DVD writer has power but doesn't read

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

I have an hp pavilion a450n. The DVD drive I have is the one it came with and
now it does not work at all. The tray moves but it doesn't read any discs. In
the my computer folder it always says to insert a disc into the drive when
there already is one in there. I also ran a test for the dvd and it said that
there is no drive. The only thing that happens is that there is the blinking
orange light under the dvd drive. This drive stopped working a month or so
ago. Thanks

 

[Malke]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Jun41 wrote:

> I have an hp pavilion a450n. The DVD drive I have is the one it came
> with and now it does not work at all. The tray moves but it doesn't
> read any discs. In the my computer folder it always says to insert a
> disc into the drive when there already is one in there. I also ran a
> test for the dvd and it said that there is no drive. The only thing
> that happens is that there is the blinking orange light under the dvd
> drive. This drive stopped working a month or so ago. Thanks

Either the drive has died or the connector on the motherboard has died.
Things to try (do one thing at a time and test after each change):

1. Open the computer and reseat the ribbon cable and power supply
connector.

2. Swap out the drive for a known-working one.

3. Try the drive in another computer.

If another drive works (#2 above), then you know there's nothing wrong
with the motherboard. If the drive doesn't work in another computer,
you know the drive has died. A DVD-ROM is about $25 to replace. If
hardware troubleshooting isn't your cup of tea, then take the machine
to a professional computer repair shop (not your local equivalent of
BigStoreUSA) for diagnosis and fixing.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Thank you. I'll be looking for a computer repair shop soon.

"Malke" wrote:

> Jun41 wrote:
>
> > I have an hp pavilion a450n. The DVD drive I have is the one it came
> > with and now it does not work at all. The tray moves but it doesn't
> > read any discs. In the my computer folder it always says to insert a
> > disc into the drive when there already is one in there. I also ran a
> > test for the dvd and it said that there is no drive. The only thing
> > that happens is that there is the blinking orange light under the dvd
> > drive. This drive stopped working a month or so ago. Thanks
>
> Either the drive has died or the connector on the motherboard has died.
> Things to try (do one thing at a time and test after each change):
>
> 1. Open the computer and reseat the ribbon cable and power supply
> connector.
>
> 2. Swap out the drive for a known-working one.
>
> 3. Try the drive in another computer.
>
> If another drive works (#2 above), then you know there's nothing wrong
> with the motherboard. If the drive doesn't work in another computer,
> you know the drive has died. A DVD-ROM is about $25 to replace. If
> hardware troubleshooting isn't your cup of tea, then take the machine
> to a professional computer repair shop (not your local equivalent of
> BigStoreUSA) for diagnosis and fixing.
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
>