2 CD/DVD-ROM drives problem

[planet_tv]

The other day I went burn some dvds and noticed that my 2 CD/DVD-ROM drives were not working. Now I can open the drive door and close it but it just won't read a CD or DVD. I don't know how this could have happened because they were working fine at the end of May, which was the last time I used them. The code I get in the device manager is code 39 and I also get the yellow triangle with the ! symbol. I did try to uninstall the drivers and restart the computer to get the drivers to auto install but the auto install failed for both drives. I do plan to check the cords/cables for the drives when I have the computer off and see if that is the issue.

This is a portion of the programs I have updated or installed from about May 25 until now:

• VLC Player
• Windows updates - I just did these within the last 24 hours of this post
• Zone Alarm
• AVG
• Origin Games
• Google Chrome
• Adobe Flash
• VideoShow Expressions - I uninstalled this just to if it was the problem but it's not.
• Arcsoft Photo Impression 5 - I uninstalled this just to if it was the problem but it's not.

I should note that a system restore is not possible because when I do it in safe mode I for the most part get a system restore could not be completed type message after the restart. I also should note I did Google this but I figured I would ask here in addition to the Google search because of the helpful Gateworld members. Does anybody have any suggestions as to what I can do to fix this (excluding reinstalling Win 7 and going into the Bios)?

[Annoyed]

The other day I went burn some dvds and noticed that my 2 CD/DVD-ROM drives were not working. Now I can open the drive door and close it but it just won't read a CD or DVD. I don't know how this could have happened because they were working fine at the end of May, which was the last time I used them. The code I get in the device manager is code 39 and I also get the yellow triangle with the ! symbol. I did try to uninstall the drivers and restart the computer to get the drivers to auto install but the auto install failed for both drives. I do plan to check the cords/cables for the drives when I have the computer off and see if that is the issue.

This is a portion of the programs I have updated or installed from about May 25 until now:

• VLC Player
• Windows updates - I just did these within the last 24 hours of this post
• Zone Alarm
• AVG
• Origin Games
• Google Chrome
• Adobe Flash
• VideoShow Expressions - I uninstalled this just to if it was the problem but it's not.
• Arcsoft Photo Impression 5 - I uninstalled this just to if it was the problem but it's not.

I should note that a system restore is not possible because when I do it in safe mode I for the most part get a system restore could not be completed type message after the restart. I also should note I did Google this but I figured I would ask here in addition to the Google search because of the helpful Gateworld members. Does anybody have any suggestions as to what I can do to fix this (excluding reinstalling Win 7 and going into the Bios)?

These things are mechanical devices, they do wear. Do you have another computer you can put them in to test?

Regarding re-installing windows.. When you bought the computer, did you create the restore set that almost all manufacturers suggest that you do? If so, you should be able to boot off that disc and restore from there. The hidden partition on your drive where the restore files are stored may have been damaged, that's why you create the set.

[DigiFluid]

We're talking about two drives here? Internal or external?
If external, are they separately corded or do you move the data cable back and forth as needed?
Are the symptoms identical?

[planet_tv]

These things are mechanical devices, they do wear. Do you have another computer you can put them in to test?

Regarding re-installing windows.. When you bought the computer, did you create the restore set that almost all manufacturers suggest that you do? If so, you should be able to boot off that disc and restore from there. The hidden partition on your drive where the restore files are stored may have been damaged, that's why you create the set.

Soon after I got the computer in 2012 there was issue with the hard drive and it had to be replaced. Once it was replaced my Dad installed Win 7 and the necessary drivers with the Win 7 disk specific to my computer and sometime after that a back-up was made of the computer with Total Recovery. It is the only back-up I have of this computer because the one time I tried to to a back-up on my own, with steps my dad told me, there was an error in the progress bar so I just let my Dad handle that instead of having him teach me how to do it myself.

As for the testing drives I do and I don't because the room it's in is getting painted so it has been put in the closet and is inaccessible at the moment and I didn't know when it will be. What I could do is contact the company where my computer was built, see if they have replacement and get one. If it doesn't work I could always send it back for a refund and this way my Mom can ask about drive she has in a box that hasn't been used yet to see if it might work.

One day when I had the computer off and I was air dusting I did find small screw on the bottom of the inside of the pc. Could it be possible the screw belongs to the drives?

We're talking about two drives here? Internal or external?
If external, are they separately corded or do you move the data cable back and forth as needed?
Are the symptoms identical?

