Sound issues with cd/dvd drive, won't play music cd's--partly solved

[Just17]

No, I don't have one but maybe I can get one. Do you think a new dvd drive would be better? They don't cost a lot anymore, at least most of them don't. I have two in mine but iirc one of them is an older one that has IDE connectors (I think) and I had to disable it because the door kept popping open every few seconds without being told to open or without me pushing the button to make it open. And I have no IDE cables so it is pretty much useless anyway.

I would much prefer to suggest you try another used/borrowed drive without purchasing a new one ......  I am not certain there is anything the matter with the drive .....

[Jim Dandy]

I saw this video on youtube about cleaning the laser of the cd/dvd player and thought I might try it. If it works it would cost pennies and if not there is nothing lost since it isn't working anyway. Might be a while until I get to do it, don't have any rubbing alcohol on hand but will get some next time I'm out.

http://youtu.be/WaiTJYHQCCg

I used the embed code but it doesn't seem to work here. If it does work please let me know how.

[Just17]

Alternatively you could buy a Drive cleaning disc .....  one with small bristles which clean the laser when inserted into the drive ......  without having to take the drive out of the PC or take it apart.

[Wildman]

No, I don't have one but maybe I can get one. Do you think a new dvd drive would be better? They don't cost a lot anymore, at least most of them don't. I have two in mine but iirc one of them is an older one that has IDE connectors (I think) and I had to disable it because the door kept popping open every few seconds without being told to open or without me pushing the button to make it open. And I have no IDE cables so it is pretty much useless anyway.

just a thought, I have had this problem on some of the newer MB's mixing SATA and IDE items....wound up having to use a newer SATA drive to fix the problems.
If it is indeed a IDE drive, then I'd check the BIOS for a setting using the "Legacy" mode...

[Jim Dandy]

No, I don't have one but maybe I can get one. Do you think a new dvd drive would be better? They don't cost a lot anymore, at least most of them don't. I have two in mine but iirc one of them is an older one that has IDE connectors (I think) and I had to disable it because the door kept popping open every few seconds without being told to open or without me pushing the button to make it open. And I have no IDE cables so it is pretty much useless anyway.

just a thought, I have had this problem on some of the newer MB's mixing SATA and IDE items....wound up having to use a newer SATA drive to fix the problems.
If it is indeed a IDE drive, then I'd check the BIOS for a setting using the "Legacy" mode...

Oh, thanks, but I don't use that dvd, the one with the IDE drive. It started acting up and I unplugged the cables from it a long time ago. Just never removed it because I didn't want the hole in the front of my computer. Of course I have one now where I took out the dvd drive I have been trying to get to work. Got it disassembled about as far as I can and going to get some rubbing alcohol and see if I can clean the laser. If it works and I can get it back together--assuming that that might fix it--then the "cost" to fix it will have been the time spent here* and some pennies. If that won't fix it then maybe a new dvd will but I want to see if I can fix this one first.

*Not that I haven't enjoyed that, the time on here has been very good because everyone has been patient and helpful. But I'm just saying that I have spent the better part of three days trying to fix my computer after I had it in the shop and they messed it up.

[Wildman]

No, I don't have one but maybe I can get one. Do you think a new dvd drive would be better? They don't cost a lot anymore, at least most of them don't. I have two in mine but iirc one of them is an older one that has IDE connectors (I think) and I had to disable it because the door kept popping open every few seconds without being told to open or without me pushing the button to make it open. And I have no IDE cables so it is pretty much useless anyway.

just a thought, I have had this problem on some of the newer MB's mixing SATA and IDE items....wound up having to use a newer SATA drive to fix the problems.
If it is indeed a IDE drive, then I'd check the BIOS for a setting using the "Legacy" mode...

Oh, thanks, but I don't use that dvd, the one with the IDE drive. It started acting up and I unplugged the cables from it a long time ago. Just never removed it because I didn't want the hole in the front of my computer. Of course I have one now where I took out the dvd drive I have been trying to get to work. Got it disassembled about as far as I can and going to get some rubbing alcohol and see if I can clean the laser. If it works and I can get it back together--assuming that that might fix it--then the "cost" to fix it will have been the time spent here* and some pennies. If that won't fix it then maybe a new dvd will but I want to see if I can fix this one first.

