DVD rw drive does not work. The drive has stopped reading discs: what to do?

Has your disk drive suddenly stopped working? The reasons may be completely different and in this article we will look at the most popular, and also look at ways to solve them.

1. Complete failure

If your drive is many years old, and yesterday it suddenly stopped reading discs, then perhaps its service life has come to an end. In this case, you can test the drive on another computer and if it doesn’t start there, then the drive is probably broken. But we have 4 more options, why might the disk drive not work?, so read them before you make a conclusion.

2. Disabled in BIOS

If you recently “wandered” through the BIOS settings and changed something, then maybe you accidentally disabled it? Make sure this is not the case. Find instructions on the Internet on how to enable the drive in the BIOS and after logging in, see if it is disabled.

3. Windows is slow

It happens that something is screwed up in Windows and the system simply does not see your DVD drive. Need to try go to Device Manager and see if everything is in order there and if there is an unknown sign opposite some devices.

4. Laser is clogged

If in the section Computer The drive is displayed, but does not read discs, it is possible the laser in the disk drive, which reads information from disks, could simply be clogged. You need to open the device and clean the head with a regular cotton swab. There are also special discs with a cleaning agent applied for these purposes. By inserting a disk into the drive, it will spin and clean disk drive laser head.

5. The laser head is broken

All equipment breaks down sooner or later, and the disk drive laser is no exception. In this case you need replace the drive. It costs about 10 dollars. If you don’t want to bother with replacing the old one (opening the system unit, removing the drive and installing a new one), then you can buy an external one. It really costs more, but it connects much easier, usually like a mouse or keyboard, it is inserted into any free USB connector. Suitable for both laptops and computers.

Of course, these are not all the reasons why doesn't the disk drive work?! You may have another reason. And I told those that I myself know.

Very often the computer does not have enough memory to store all the accumulated information. As your hard drive fills up, it becomes necessary to transfer data to other media. Flash drives are expensive, but disks, in comparison, cost pennies.

But even here problems may arise; discs may suddenly become unreadable by your drive. This article will tell you about the possible causes of the breakdown and help you solve the problem.

Why did the drive stop reading discs?

There can be many reasons for this, ranging from problems with the disk to complete failure of the disk drive. However, all the reasons can be divided into two categories, hardware and software problems.

Hardware problems are caused by problems with the hardware. The following problems fall into this category:

1. The cause may be the disk itself; its wear can be so severe that no disk drive can read it.
2. The drive may no longer accept discs due to contamination. Over the entire period of operation, a large amount of dust accumulates inside the computer, which can get into the drive and settle on the read head.
3. Loose connecting wires will also affect the performance of the device.

These are the most common hardware problems; determining which of these led to the failure can only be done “surgically”, that is, you need to get into the system unit.

Diagnosing software problems is much easier. If problems appear after installing some software, then we can talk about software incompatibility.

Solutions to hardware problems reading disks.

Is your drive not reading discs? Don’t rush to throw it away and run to buy a new one. First, check the condition of the disk inserted into the drive; if it is in poor condition, then the reason may lie in the damaged disk, and not the drive. Remove the disc from the drive and inspect it for scratches and abrasions.

If everything is fine with the disk, then we move on. It is worth testing the drive on other disks of different types: CDs, DVDs and small miniCDs. It is recommended to use the newest disks for the test.

Do not forget about other hardware problems; open the cover of the system unit and carefully check the connection between the drive and the motherboard with connecting cables. If there is no obvious damage, still try to connect the drive using other available cables. And for prevention, clean the drive from dust and dirt. This can be done using special disks.

There is another way to clean the read head, but this option is for more experienced and confident users. This method involves disassembling the drive and cleaning the laser with water or high-quality gasoline. Never use cologne or other alcohol-containing liquids, or acetone to clean the laser. Their use will lead to disastrous results.

Have you cleaned the drive, checked its performance on other drives and tried to make it work using other cables, but it still refuses to read the drives? Don't be upset. You can move on to solving possible software problems, and consider all the above actions to be preparatory.

Solutions to disk reading software problems.

If you discover that the problem is not due to hardware reasons, remember what you did with your computer earlier, what you installed, changed and deleted. Because you might have accidentally deleted or changed files that are necessary for the drive to function.

