DVD ROM problem

[Mitera Nikkou]

I am hoping that someone can help me with something. My DVD ROM is no longer recognizing DVDs, but it still plays audio CDs and stuff for installing software. For some time it didn't recognize DVDs only on occasion, but now it's all of the time; and to make sure it wasn't something with the DVDs (like that regional stuff or something), I've tried a lot of the ones I've played many times before and they're not registering anymore either.

But I'm not entirely sure that it's the fault of the device, since the other DVD players in the house can't recognize some DVDs. Even the most reliable DVD player (the oldest one, both in ownership and model) has this problem on occasion. So... Should I bother re-installing the device and see if that will do the trick?

[Haylie]

Leave no stone unturned, but I think the problem is with the DVDs, since that's just too many failing devices to be coincidence.

DVD players are not my area of expertise, so beyond "get a new player", there's not much I can tell you, but maybe you're just playing the DVDs too much. It's a long shot, but...

[Mitera Nikkou]

Well, the same DVDs that don't work in my DVD ROM will work in the other DVD players. The DVD player in my mother's room tends to have trouble with the newer DVDs (the most recent example being that it didn't register Stargate: Continuum). The DVD player in the living room usually has no problem, except on rare occasions. I just don't understand why my DVD ROM would play things fine and then slowly stop playing anything, including the same things I've played in it before.

There are two other DVD players I could try, and two other DVD ROMs from two other computers, but I don't have access to them. Still, I'd like to avoid the problem altogether.

[Rowan]

I'm not sure what OS you're running. Check whichever program keeps track of your hardware on your computer and make sure the drivers are up to date and that something you installed didn't screw with the device itself. I installed a Quicktime update once that kept my DVD drive driver from loading.

[ZeroForever]

though also note the lasers do break down occasionally also, the dvd laser is not the same as cd laser which would why one will work but another won't. But try the drivers but if the discs are working fine elsewhere then it's likely a part broke down.

the actual cost of fixing most parts of a dvd player is actually probably more then the simply replacing it completely now days.

[Rowan]

Yar, true. If it needs repair you're better off buying new.

Plus you can dismantle the old drive and harvest cool stuff from it.... for what purpose I don't know since the laser is the really cool part

[Mitera Nikkou]

There're two different lasers? Well, then perhaps that's what happened. Although there was a period when it worked fine sometimes, so it could have just gotten so dirty that it doesn't work at all. I guess I'll try a cleaner first, since that shouldn't hurt anything. If that doesn't work, I'll try re-installing the device. If that doesn't work, I'll just have to buy a new drive.

Thanks for the help.