[rockboyhcb]

I need help. For some reason I can't figure out, my DVD drive has stopped playing discs. I have not removed or changed anything. Every time I insert a dvd the drives stalls and freezes my PC. I then have to reboot. Can someone let me know what I need to do to play my DVDs' again? Thank you very much.

[mphenterprises]

Hi RockBoy and welcome to the PCWorld Communities. :D




First, I have changed your Discussion title to give a clearer indication of your question. For future reference, please be as descriptive as possible in both the heading of your Discussion as well as the post itself.

Now, I have some questions for you:

- For how long has this been an issue?

- Do CDs work?

- Are you referring to only movie DVDs or any DVD (DVD+/-R)?

- What is the manufacturer and model number of your computer?

- What application do you use to play (or read) the DVDs?

[rockboyhcb]

1. This began about two days ago. I set up my blackberry using my CD drive with the cd rom provided three days ago. I played a movie a weeks ago using my DVD drive.

2. Playing CD's in my CD writer drive is fine.

3. I am referring to any DVD movie or audio cd I put in my DVD player. I have had zero problems up to now.

4. I have a 2000 Gateway PC Model

5. I use Windows Media Player, Real Player, DVD player



When I insert a disk, right before it stops and freezes my system, I hear a few clicks coming from the drive. Hope that helps.

[nevertooamazed]

As I understand it, your DVD drive will not play any type of DVD or CD...right? Your information makes me believe your DVD drive has bitten the Big One. The most common reason for "death" is a dead laser but since you hear a "click" and the system freezes, the mechanical part of the drive is probably a goner. This usually happens "all of a sudden," too.

"Been there, done that": Every computer I've ever owned with a DVD drive goes through a similar scenario in a short time = a dead DVD drive. If your computer is 8 years old, based upon your information about a 2000 Gateway, you have gotten a VERY long life out of your DVD drive.

Replacing a DVD drive is quite easy to do and not very expensive, either...if you can locate one that will work with your computer's motherboard, that is.

[mphenterprises]

rockboyhcb said:

Playing CD's in my CD writer drive is fine...When I insert a disk, right before it stops and freezes my system, I hear a few clicks coming from the drive.

Hi RockBoyHCD. Please refer to the quoted statement. I presume that you have two drives, correct? Here is my evaluation of your situation:

- If you do have two separate optical drives, I would agree with NeverTooAmazed that your DVD drive has died or, at the very least, is dying.

- If you only have one optical drive, the fact that the drive plays CDs and not DVDs leads me to believe the drive may be salvageable.



In either situation, as a final test, you could always try to clean the optical lens of the drive, which is easy as well. However, as NTA stated, if the drive is dead, replacing the drive is very easy.

[romeo1790305]

ok i had the problem to my dvd drive would not play dvds but i have two drives a burner and a dvd rom so check you ide cables iside your pc sometimes they go bad and check in the device manager to see if you have a conflict a yellow exclamtion mark in in thing if not check the dvds in the device manager also make sure they are enabled if they are then you have to go to pc management to see if the dvd drives is turned off if turned of rurn it on again see dvd drived dont die i have my pc and its 6 years old but the dvd drive still plays if this just happen diconect the blackberry device and then check because sometimews windows does not reconze certain things so if this works let me no if not i still have more imformation why it died

[Tech4me]

[~147730] . Yup...You might have a solution.......I reasonly installed PhotoStory 6 for slideShow........The program took over the DVD drive...( Just disappeared ) I could only use DVD to record from within the program. . Even after 2 hours with sony support...and The Tech..advised me to uninstall Photo6.
As soon as I finished and uninstall Photo6 ... My dvd came back to normal...( Look out for any program you installed lately).

Still doen't work..?...You might a New DVD. Good Luck.