To fix it, you will need to reinstall the device drivers required for the normal and correct operation of the device on the system. Driver mismatches or errors in them can cause the drive to refuse to read discs.

In addition, you can disconnect the drive using the operating system and then reconnect it. For Windows this is done in the system properties.

My Computer window

In the window that appears, click on Device Manager.

System Properties window

The manager finds your drive and then removes it.

Removing a device

After removing the device, you must restart the computer so that the system can detect the drive again and automatically install the appropriate software, that is, drivers, for it.

Often the cause of disk drive malfunction is third-party software installed to emulate virtual drives. Such programs include: DAEMON-Tools, Alcohol 120%, etc. All of these programs can cause your drive to malfunction. If you have these programs on your computer, remove them one by one, and test the drive after each removal.

To uninstall, you can use the CCleaner program; it not only removes programs from the computer, but also cleans the system of unnecessary files and system entries remaining after removing the software. The process of cleaning system entries is called cleaning the registry.

In practice, there were cases in which the solution to the problem was to flash the device. But this action can lead to complete failure of the drive. So, before taking these measures, it is highly recommended that you read the following point.

Solving the problem using the MicrosoftFixit program

Sometimes after the next reinstallation of the Windows operating system, the drive stops opening only DVD discs, while CD discs still open normally.

This also does not mean that the drive “died”, because before reinstallation it was functioning properly. The most important thing is that this issue is resolved using the free and effective program MicrosoftFixit.dvd.Run. You can download the program from the link:

Load window

Troubleshooting Results Window

After which the media contents window will open or a dialog box will launch containing several available options for operating the disk. If none of the above happens, then open the disk manually using the My Computer shortcut. Thus, the MicrosoftFixit program easily solves the problem of failure to read DVDs or CDs.

And if this doesn’t help, then you can already think about buying a new drive. For a better understanding and optimal selection of a new drive, it is recommended to consult with specialists.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you will have the opportunity to try to fix problems with the drive yourself, one by one, first eliminating possible hardware causes, and then software ones. Applying the methods given in this article. It must be remembered that self-correction may result in bad results, therefore, you should not neglect the help of qualified specialists.

Over time, the disk drive of a computer or laptop simply refuses to read discs. Sometimes this applies only to individual discs or types of media (for example, the drive reads all discs except DVD-R or CD-RW), and sometimes absolutely all discs remain unread - the drive simply does not want to work with them. There may be several reasons for such a drive “strike”. Below are the most common problems, why and solutions.

First, you need to decide whether the drive has stopped working on a particular disk or is not reading everything you offer it. If it stubbornly refuses to read only one disc out of all those offered, check it for scratches, abrasions and other mechanical damage - perhaps the reason lies in the disc itself, and not the drive.

If the drive served you faithfully for several years and only then stopped working correctly, it may simply need cleaning of the optical lens, which is responsible for reading information from the media. In order to clean it, you can use it, but it is advisable to contact a specialist who will not only clean the lens by disassembling the drive, but also rid it of dust and other contaminants that have gotten inside the device during its operation.

However, sometimes it happens that a new or almost new drive refuses to work. Why doesn't the drive read discs in this case? Disk drive problems can occur for a variety of reasons. First, you need to check whether the cable connecting the drive to the motherboard is damaged. If it is damaged, this cable can become the main cause of problems. If no visible damage is found, you can still try connecting the drive to the motherboard using another cable.

If the drive refuses to respond to user commands at all, you can try removing the device from the system and installing it again. To do this, you need to go to “System Properties”, select “Hardware” and, having found the required device, remove it. After this, you need to restart the computer so that the system can again detect the drive and install all the necessary drivers on it. Most often, after this manipulation, the drive starts working. But there are other answers to the question why the drive does not read discs.

Sometimes the reason why a disk drive fails to function normally is the appearance of so-called virtual disk drives in the system using programs that help the system read disk images stored on the computer. If the drive stops working after installing one of these programs (for example, Virtual CD or Alcohol 120%), you can try completely removing it and see if it works after that.

Sometimes searching for an answer to the question of why the drive does not read discs can lead to a sad result - it turns out that the drive board has simply burned out. Therefore, even before purchasing this device, it is advisable to understand for yourself which drive is the best of all those offered on the market. To do this, you can consult with specialists or read specialized forums on the Internet.

