGratia

I had the similiar problem you now have, but with Vista. What I did to fixed it was to go to the microsoft help page, I entered my problem (what was wrong), I then followed the instructions that guide me as to what I needed to do. Basically, I needed to delete two (lower and upper) programs that were not allowing my computer to read CD's. If your computer is new this is a normal problem that you have to go through. Usually, your computer manufacturer should also help if it is new or within warranty.

Hope this helps!

Right, try to Google it. Also, make sure you don't have Roxio installed. It is notorious for conflicting with other programs and drives, especially optical ones.

Removing Roxio solved this exact issue for me about three years ago.