DVD Drive Dying? Reading Fewer and Fewer DVDs

Hi,
I'm currently using a Toshiba and I found that over the last several months, my DVD drive has started to read fewer and fewer DVDs (ie, become less sensitive). It used to read all types of DVDs including ones that I had burned using the DVD writer, but now I find that it can't even almost any of the DVDs that it wrote. However, it can still read original CDs such as the Quick Recovery CD that came with the laptop. Is this is a simple question of cleaning the head? If so, how would I go about doing so? Or should I send it to get repaired (which is a big problem since they'd take the machine for a few days + it's my work machine)? Thanks for your help.

 

What make / model is the optical drive? I suspect that these are the least reliable component in current notebooks, but some are better than others.

If you can work out how to remove the optical drive yourself then you may be able to get a replacement without having to send in the computer. It may be held in by only one screw either under the computer or under the keyboard. But first check for any firmware update.

John

 

Yes, as John said - usually it is very easy to change the optical drive. That is one solution (the last).

I found one issue though with my DVD writer - the lens got stuck or something and it didn't read or burn properly. I took a glass cleaning cloth and very gently touched the lens and it moved like being stuck and suddenly released. I don't have any issues whatsoever after this.

If you want to clean your lens or the whole area looks dusty try compressed air. Maybe it can help with the stuck too.

Also don't forget that DVD media is also getting older and some DVDs are not readable anymore. Especially if they were somewhere on a warm place or in a direct sunlight.

I wish you luck,

Ivan

 

My first thought was that your burned discs are starting to fail due to age. Are commercial DVDs also giving you a problem? I know you mentioned commercial CDs still reading, and that seems to be an indication of your media failing.

It could also be that the lens needs a good cleaning as suggested above.

 

£20 says it's a Matsh!ta drive!

 

usually the lens of cd/dvd sometimes gets dirt when it is being used too many times. You might try a cd lens cleaner or other ways to clean it (no towels or any napkins!!). You might want to try that it might helps.

Otherwise you can just get a new one it costs much less now than before.

 

Try see if there is any firmware updates? I had mine firmware updated and it got worse lol! Ironically the update said it will provide more compatibility with the media.

 

Thanks a lot for all your feedback. I'll try cleaning it. It's a:

MATSHITADVD-RAM UJ-841S, ATAPI CD/DVD-ROM drive

I think it might be unclean, etc. and not failing because the same DVDs that it can't read can be easily read on another machine.

 

Haha I was so right!

Matsh!ta drives are known for failing quite a lot. FOr real peace of mind I'd replace it with one from a more reputable brand like pioneer or LG.

If you search the Toshiba forum for Matshita and Matsh!ta you should come across quite a few threads on this as Toshiba's most popular model, the A100, has one of these drives.

 

Oh dear! Matshita crap

Anyway, cd/dvd lens cleaners don't really work. In fact they do more harm than good. It's just a marketing myth perpetuated by those who sell cleaners.

Something i found from another forum:

Fortunately for you, it is also a blessing in disguise. The UJ-841S, being 12.7mm, can be replaced by better slim dvd writers (NEC,Pioneer). Me, i'm stuck with the * ultraslim 9.5mm UJ-832s :'s

 

I have a Toshiba Satellite 2410, that has a Matsushita CDRW/DVDROM, and it was doing a similar thing. It would read some disks, and not others. What I did was take a q-tip, and moistened it just a tiny bit, and gave the lens a little wipe. Then dried it with a new clean swab. After this, disks read perfectly. So perhaps it is just a bit of dust.

NB) I was initially going to use some alcohol, but I read on the 'net that it can cause damage to the lens. I'd recommend just using water.

 

Alcohol would fog the lens. Best bet is to use a can of compressed air to clean the lens =)

 

Thanks a lot for everyone that replied to the thread. I had a microfiber cloth and used it to clean the lens and it read a DVD that it previously wouldn't read so hopefully, things are good. I still have to test by writing a DVD. Thanks

 

Glad to hear things are looking up for you. Hopefully it all works out in the end.