In some cases, for a non-reading drive to continue working, it is enough to reflash it. A detailed description of this procedure, as well as the firmware itself, can also be found on the Internet. The main thing to remember is that after unsuccessful firmware the drive can simply be thrown away, so you should approach this process with all seriousness.

These are just the main points why the drive won't read discs. If your problem does not fit any of the points described above, it is best to seek help from a specialist.

For the modern user, a disk drive is an integral device in both a computer and a laptop. Disks, or blanks, continue to be common storage media and will not lose their relevance any time soon. We record our favorite music on them, and install films from them. And when the drive for some reason stops reading discs, this is very sad. Firstly, the user is deprived of one of the storage media, and secondly, reinstalling the system becomes doubly difficult. But even when a DVD Rom completely refuses to work, this does not mean that it is time for the trash heap! There are several reasons why it may refuse to read blanks, but in almost all cases it can be restored to functionality. Let's figure out why the drive doesn't work and how to get it to read discs again, as before.

The disk drive in the computer refuses to work: common reasons

Often in situations where a DVD-Rom stopped working, the reasons turned out to be trivial. Let's look at the most basic of them first.

1. Physical shutdown. In most cases, the device is simply not connected to the motherboard. Moreover, the user could accidentally pull out the plug from the connector while cleaning the computer from dust. This reason is not surprising for the Sata interface, since such connectors quickly become loose. It happens that the plug itself can fall out of the connector. All you have to do is move the computer.
2. Problems with the cable or connector. This is also a fairly common problem. If the device does not work, and everything is connected correctly, there is no need to rush to write it off as scrap metal. Try switching the cable to another socket. If that doesn't help, replace the wire itself.
3. No matter how funny it may be, some users classify the device as non-working as soon as it fails to read one disk. One should not rush to such conclusions. Check the disk itself for damage. If the blank is scratched, which often happens, then that is the problem. Feed the device another disk and check how it is read. If everything is in order, it means that you sinned in vain on the drive.
4. The laser is clogged. Also a very common problem. But it is relevant for drives that have either been operating for a very long time or are used extremely often. To revive the drive, you don’t need to take it to the service center and you don’t need to download specialized software either. Everything can be managed by going to the nearest store, which sells discs with music, games and films. You need a cleaning disc. This is a common item, so you can buy it anywhere. Suppose you bought such a blank. It comes complete with instructions and a special liquid for cleaning laser lenses. What do we do next? We carefully read the instructions, we understand that the cleaning liquid is a very dangerous thing and if it comes into contact with fire, it can lead to dire consequences. So, after reading the instructions, apply liquid to the disk brushes and carefully insert it into the drive. After the device eats the blank, a program for cleaning the laser will be loaded. She herself will tell us what to do. And yes, we read the instructions. We carry out the necessary actions and wait for the cleaning to complete. We remove the disk and rejoice at the live drive again!

Disk drive failure due to emulator installation

If all of the above did not help you, then remember which program you installed last.

If you installed programs to emulate virtual drives Alcohol 120%, Ultra ISO and others, the cause of the drive failure may be related to them.

Such programs often cause a conflict between the virtual device and the physical one. How to solve this problem? Here are a few options that will help you successfully solve the problem.

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1. The best way to fix this problem is to roll back the system. During installation, each program creates a restore point to which you can return. The main thing is that the system restore function is active. So, to rollback, follow these steps:

• Open "control Panel". Next point "recovery". After this you need to click "running system restore" and select a rollback point. In our case, it is necessary to restore the computer to the state before installing the emulator. Accordingly, we select the point created by this program. Click next. After the recovery process, the computer will restart and the system will report that it has returned to its earlier state. Next we turn to the drive and voila! It works! The screenshot below shows an example of how this will look.

1. If for one reason or another the recovery of the operating system was disabled or the rollback point before installing the emulator was deleted, do not lose heart! You can fix the problem manually. To do this we do the following:

• First, we remove the emulator itself. So much so that not even a breath remains of him! We clean absolutely everything: both the Program Files folder and the application data folder.
• Let's go to device Manager, we find the virtual drive. We send it to the same address where we sent its creator.
• Then, without leaving the device manager, open the menu, view and select the item show hidden devices. Next we see an impressive list of incomprehensible devices and drivers. Don’t be alarmed, we only need one item from them - SPTD Driver. We find one and also delete it.
• After all this, remove the drive itself, reboot the system and enjoy a working device again.

