# DVD-RW drive will not recognize any disk



## SilentJim (Apr 19, 2005)

I started having a problem when I tried to erase a DVD+RW I use for backing up data with Roxio Creator. An error message popped up saying there was a problem with my disk, that it might be scratched (I don’t remember exactly what it said).

I put the disc back in, the drive spit it out and a message popped up saying “Please insert a rewritable disc into the TSSTcorp DVDRW DL (D drive.” I tried running game CDs, Audio CDs, and DVDs, and the drive won’t recognize any disk.

Usually, when I insert a new disk, the drive spins it up and the autoplay kicks in. Now, the green light flashes a few times, and then nothing. I remember the autoplay working when I first put in the backup disk, and usually while erasing a disk, the drive makes a whistling sound. When I started to erase the disk, I noticed the whistling slow down and stop before I got the error. 

In the device manager, the drive is recognized, with no problems. Troubleshooting the drive did not help.

I tried some of the suggestions in this thread:
http://www.techsupportforum.com/f149/solved-cd-dvd-burner-not-functioning-308208.html
In it is this link to Microsoft support:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060/EN-US/

I ran through the Microsoft automated “Fix It” thing, with no luck. I deleted the LowerFilters (there was no UpperFilters) in the registry, but nothing changed. I updated the firmware, but the drive still won’t recognize anything.

Unless someone has another suggestion, I think I will have to replace the drive. I would prefer to exhaust every alternative before that, though.

Stats:
Model: Dell Dimension E520
OS: Windows XP Media Center Edition with SP2
Processor: Intel Pentium D 2.66Ghz
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Hard Drive: Samsung HD160JJ/P
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD2600 Pro
Optical Drive: TSSTcorp DVD+-RW TS-H553A
Sound: Sound Blaster Audigy


Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.


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## jonf (Jul 30, 2009)

Hi,

If you haven't tried this already, go into the Device Manager as you have done already, then find the entry pertaining to your DVD drive. Right-click it and select 'Uninstall'. You can then do one of two things: you can either click the button at the top entitled 'Scan for hardware changes', or restart the computer. Either way Windows should then try to re-install the driver for the DVD drive and then mount it with a drive letter for access. Finally now try using whatever CD/DVD you want and see what happens.

Post back here if you still have problems. Hope this helps.


Regards,

Jon.


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## SilentJim (Apr 19, 2005)

Hey, thanks for responding.

I tried uninstalling the drive in the device manager, and scanned for new hardware. It detected the drive just fine, but it still won't recognize a disk. 

Anything else I might try?


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## jonf (Jul 30, 2009)

Hi,

Based on all the things you've tried above it appears you may just have a faulty unit, unless someone else can post with another suggestion for you to try out.


Regards,

Jon.


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## notechgeek (Mar 28, 2010)

I have the same or similar problem-Neither of my CD rom drives are working in my E310 Dell dimension desktop, they stopped working quite sometime ago. I never used them much other than installing some programs on the machine when I first got it about 3-4 years ago. When I insert a disk in either drive, I can hear the drives spinning, the light flashes and then the drives go quiet. When I go to my computer and right click on the drive and select "open" a window pops up saying "insert disk in to drive", and it doesn't matter what disk is in the drive(s) it says this on both drives. I have a portable CD drive which I hooked up to it, but is says the same thing, so its not a hardware issue. As soon as I plugged the portable CD drive in the computer immediately recognized the drive, but again, its saying "insert disk in drive". When I do a test to make sure the drives are working the system says "drives are working". Both drives are showing up in the device manager and there are no yellow warning signs next to them, I tried uninstalling the drives and then rebooting and the devices still show up as if they were never deleted. I went to Dell's site to see if they had updated drivers but the one I downloaded was the same one already on the machine...I'm to the point that I'm going to by another machine and smash this machine, I need to install some software on my computer for a new fujitsu scanner I recently purchased but I can't! I have a Seagate portable HD and I'm thinking od using my daughter PC to get the software on the portable HD and then putting onto my desktop or I don't know if I could put it on a flash drive an possibly get it on my desktop that way...I'm not tech savvy so I'm a bit apprehensive about going into the system without step by step instructions.


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## notechgeek (Mar 28, 2010)

I don't know but that would mean all three CD rom drives are bad and the chances of all three going bad aren't likely. I figure its an OS problem or something. By the looks of things, I'll have to buy a new machine, which is ashame because my PC is only 4 years old...One thing is for sure I'll never buy another Dell. It my understanding after Googling the same problem I'l having there seem to be a lot other people with the same exact problem. I'd buy new drives but I'm 99.9% sure it isn't going to work since I already tried with a brand new portable CD rom drive to no avail.


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## Strickland (Mar 30, 2010)

I have a new HP Pav Elite with 2 comparts for Cd's/Blueray. I can open CD's with written information on them at work and at the church but this new HP want let me read them. What am I doing wrong? It has Windows7 if that matters.

Thank you
BS


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## SilentJim (Apr 19, 2005)

Well, I went out and got a new DVD drive (HP DVD1270i), and everything seems to work fine now. The other drive was about 4 years old, and it was awfully loud anyway, so I'm glad to be rid of it. 

Thanks for your help. You can mark me down as "solved."


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