DVD player sometimes disconnects/is not recognized

[Pickly]

Hello,

Occasionally my DVD player mysteriously stops working. (DVD's and CD's will not play, and the DVD player does not show up at all on the "my computer screen", even as empty, and sometimes disappears when empty, and also disappears from the device manager.)

Occasionally it will not show up when the computer is started, but often seems to disappear while the computer is on. (Sometimes while playing a DVD, though never so far when playing a computer game or music CD.) This has started happening only recently, while the computer (Which was bought with the DVD player already added), is close to a year old.

Operating system: Windows 7, 64 bit

DVD player: (It's disappeared as I type this, will restart at some point and add this to the thread.)

 

[king smp]

first use device manager (right click my computer-manage-device manager)
in there uninstall the DVD drive

then clear you upper and lower filters of DVD drive

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060


the reboot the computer and let it reinstall the DVD drive

if this works then some program (probably burning program caused the problem)

if this doesnt work then your DVD drive is probably bad

If you have US Newegg available you can get a new DVD burner for as little as $20

I got my Asus 24x DVDrw DL for $22 with shipping included

 

[Pickly]

I had checked the link, and it listed those steps as being for Vista rather than windows 7. Should those steps still work fine on windows 7?

 

[amuffin]

Is it a loose sata cable?

 

[keha12]

Does the dvd drive tray open, when its not recognize by device manager?

If so. Then id lean on the cable. Try a new ide or sata cable. Or try a different port for it on the motherboard.

If tray does not open. Then id try a different power plug from PSU. If that doesnt work.
Then id try what the other guy said. Re-install the driver.
Then if it still persists. Id just get a new DVD drive.

 

[Pickly]

Adjusting the cable seemed to work. Thanks everyone.

 

[Pickly]

Best answer selected by Pickly.