DVD drive help (Please!)

The DVD drive on my nephews computer is .. well .. driving us crazy. It will read (and install) from some CDs (when it feels like it) and report DRIVE NOT READY for others. This happens in both windows (98se) and DOS. It can read (these are all factory issued disks) the win98se install disk, but not microsoft office, Counter Strike but not diablo, Susan Tedeschi but not Sting. It will not read ANY CD-R disk. Any suggestions on what to try?

 

dvd?

What model # What operating system? How much memory? CPU 300mhz or above? Is your hard drive got enough free space? Remove those tmp files from c:\windows\temp!!!

 

LOL sorry about that ..
ok, lets see ..
win98se, AMD 750mhz, 20 GB HD(70% free), 128 MB RAM, Nvidia TNT2 graphics card, and I can't find ANYwhere what kind of DVD it is (System info says DVDROM 0X, updated driver already)
And it's quirks just get stranger and stranger. It wouldn't install Microsoft Office 2000 from the original disk but I copied it to a CD-RW .. and go figure THAT worked just fine!

 

dvd

Hmmmmm......You copied to cdrw but will not copy to hard drive or do the install? Was the burn on the "fly" asin: cdrom to burner? If you can not copy to hdrive or do install sound like prolly the default cache location on C is full!! Did ya delete those tmps in earlier post?

 

I have just one question.

Are DVD drives meant to read the everyday CD ?

By it reading some and not others it sounds like it is not.

report DRIVE NOT READY

This also may be saying it just can't that CD. ( or type of same )

ANY CD-R

Not every CDROM will read them. I found that out.

 

Did it again didn't I?
What I meant to say way my nephews computer (DVD Drive) would NOT read microsoft office, at all. For a lark (just to see) I moved over to computer #2 (Mine, which runs fine btw) and copied microsoft office to a CD-RW. When I placed the copied version into my nephews computer, I was able to install it.

and to billybob: I don't know about all DVDs, but the one on MY computer is also my MAIN cd drive. It reads music cds, as well as data cds (only much faster) We play games from it, install programs, watch movies (well, not really, but could if for some reason I haven't figured out yet I might want to LOL) Now the dvd player that's attached to the tv will only watch movies, but LOL well, ya see what I mean ..

The problem is getting better as the day goes on, but .. it will still read some things and not others (the microsoft office being a prime example.) counter strike works, diablo doesn't, I'm on my way to try empire earth .. LOL maybe I just need to wait for it to be in the mood???

 

dvd

So....you made a copy of the cd that would not work on nephews dvd rom, then this copy now WILL work/play on said dvd rom drive? Wow, if so!! Can you spend $8 on a cd lens cleaner kit? Most probs are just cloudy lazer lens covers!

Dvd drives DO read more cd's then cdroms. The install routine however isn't the same as just reading or copy to hard drive, lotsa back n forth n caching goin' on

 

LOL yes Rancher, exactly !
you think it could just be a dirty lens?? That would explain it reading, well, when it feels like and what it feels like?
for $8 I'll give it a shot .. but before I run to the store, is there anything else i should try? or buy?

 

ROTFL .. well i DO have a cd-rom laser cleaner! LOL who knew? <chuckle> and it suggests it be used once for every 10 hours of use LOL
so .. while I wait for what to try next, I'll give this puppy a shot!
(with crossed fingers .. here goes!)

 

OK I fully understand you about your MAIN DVD.

But if DVDs are like the rest of CDROMs & CD RW they are not all the same.

Also aren't some DVDs Either a DVD or a Combo DVD/CDRW ?

There may even be a MAJOR difference between Brands even though they maybe are SUPPOSED to be the SAME.

Also the same Brand may not work the same in both units. I have one of them IDIOTIC THINGS. It will work PERFECT in one unit but in the other ( the one I really want it in ) I get the same results as the one you are having trouble with.

I have a CD RW in this machine and a regular CDROM in the other two. The newer one will read both CD R & CD RW disks. But the other will only read the CD R.

I tried it ( the CD RW ) as a Master on SEC was a No go. Slave to a HD on SEC was a no go. But as a Slave to the PRI HD it WORKS fine.

I know it is the general opinion not to have the CD RW as a Salve to the HD. But that is THE ONLY place it will work PROPERLY and do all that it should do.

BTW. Have you tried changing locations of the equipment in question ?

BillyBob

 

Billybob
All I know is the DVD drives on my computer and the ones I work on have no problem reading what ever I put in them (Well, except for my nephew's which just has my laughing at it's antics) and I also have a cd-rw drive which is used strictly for making discs (or listening to music while I'm doing something with the DVD) The cds created from that drive work on all the computers I work on (again except my nephew's) as well as in the car, on the stereo etc ..
As to the part about Master/slave LOL they're the master, I'm the slave!
Have I tried changing the locations of the equipment? LOL Are you suggesting the move from the liiving room to the family room might not have bees sufficient?? LOL I'm terrified of hardware .. I could actually .. break .. something

 

Well, it looks like there may be a problem with the drive itself then.

There is always one in the buch that just has to be different.

BTW. I just had a friend call to tell that he was having the same problem ( as you are ) with his CDROM. I just told him to pull it out and put another one in. He did and all is well.

Out of all this I get the strong feeling that the drive in question may bad.

A couple of years ago I had to exchange 2 of them before I got one that worked.

That is why I buy all that I can locally.

BillyBob

 

ok, well, last shot before I tell nephew it's time to go shopping
I ran the cd-rom laser cleaner and the DVD is still being picky about what it thinks it can read and what it can't. <sigh>
ran MS troubleshooter (whatever it's called) and it gave me 4 possibles ... Defective read head devices ... Defective drive motor ... defective cd device driver .. Host adapter address or IRQ conflict ..
is it time to give up?

 

Are we discussing and IDE or USB drive here.

Heck of a time to ask that question ain't it

If IDE I would say the drive is bad.

If USB I might blame USB as being the problem.

With some devices USB is not all it was meant to be.

BillyBob

 

It's an IDE .. figures, hmm
geeze I hate to take 'em shopping though, newlyweds, teacher & cop LOL but I'm sure the $ can be found to play those awesome games !!
thanks for all the help! It's very appreciated