Help with DVD-RW

I have an Acer laptop which is fitted with a Lite-on Slimtype DVDRW SOSW-833S.

I have had no problems with it but now it is not picking up on any dvd inserted (original or blank).It is picking up on original cd's (music and software) but not any CDR or RWs.

I thought at first it was a problem with the DVD laser as I believe they are seperate lasers for Cds and DVDs but I can't understand why it won't pick up the blank media Cds.

I have updated to the latest firmware ver4 but to no avail.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Could be that the lens is a little dirty - a little bit of isopropyl alcohol on a cotton bud will work wonders...

Have you checked Device Manager (Control Panel (classic view) - System - Hardware - Device Manager

There is a known issue on some machines where certain software, often iTunes, adds registry keys that kill the CD/DVD drive.

Fix for it can be found here (Packard Bell website, but works on all PCs):
http://support.packardbell.com/fi/item/index.php?i=topic_02125&ppn=PB13309091

Thnaks for your reply.

I have checked device manager and everthing looks fine. No exclamation marks and properties say device is enabled and working properly.

Thanks for your reply.

Will have a go later cleaning with dvd lens cleaning kit I will pick up later today. Have read mixed reports about isopropyl alcohol.

With my luck I would make thing worse.

I've recently had some success with IPA on a drive not reading any inserted CD or DVD (but was trying to read it, by the sounds). Also using a Alsop Media Cleaner Kit, which looks like a CD with a few brushes which do the cleaning, on another drive (which I didn't want to dismantle because of the warranty implications).

Edited by dandnsmith (Sat 02-Dec-06 09:01:39)

Have now tried a lens cleaning kit (disc with small brushes on).

It read this DVD fine because it showed a movie while cleaning. Still not playing standard DVDs though.

Noticed strange thing on screen under my computer. The drive shows up as a DVD but side panel says cd drive (see pic here)

Download here

Also in properties in device manager it says disk: cdrom and type DVD (see pic here)

Download here

It can't decide if it is a dvd or cd or is this normal?

Update.

I have used the Microsoft Autoplay Repair wizard and this appears to have solved part of the problem.

Original DVDs now autoplay. Blank DVDs are stil not being recognised.

They are now being picked up in My Computer but they are being read as Cds.

Under My computer the it changes from DVD drive to CD Drive(E: ) when I insert a blank DVD.

AnyDVD says disc not present and CopytoDVD won't write files to the disc.

Please can anyone help. This is driving me mad.