Problem with DVD/CD-ROM

Hi' there

Been having this strange problem with my Lite-on DVD burner which I haven't been able to find a solution to anywhere.

When I goto My computer and opens the DVD Folder it starts spinning for a second, shows the folders on the DVD then more or less freeze when I open a folder. (sometimes it display the folder content before freezing). Same when I try to burn a DVD/CD, it spins for a second then stops with a write Error.
I am also unable to copy anything from a DVD both from windows and from a command prompt.

This problem occours no matter what DVD I got in it and even when I start the computer in Safe Mode.

If I boot from the harddrive in my other computer everything works just fine so I am pretty sure it's not a hardware error.

The DVD-Rom seems to be installed properly under device manager and have been working just fine until last week.

Any ideas what could be wrong and what I could try to fix it?

mic6 said:

If I boot from the harddrive in my other computer everything works just fine so I am pretty sure it's not a hardware error.

I'm not sure what this means. Did you try the drive in another computer and it works fine? If not, chances are, the drive is dead, if you can't even boot from it. You could try reseating the cables, and updating it's firmware, if available, but given that new drives are only $20, I'd replace it before I spent too much time on it.

would have been my guess too, but when I boot from another harddrive (borrowed from my other pc with same motherboard) it works fine, so I am pretty sure it's a windows error of some kind.

jhmac77, you've asked a few times on how to create a new post, but yet you keep posting questions in other thread. I'd ask a mod to fix this right away. The new thread buttons are on top of each subforum section....not hard to find at all.

Now, to mic6, I'm still confused. If the DVD drive isn't reeading a disc, why are you swapping hard drives from other computers? Am I missing something about the issue you are having? When I asked if you moved the drive to another computer, I meant the DVD drive you were having trouble with.

DeaconFrost: swapped drive to test if worked on my other windows system, no room in the other pc for a dvddrive. and it works fine when I boot from the other (borrowed) drive. The dvddrive also works if I insert my windows CD and boots from that one but not in my regular windows. It detects the drive fine, but freezes after 1-2 seconds of any type of operation.

Thanks Anak

Yep just bought and replaced the cable with a brand new one and now it seems to be working.
But doesn't make much sense that Windows install CD would boot and run and it worked nicely under my other windows. Then again, hardware can be acting pretty strange sometimes.

mic6 said:

But doesn't make much sense that Windows install CD would boot and run and it worked nicely under my other windows. Then again, hardware can be acting pretty strange sometimes.

It doesn't make sense, but that's what makes troubleshooting so frustrating fun.