How to know cd drive malfunctioning - Versa NEC Computers & Internet

Hi there. Sometimes CD drives malfunction. If it will no longer read a CD, chances are that you will need to get a new CD drive. Make sure to try multiple CDs before you replace it, just to make sure that a single CD isn't the point of failure. Good luck. -Alex

It's possible that your disk-drive is "failing", and it's about to "die".

Buy a new disk-drive, connect it, and try to install to it.

Other possibilities:
* bad RAM in your computer is messing-up the file-copy operations, and the CD-reading operations
* dying motherboard is malfunctioning,
* scratched Windows CD-ROM media
* malfunctioning CD-reader device.

maybe your dvd burner got malfunction, go try to burn another one, if it doesnt burn a cd/dvd, then its time for you to buy a new one, or if there is an update for your dvd burner then download it and try to patch/update it, if not then buy another one.

Sounds like you need to either update the firmware on the drive, or the drive is malfunctioning physically.

I'd just buy a new drive. Those things are very cheap now a days. Don't waste your time trying to fix it unless you can find an easy fix.

Right Click on "My Computer" icon
Select "Manage"
Click on "Device Manager"
Right click on the Computer name
and Click "Scan for Hardware changes"

Check now if your CD-DVD drive is detected or not.

If not,now Click on "Start" button
Select "All programs"
Select "Accessories"
Select "System tools"
Select "System restore"

Select a restore point or days when you know  your system was working fine.

System restore will complete afetr reboot,and it will detect your CD-DVD drive untill and unless your CD-DVD drive got malfunction.

If the problem still persists,Remove the DVD drive and place it again and restart the system and check if the operating system detect your DVD drive.If not, replace the DVD drive.

The drive is malfunctioning -- when it cannot read the CD-disk, it opens the tray. For less than $40, you can buy a brand-new CD/DVD-writer, and responsibly recycle the malfunctioning device.

Shut the machine down. Find the original CD or a retail OS X installation DVD. Start the machine up and immediately hold down the option key. You will see a icon of your hard drive. Now insert the CD or DVD. If it immediately spits out, your optical drive needs replacement. If it does not, click on the U-shaped arrow button to rescan the drives. If the CD/DVD does not show up, your optical drive needs replacement. If it does, choose it and boot from it. If this actually works, you may have a software problem -- this is low probability, but possible.
Keep in mind that the CD and DVD read heads are separate. If one of those is malfunctioning, your drive will accept CDs but not DVDs, or vice versa. If you see this behavior, your optical drive needs replacement.

I would suggest that you try and remove it again, clean the interface(connector with the laptop) with an eraser, and reconnect it back firmly.
If you cant do it by yourself, your can just get a Technician to do it for you. Although it is very easy.
It might just be a partial contact with the system interface...Good luck!
Hope this helps.

Sounds like a Bad motherboard and its failing all over the place. It most likely needs to be replaced.

Allthough, if the CD Drive is malfunctioning, it may be causing WINXP to frees on boot.

Try this before chunking in dumpster.

Remove the CD Drive all together and then boot and see if it works.

If it does, then its a bad CD drive, get a new one or just remove it and dont use it. Try finding a good one on ebay or something.

let me know.

Good Luck

You need to take it to a professional for repair.

if you know how to take a laptop apart, you could do it yourself.
Dry the parts, might need to replace the broken parts.