dvd drive

peter_the_piper

I'm flummuxed, DD's inspiron 1300 laptop on XP will play video's from a dvd but I can't get it to run programs on dvd's. If you go into my computer and double click the dvd player icon it does not even see the dvd. I have reinstalled the dell/tosh drivers for the player. Any ideas would be welcome.

Browntoa

had the same problem on the same model Dell plus it would not burn to DVD

assumed it was either

1) because it was a Dell

2) part of the drive had failed

peter_the_piper

Beginning to think you may be right, it will play dvd but not cd's. It will play a film on a dvd but will not load a program from a CD.

spud17

peter_the_piper wrote: »

Beginning to think you may be right, it will play dvd but not cd's. It will play a film on a dvd but will not load a program from a CD.

That's probably because it's actually 2 machines in one.

The CD half sounds as if it's packed up, leaving the DVD bit running.

BUT, your OP does say that it doesn't run programs from DVD, which doesn't tie in with just the CD side dying.
Is that a perhaps a mistake?

peter_the_piper

Bad grammer really. If you put a dvd in it plays either directly or via win media player. If you put a cd/program disc in nothing happens. If you put a music cd in it will only play if you go via media player. Put a program cd in and nothing happens apart from the green lights flashing. Double clicking on D in my computer shows a blank page unless you have previously played the cd in media player. Driving me nuts.

Laz123

Try cleaning rom either with cd/dvd wet/dry cleaner (I bought one for 99p from the Pound Shop), or blast with compressed air.

closed

what have you installed since it last worked? itunes?

peter_the_piper

No, in fact I have pruned all teenage rubbish off as we are giving it to a lady who can't afford one. Got it down from 30 minute loading time to 70 seconds. Its down to the bare minimum plus all the usual crap cleaners. Avast anti virus and just changed to Ewido firewall.

fiddiwebb

spud17 wrote: »

That's probably because it's actually 2 machines in one.

The CD half sounds as if it's packed up, leaving the DVD bit running.

BUT, your OP does say that it doesn't run programs from DVD, which doesn't tie in with just the CD side dying.
Is that a perhaps a mistake?

If its dying Is it not usually the other way round spud, dvd packs up before cd as the dvd part requires to read more info?

peter_the_piper

I'll try to borrow DD's external dvd drive but not sure if this will achieve anything.

WhiteChristmas

Almost certainly the laser on its way out; you could try a lens cleaner, but it's likely to be a temporary fix at best.