# DVD drive won't play DVDs



## JohnthePilot (Mar 30, 2006)

Hi,
I've got a problem with a CD/DVD drive. The drive is an LG DVD-ROM DRD8160B. For some reason it's stopped recognising DVDs, but still plays CDs. I've checked in Device Manager and the driver is up-to-date. Is there any other way I can check what is wrong?
Thanks in advance,
Pilot.


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## MrCarl007 (Jul 3, 2006)

Go back to Device manager, uninstall the driver and restart the computer then let windows reinstall it again and see if you have different result. Now If that dont work see if your decoder is up to date, how to check your decoder: Start > Run > dvdupgrd /detect to detect it and dvdupgrd /upgrade and see what comes up.


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## JohnthePilot (Mar 30, 2006)

Hi Mr Carl, 
I've tried all the things you suggested - my driver was the most up-to-date- and it's made no difference. Still can't run DVDs. When I select my drive in Explorer it says please insert a disc in Drive E. Fortunately I've also got a DVD burner and that reads DVDs OK. It's just inconvenient.
Regrds,
Pilot.


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

Perhaps you should try a lens cleaning DVD.


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## UncleMacro (Jan 26, 2005)

There are two laser diodes in a DVD drive: one for the DVD and another for the CD. They are often built into one monolithic unit but they are still two separate lasers. After enough usage a laser will die. If uninstalling and reinstalling the driver and lens cleaning don't work then you probably just have a dead DVD laser. If that's the case then you just have to replace the drive.


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## JohnthePilot (Mar 30, 2006)

I didn't realise they used separate lasers. That could well explain it. Thanks.


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