*Not that I haven't enjoyed that, the time on here has been very good because everyone has been patient and helpful. But I'm just saying that I have spent the better part of three days trying to fix my computer after I had it in the shop and they messed it up.

This drive is a SATA? (the one that you are having trouble reading disk with) I do understand about the fixing it after the fixing it thing..
Quite a lot of the work I do is un-fixing a lot of what some ...ah, em, uh, shop fixed (?)  for people..so your frustration is known.....Still I do try to help..
One other thought for you to try, if it doesn't work. Try moving the SATA connector to a different one..
M~

[Jim Dandy]

Thank you very much for the advice. I took my computer to the same shop some months ago and got them to install a new mobo and more memory and they did ok on that. And I guess they could probably fix anything that came up on Windows but apparently they don't know enough about Linux to work on a computer that runs Linux. The owner of the shop told me that his employee "spent a lot of time on it" and I told him that might be true but why was that relevant to me? He worked on it a long time and messed it up worse than it was when I took it over there! And had the gall to charge me almost seventy dollars to "fix" it. Won't be taking anything else to that shop--in fact that is the second shop in about a year that has done something underhanded or dishonest in dealing with me. Could almost make you paranoid.

[Just17]

One other thought for you to try, if it doesn't work. Try moving the SATA connector to a different one..

+1

[MGBguy]

Jim Dandy,

I commend you on your persistence. 
You'll learn a lot by troubleshooting your problems and never again have to rely on a shop.

You seem to have tried just about everything software related; I've got nothing to add there.

It's a fact of life that drives go bad; but they are very easy to replace.
I would add that in addition to a bad sata socket it may be a bad cable.
Most newer sata cables also have latches to hold them more securely, and can be had with straight or 90 degree plugs.
If you should happen to buy an OEM (bare/no cable) drive be sure to buy a cable or two.

I don't know your locale, but in the USA I recommend Newegg.com

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

Hang in there. 

[Jim Dandy]

Thank you. Yes, I have bought some things from newegg, their service is good. Another company that seems to be good is ZaReason, they sell computers with Linux already installed. And I have read here that the folks here recommend someone, maybe a fellow board member who also sells computers that come with Linux--seems I remember reading that anyway.

And it is true that dvd drives and anything else man made can't and won't last forever. And they are certainly easy enough to replace, just a matter of minutes and if they work right you don't have to spend much time on them for a long time. I don't think this one I have been trying to get working has ever been cleaned so I am hoping that might help. If not I will get a new one and hope it will work.    

[Jim Dandy]

Well, I watched that youtube video and thought I would try to clean my laser and see if that would help. Apparently whatever I did didn't help it any. When I reinstalled it, it sat there clicking with the little light blinking like it had a cd in it and I hadn't even put one yet. I then tried to open the door by pushing the little button and it wouldn't open so I had to open it with a paper clip. Got it open, put the cd in it, closed it and it sat there dead. So I guess so far as this dvd drive goes the problem is solved. But I want to thank everyone who offered help on trying to get it fixed. I appreciate it very much.

edit: Apparently it has come back from the dead. While it is still not working I just then pushed the button on it and the door opened. I put a cd in it and the little light blinked and it clicked like it was reading, or trying to read the disc.



That was the error message I got this time.

[Jim Dandy]

So I tried a movie, one that used to play and I got this message:

[Jim Dandy]

update: I let it sit there and spin and blink and then it started working. So I guess it is at least partly fixed. It was playing a movie I had on dvd, didn't finish it all because I wanted to check some other stuff on the same disc. It played a few seconds of two different song videos on the same disc. So I guess I can mark this partly solved.

[Just17]

update: I let it sit there and spin and blink and then it started working. So I guess it is at least partly fixed. It was playing a movie I had on dvd, didn't finish it all because I wanted to check some other stuff on the same disc. It played a few seconds of two different song videos on the same disc. So I guess I can mark this partly solved.

That would appear to indicate it is a hardware problem and so you might look to replacing the drive with another at some time.

Glad to see you have some sort of resolution. 

[Jim Dandy]

Yes, I am going to have to get a new drive. But I am glad I stuck with it enough to know how to get into the thing and clean the laser--of course I thought at first I had killed it but then it came back to life (sort of).