Can't read or write discs

[GeekyGamer01]

Hi, I've recently been experiencing a problem where I can't read or write discs. I'm using Windows Media Player to burn some music to a CD and it gets to 30% on the second track and the disc stops spinning and I get an error saying the drive is busy. I can erase the discs, but I can't burn them or read them.

There is as far as I can see, no errors on the disc drive itself.

Using:
Dell Inspiron 1545
3GB RAM
Optiarc DVD+RW AD-7585H

Any help appreciated,
Thanks!

 

[hang-the-9]

If you can't read any disks, not just the ones that you tried to burn and failed, need to get a new drive. Windows may see the drive OK with no errors, but the drive itself could be bad. You can try maybe cleaning the laser optics with a Q-tip see if that helps. If not, a new DVD drive is about $20 online. I don't suggest you go to a store to get one, they are usually a generation old, are 50% over priced and you will have a selection of 4, 3 of which are 4 year old stock.

 

[GeekyGamer01]

Hi, thanks for the suggestion.

I just put a recordable disc in the drive and it worked. (I was burning to rewritables)

It plays fine and everything.

Then I put a rewritable disc that I previously burned and it worked

All this was the next day after I restarted my PC

Yet I put in the ReWritable disc that I tried yesterday and it didn't work.

I'm thinking it may be the types of disc.

When I put a Linux Live CD in there (which was stored on a DVD-RW) it worked.

It might not be the disc drive after all.

 

[hang-the-9]

Re-writables do use a different dye layer to burn. Try a different brand they are pretty cheap to use for testing. Or try a couple of brands. It's actually funny, but if you read a bunch of in-depth drive and disk reviews, there are disks that work better in some drive brands and models than others.

It may be your drive though, if in testing you find that the RW disks have issues. The laser may be out of calibration to read that format just enough that it's unreliable. If after 2-3 different brands of RW disks you are seeing this issue, I'd suggest a new drive.