[JTingly]

Well, just as the title says, my cd drives aren't working. WEll shouldnt say that, it works a little bit, but basically it doesnt. For the working part, it opens,s i can put the cd and it can run it. But very..slowly. If i put in a music cd, it runs fine. But if i put in like a movie cd..just a movie on it, it lags. Same thing if i put in a game cd like starcraft. It wont even open, and it keeps on runnign and running and it gets really hot. Everything gets slow , but if i take the disc out and nothins in there, my computer is fine again.

So basically: when i put in a game/movie cd, it slows down my computer and doesn't even open the files on the cd. But when the cd's out, my comps fine. Is it a hardware problem? or is it a computer problem. im thinkin of reinstalling windows..just to fix other problems, and i hope it might fix this problem? What do you say.

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Hi and welcome go Geeks to Go. Reinstalling windows should be your last option, not the first. Some questions, does the cd drive show up in "my computer"? If you go to start, my computer right click properties, hardware tab, device manager, does the cd drive show up there and is there a yellow ! next to it? Have you checked for a firmware update at the cd drive manufacturer's web page? Have you tried cleaning the optical lens? Your answers to these questions will give some insight and better enable folks to try to help you.

**don't run out and buy a new drive as suggested below until you are sure it is necessary. Cleaning the optical lens is routine maintenance on cd drives. Let us see what we can do once you answer the questions above. You MAY end up needing to replace the drive, but it is NOT the first thing you should try.

Edited by austin_o, 02 August 2006 - 06:50 AM.

[austin_o]

Hi and welcome go Geeks to Go. Reinstalling windows should be your last option, not the first. Some questions, does the cd drive show up in "my computer"? If you go to start, my computer right click properties, hardware tab, device manager, does the cd drive show up there and is there a yellow ! next to it? Have you checked for a firmware update at the cd drive manufacturer's web page? Have you tried cleaning the optical lens? Your answers to these questions will give some insight and better enable folks to try to help you.

**don't run out and buy a new drive as suggested below until you are sure it is necessary. Cleaning the optical lens is routine maintenance on cd drives. Let us see what we can do once you answer the questions above. You MAY end up needing to replace the drive, but it is NOT the first thing you should try.

Edited by austin_o, 02 August 2006 - 06:50 AM.

[SRX660]

I would say your cdrom drive is having a hardware problem. Yes, they usually work well or don't work at all. Perhaps you can try a lens cleaner Cd but in reality the cost is about the same as buying a new cdrom drive and installing it yourself.
A cdrom drive(Lite-on) costs around $19 with shipping and upgrading to a DVD/CD drive only costs $5 more so i would upgrade. Meanwhile a cdrom cleaner cd costs around $13 also. I don't bother with cleaner cd's as they only temporarily fix the problem anyway.

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16827106035

SRX660

[JTingly]

Yeah thats a good thign tha it wont have to run out and buy a computer first. cause i just want to wait until i build my own. anyway, i did what you said, and the cd drives DO appear, and there is no yellow marking next to it or anything. Eh, i dont know how to check the firmware update OR where the cd drive was manafactured. Thanks for the quick response.

[austin_o]

You could try running Belarc Advisor (it is free, do a web search for it). It will tell you who made the cd drive. Then go to the manufacturer's web page and check for a firmware update.