The 2 CD/DVD-ROM drives are both internal to the computer, should have the letters E and F and they both have all the same symptoms. I even noticed the yellow triangle on the item, in Devices and Printers, that has the computer's name. Oh, I should mention that updating the driver is no help because Windows says it's up to date for both of them.

[Annoyed]

Soon after I got the computer in 2012 there was issue with the hard drive and it had to be replaced. Once it was replaced my Dad installed Win 7 and the necessary drivers with the Win 7 disk specific to my computer and sometime after that a back-up was made of the computer with Total Recovery. It is the only back-up I have of this computer because the one time I tried to to a back-up on my own, with steps my dad told me, there was an error in the progress bar so I just let my Dad handle that instead of having him teach me how to do it myself.

As for the testing drives I do and I don't because the room it's in is getting painted so it has been put in the closet and is inaccessible at the moment and I didn't know when it will be. What I could do is contact the company where my computer was built, see if they have replacement and get one. If it doesn't work I could always send it back for a refund and this way my Mom can ask about drive she has in a box that hasn't been used yet to see if it might work.

This many years later, you're not likely to get warranty support from the OEM. That's a Win 7 box, circa 2010 or so?

I had assumed internal drives from how you wrote your initial post.

If you have to dig the other comp. out of a closet, so be it. I still say rule out hardware failure, because it is definitely possible. Best way to do that is test in another computer. Or you could even download a bootable image of one of the Linux distributions (I suggest Ubuntu, it's the easiest), boot the computer off of that, and see if the harware works while booted from that. If it works, it's Windows. If it doesn't, blow the hardware a kiss goodbye and buy a replacement.

If you enjoy learning, you might even want to blow windows 7 off altogether, and replace it with Linux. Sure, you'll have to learn a new OS, but it's free, and windows 7 ain't gonna work forever. Do some research on how M$ is going to be changing the licensing arrangements for Windows, and you'll probably decide you don't like them. Better to get a handle on something else before that happens.

[planet_tv]

This many years later, you're not likely to get warranty support from the OEM. That's a Win 7 box, circa 2010 or so?

I had assumed internal drives from how you wrote your initial post.

If you have to dig the other comp. out of a closet, so be it. I still say rule out hardware failure, because it is definitely possible. Best way to do that is test in another computer. Or you could even download a bootable image of one of the Linux distributions (I suggest Ubuntu, it's the easiest), boot the computer off of that, and see if the harware works while booted from that. If it works, it's Windows. If it doesn't, blow the hardware a kiss goodbye and buy a replacement.

If you enjoy learning, you might even want to blow windows 7 off altogether, and replace it with Linux. Sure, you'll have to learn a new OS, but it's free, and windows 7 ain't gonna work forever. Do some research on how M$ is going to be changing the licensing arrangements for Windows, and you'll probably decide you don't like them. Better to get a handle on something else before that happens.

I was thinking of just replacing them, but I will test one and if it doesn't work then I will know both of them will have run their course on useful, since they both have the same symptoms. After I have done the test I will post the results.

[DarkenLycht]

Looks to me like they could have died of heat or age, or the disk u used to burn was an incompatible one

[Annoyed]

Looks to me like they could have died of heat or age, or the disk u used to burn was an incompatible one

I never proved this, it wasn't worth looking into, but some years back I heard that some content creators used coding on the optical media that would destroy the drive that was trying to copy it.

[planet_tv]

I haven't done the test yet but I will be doing it ASAP. The good thing is my Dad had kept the receipt/invoice for my PC which list's the name of the optical drive that I have 2 of and the company my PC is from still has them on their website. This is the optical drive in question: http://www.cpusolutions.com/store/pc...k-235p1357.htm

Looks to me like they could have died of heat or age, or the disk u used to burn was an incompatible one

I'm thinking they most likely got worn out because of use and age because last time I burned a CD or DVD was last year and the last DVD that used with the computer was either The Sims 2 Mansion and Garden or The Sims 3 Into the Future. Also from google searches I have done it seems like optical drives don't last as long as they did when they first came out and my are almost 6 years old.

[DarkenLycht]

I never proved this, it wasn't worth looking into, but some years back I heard that some content creators used coding on the optical media that would destroy the drive that was trying to copy it.

Yes, that is what I heard as well also, some discs if they do not work well with the drive do the same, had that happen to a friend of mine. They made copies of their school files and then used new disks and it broke their drive