[fixed]"Houston...we have a problem". Please help!

[Sir Gawain]

Ok...the game is not the problem here. My DVD Rom isn't reading the disc. It won't read regular DVD's either but it will read CD's. I knew about the problem but thought I might get lucky with a game DVD. Haven't tried that till now.

I don't understand why the DVD rom won't read DVD discs. The pc is fairly new (2005). DVD's worked fine the first 8 months or so, but one day it just stopped reading them. Someone mentioned in another help forum that a windows update may have caused the problem. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Can't play the game till I get this straightened out. Arghhhh! Please hurry!

[St-Craft]

well pretty simple, just a buy a new dvd rom. It cost less then this game.

[RoadRunner]

Did you disable autostart for your DVD-ROM? If so, enable it.

You may also try to insert the DVD, and restart the PC with the DVD inserted. Hope that helps...

[Sir Gawain]

Did you disable autostart for your DVD-ROM? If so, enable it.

You may also try to insert the DVD, and restart the PC with the DVD inserted. Hope that helps...


I don't see an "auto start" tab anywhere. When I go to the DVD rom properties there is an "auto play" tab. When selecting that tab you can choose what program will open the following...


Music files
Pictures
Video files
Mixed content
Music cd
Dvd movie
Blank cd

If there is an "auto play" function somewhere else let me know. Thanks. Man this is a real drag.

[Dobber]

Is it giving you some kind of error mesaage or just not seeing the disc?


I went to the TechSpot forum and found what might be the problem you are experiencing:

Well combo drives have 2 lasers that read the different mediums. A DVD laser and a CD laser. Your DVD laser might have become messed up and quit working.

Here is the link to the thread! (http://www.techspot.com/vb/all/windows/t-22403-dvd-drive-does-not-see-dvds.html)

[Sir Gawain]

Sorry...I was on the phone asking a friend about it...no help there yet.

I'm not getting any error messages. I remember that when I initially discovered the problem...the dvd movie player would open when I inserted a dvd movie but nothing would happen. And when I tried to maually start it I would get the "There is no disc in the drive" message.

[Dobber]

Same message I would get when putting a CD-Rom into a CD drive that had gone bad! Sounds like your DVD laser might have quit functioning. The CD's would not be effected being a different laser is used.

Have you tried one of those cleaning disc's for possible dust on the laser lens?

----------

Where are all of our techno-geeks?

[Sir Gawain]

Same message I would get when putting a CD-Rom into a CD drive that had gone bad! Sounds like your DVD laser might have quit functioning. The CD's would not be effected being a different laser is used.

Have you tried one of those cleaning disc's for possible dust on the laser lens?

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Where are all of our techno-geeks?

Nope...sounds like a good idea though...too bad I don't have one handy. If I can't get it straightened out tonight I'll pick one up tomorrow.


Well...I've been up for about 26 hours straight so I gotta go lie down for awhile...Gettin' a little lightheaded. Thanks for the help Dobber. I'll check back later tonight for any ideas that might come in.

[dearmad]

Clean it out. Don't blow it out with canned air though, that will blow dust most likely right onto the lense. But try a lensecleaner disk. Fialing that buy a new one for $14.

[drkohler]

..Fialing that buy a new one for $14.Agreed. I had three no-name DVD drives (all Sony components inside) fail within 14 months. This stuff is just too cheaply made nowadays. Have to switch back to the more expensive Plextors one day I guess..

[LadyH]

I like LG
all our PCs have got drives from LG or Hitachi-LG
and none of them failed the last 5 years

[pipja]

have you ever installed a starforce DVD game? (such as panzer phase 1, phase 2) if yes then you'll need to reinstall windows. I've been there done that, reinstall windows and the DVD drive work again, install starforce game, and the DVD drive stop working again. Haven't bought a single starforce game since.

[Sir Gawain]

Clean it out. Don't blow it out with canned air though, that will blow dust most likely right onto the lense. But try a lensecleaner disk. Fialing that buy a new one for $14.


Too late...I already tried blowing it out earlier. As far as bying and installing a new lens goes...1. Does the DVD lens look different than the CD lens? Like...will I be able to tell the difference between the two when I get in there? And 2. Can an idiot like me pull an operation like this off?:scratch:

[dearmad]

i didn't mean buy a new lense, I meant a new dvd rom drive for $14. They are cheap/ Good brands: Lite-on, LG, benq.

go to newegg.com.

[Sir Gawain]

i didn't mean buy a new lense, I meant a new dvd rom drive for $14. They are cheap/ Good brands: Lite-on, LG, benq.

go to newegg.com.


Thanks man...didn't think they were that cheap. I'll probably stay away from Liteon considering that's the junk I have now.

Well...I pulled the drive out thinking that I might be able to clean the lens and blow the thing out a bit...but I didn't see anything remotely resembling a lens...the bottom plate came off and I don't think the air had much effect. Anyway...I put it back in and tried a DVD and still no dice.

[Sir Gawain]

Ok...I finally gave up on trying to get the DVD drive working, and purchased and installed a new Drive.(Samsung)

I have one question before I install 1701. Should I uninstall 1503 prior to installing 1701? Or does it make any difference at all?

[LadyH]

I've got 1503 installed
and 1701 Demo installed
then 1701 final and it works fine :go:

[Flying Dutchman]

They are two different games, doesnt matter:wink:

[Sir Gawain]

Thank you for the speedy reply.:go:

Well...here goes nothing...Hee hee hee...I'm getting a bit verklempt knowing I'm about to enter the world of 1701!:pleased:

[Dobber]

Happy sailing, Sir Gawain!