The CD/DVD player (NEC DVD +-RW ND3530A) on my aging Dell Dimension 4700 series computer is not working properly. The cd player will not read or play cd's, but it can play dvd's and your PC User dvd's. This suggests it is a software problem and not a hardware problem.
I have tried running the System File Checker (sfc / scannow) and have tried updating the cd player driver software from the internet as well as restoring to a previous date. The device manager says the device is working properly.
I have the drivers and utilities disks as well as the Windows disk to re-install Windows, but they won't run anymore because of the existing problem. Can anybody please help?
CD/DVD Player does not play CD's, but DVD working fine. NEC DVD +-RW ND3530A
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Well, you're jumping to conclusions here, especially saying it suggests a software, not a hardware problem.
I don't think it does - not by a longshot.
CD/DVD drives have two lasers - one for CDs (780nm) and one for DVDs (650nm or something like that). I'd be keen to see if that CD laser is actually working first before I go reinstalling Windows.
If you have access to another PC - or even a 5.25-inch external drive enclosure - I'd take the drive out of the PC and try it in another. If the fault still exists, I'd put my money on a problem with the CD laser, either it's got dirt in front of the lens or it's failed.
But I'd be checking that first.
Cheers, Darren.
That makes 2 votes for Darren as i have to agree. Check with another drive as the biggest possibility is the CD laser. You can try one of those CD lens cleaner disks to see if that will help.
The other painstaking way is by removing it and pulling it apart carefully to manually clean the lens but i advise against that unless you know what you are doing as the mechanisms are very easy to damage.
As it is they are very cheap to purchase now-days.
Frank n St31n.