Cd/Dvd drive isn't working normally.

Hello, my name is Greg and I recently discovered that my cd/dvd "E" drive isn't working properly. It won't read, play or install anything. I attempted to install a pc game when I realized it wasn't working. When I insert a disc, the tray closes, seems to scan lightly, then seems to do nothing. The light on the drive blinks continuously and doesn't stop. It just doesn't seem to attempt to read the disc at all. I've tried dvd's, cd's, games, nothing works. I noticed when I check the drivers menu in "My Computer", the computer locks up for a moment then resumes back to normal, but the drive still does nothing, light blinking, etc... Another thing I noticed is the drive itself disappears from the menu when I put a disc in the drive. The only way I can get the tray back open is if I shut the computer down is by holding down the tower button instead of doing it from the start menu. I've manually uninstalled the drive and restarted the computer. It comes back, but continues to do the same thing when I try to use it. I've used the Microsoft "fix it" program. It didn't do anything at all. It just scans, rescans and never finishes. And if with that, the computer tells me it's running correctly. I'm basically a novice on computers when it gets technical. Then again, I have no clue what the problem is. The only thing that makes me wonder is if when I updated to "service pack 2", that's when it seemed to stop working. Before I never had a problem with it. I don't use my computer much right now. I've only had it for about a year and don't understand how the drive wouldn't work considering I don't use it very often. The drive has many purposes. It plays, burns, has lightscribe technology, basically everything. It is a DVD-RW drive.

I have a HP pavillion m9600t elite series, icore 7 processor

running Vista Home Premium (64-bit)

My computer isn't hooked to the internet unless I run an ethernet cable from the other room. We have another computer and I use its connection when I need it.

I've updated everything I can and nothing has changed. I've noticed a lot of people have this same problem, but most throw that "fix it" program in the mix, but it hasn't worked for me. Well, nothing has for that matter.

Any information would be great.