If none of the methods helped, then there is only one conclusion left, and not the most comforting one: the drive is still dead. In this case, you can try to repair it, but the cost of this service is comparable to a new device.

What to do if the disk drive in your laptop does not work

When a drive installed in a beech machine refuses to work, the reasons remain the same as in the case of a computer. Let us repeat them again and briefly describe possible solutions to the problems.

1. There is no cable in the beech, but the connector is still there. Only, unfortunately, he is alone. To check if the drive is OK, connect it to another laptop or computer. This is quite possible.
2. Again, damaged disks. Don't be so quick to blame the drive. Check if it may not read one or 2 disks that are damaged.
3. Lens clogged. A cleaning disc can also help here.
4. Installing a virtual drive emulator. As before, the solution to the problem is either to roll back the operating system or to correctly remove the culprit of the problem and all its components.
5. Device failure. Here, as was written above, nothing will help. You'll have to buy a new device.

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DVD-Rom does not work after purchase

Not all the products we buy in stores are of high quality. No matter how hard manufacturers try, out of 10 devices one turns out to be defective. This is not the law of meanness, but a human or equipment error. What to do in such a case?

• Don't panic. This is not a situation where you need to show your emotions. Try connecting the device to different sockets on the computer. Check the cable, replace it.
• If all else fails and the drive does not work, do not try to figure out the problem yourself.

If you open the device, the warranty will be void.

• Contact the store or service where you purchased the DVD-Rom. According to the law on consumer protection, you have the right to demand from the seller of a defective product the full cost, or a replacement for a working device. But they won’t give you a new drive right away. The returned device will be tested by the seller before your eyes. If the problem is confirmed, you will be apologized and the store will offer a replacement product or refund your money. When I encountered a similar situation, the drive was tested long and hard on three computers. But he didn’t make money on any of them. As a result, I paid a little extra and bought a normal working drive.
• If the seller refuses to replace the DVD-Rom, citing one reason or another, there is no need to create scandals and run into trouble. Take your non-working device and go to court with confidence. If the equipment is truly faulty, the examination will determine this. The main thing is not to open the drive. Next, you can sue the store for the cost of the goods and even demand compensation for moral damages. Consumer protection law will be on your side. If a fault really exists, you will win the case anyway.

Is it always possible to return the drive to functionality?

When the drive fails, and not just the cable coming off or any of the above reasons, you can try to repair it. In some cases, this will cost you less than buying a new device. But, unfortunately, repair is not always possible. In what cases is it worth repairing the device, and in what cases is it better to think about buying a new one?

1. When the laser fails. If it is still possible to change the laser lens, then the laser will be very expensive. In addition, each disk drive manufacturer uses different lasers, which may not be available in our country. It will, of course, be ordered, but how long you will have to wait is unknown.
2. When the electric drive fails. This happens extremely rarely, but it does happen. This part is also not at all cheap and again, it is not known how long you will have to wait until it is delivered.
3. Damage to the board, as well as damage to chips or capacitors. This drive part is also quite rare, because each manufacturer uses its own design. Accordingly, you will have to order the board directly from the factory. It's time again. Resoldering capacitors or chips is a painstaking task and not every service will undertake it. And this service will not cost much less than a new device.

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Finally, a few tips that will extend the life of your drive and save you from unnecessary worries.

• Do not insert damaged or scratched discs into the drive. This significantly reduces the service life of the device;
• Do not leave DVD-Rom open. This allows dust to accumulate and clog the laser lenses. In the future, it goes without saying, this will not lead to anything good;
• Do not force the drive to work for a long time. He gets tired too. Allow the device to rest at least every half hour if you have to frequently work with disks;
• If the drive is actively used, do not neglect periodic cleaning of the laser lenses. But you don’t need to do this too often, since there is a risk of scratching the lenses;
• If possible, avoid using virtual drive emulators. In cases where they are very necessary, be sure to check whether system recovery is enabled and whether a rollback point has been created.
• If you are a laptop owner, all the recommendations are the same. But I’ll also draw your attentionthat you should not touch the disk drive itself, much less the laser, with your fingers.

