Original Disk Not reading..

I can only suggest that you contact them where you bought the laptop.

My pleasure. I would be very interested in the outcome as i still stick to my guns and think it is software related :)

sorry i am not clear if this disc is a home-burned disc or a store bought retail dvd/cd ?

Lunarpancake said:

sorry i am not clear if this disc is a home-burned disc or a store bought retail dvd/cd ?

I have been trying to establish that since post #4!

Something to think about... Some DVD and CD players cannot work with colored discs. I have had many green tinted discs not play or read in one PC yet work fine in another. I now only buy the silver discs... silver on the bottom or data side that is... the top color is irrelevant!

The OP said he has used this gold disc successfully in another PC, so we can assume the disc is fine.

Didnt read if fmozilla has had success with any other disc, but Id try a different color disc and see if it works in that Dell laptop drive... If other discs work in the dell laptop then the drive is fine and its most likely a disc color issue/incompatability.

Perhaps try using a different PC that can read the gold color disc copy(burn) its contents to a silver disc and try that silver disc in the Dell. Silver is the most universal color, and used by all OEMs and software companies!

You are absolutely correct there. Different manufacturers use slightly different formulated laser recording dyes and some writers are not compatible with the full range. A good rule of thumb is, if you have say, a Sony writer, then use Sony discs! There is a huge amount of technical data on this subject on the net. Just Google it.
Doesn't necessarily apply to commercial DVDs as these re not burnt. They are produced by a totally different technology. Can be described loosely as "Pressing"! The dye issue is exactly why I was trying to establish if this was a commercial DVD that the OP was having problems with!