Hello friends. I decided to write an article on the topic: the computer does not see the Windows 7 DVD drive. The tips written below are also relevant for other versions of Windows.

Nowadays, probably few people use CD or DVD drives, but even if a breakdown occurs, do not rush to order a new drive. There are many reasons why it stops working. If the failure is in the drive, then you can solve the problem by knowing some secrets. I’ll say right away that the drive is not always the main problem. Next, you will learn about the main breakdowns and how to fix them. There is also a video at the end of the article with another solution to the problem.

Features of the problem

Try to identify the nature of the breakdown. Let's start by checking the disks. We take the disks and try to start them, if some of them start, then we begin to look for faults in the technical part. There is also a moment when a failure occurs during the operation of the operating system, then the disks are not readable at all. The same fate will affect disc recording.

How to solve the problem programmatically? Think about what programs were recently installed on your PC. Perhaps they were playing games. Sometimes during installation they arbitrarily install “their” virtual disks, which eventually conflict and problems appear with the DVD drive. Another popular cause of “breakdown” is the Alcohol or Daemon Tools programs - as you understand, they are needed to mount these same virtual disks. All of this can affect the operation of the drive.

How can everything be checked?

The answer is simple: remove the programs listed above and try to start the drive. If everything starts up and works, then the answer is obvious. If you haven’t noticed any changes, you’ll have to dig further. Another popular problem is driver glitches. In this case, use Device Manager. Go to “Control Panel -> System” or for those who are used to working with the keyboard, press “Win ​​+ Pause”, then select “Device Manager” on the left side.

If we remove the above software and open the device manager, we can still see the virtual disk drives installed by the programs we mentioned above. You need to look at them in the “DVD and CD-ROM drives” branch. Now let's use the right mouse button, menu and delete them. Then restart your computer. See if any changes have occurred.

What other actions can be taken? We list below:

— click the “View” menu, select “Show hidden devices”;

— find the “SPTD” driver in the device tree (it is located in the “Non-plug and play device drivers” section);

Is there a positive result? If not, move on. Find among the 2 or 4 controller channels in the IDEATA/ATAPI controllers section the one to which the DVD drive is connected. As a rule, each such channel has a different name. Open each channel one by one and look at “Device Type”.

What we are looking for is "ATAPI CD-ROM drive". What to do next? You need to look at the “Enable DMA” checkbox. If it’s standing, then remove it, if not, then put it up. Then reboot, look at the result. When everything started working normally with the option disabled, check the box and reboot again. Leave the working version. For best, the “Enable DMA” feature should be enabled. Sometimes this condition is considered the only possible one when Windows 7 is installed.

How else can you configure the drive?

Go to device manager and open the DVD drive there. Next, as in the picture, select your drive, click “Properties” and go to the “DVD Region” tab, see what region is indicated here. If the region is “Not selected”, then we leave it as it is and do not change anything. If the region shown is not yours, set yours. Please note that you can only change the region 5 times. Try additionally changing “Not Selected” to any other region. Reflashing will help you get everything back.

What to do next if there are no problems with the hardware?

• The first thing we look at is the train. Maybe you did something recently on your PC that could have damaged it. Replace it - maybe you have a spare one, or you can borrow a replacement from one of your friends to check, or buy a new one. Next, look at the power plug.
• Open the tray, blow out (as far as possible) the insides of the drive. Why is this needed? During operation, the DVD drive becomes covered with dust, this directly affects the operation of the laser. If there is a layer of dust on it, then the discs will not be readable or will be readable, but selectively.
• If you have previously encountered the repair of any equipment, then you can use this advice. Carefully disassemble the drive, soak an ear stick in alcohol and clean the laser eye with it.
• For those who are not good at repairs. Not everyone can properly disassemble and reassemble a DVD drive. Tip: Use a cleaning disc that has brushes. If the drive recognizes the disk, it will spin it and the brushes will remove dust from the laser.
• The second option is flashing the drive firmware. Try to find the firmware on the manufacturer's portal, download and follow the instructions for proper installation.

Also watch the video, it shows another solution to the problem