DVD drive will recognize data discs but will not recognize DVDs. I.e. when you place a DVD in the drive and open windows explorer you are told that there is no DVD in the drive. However it will recognize data cds and display what is on them. Could you please assist

Your choices are to replace the drive or purchase an external DVD drive.

DVD/CD drives do eventually go bad.

You will need a burnable cd /dvd rw disc and cd dvd rw drive and burning software there are lots of these freeware on the web here is just a few you might try if you dont have a burning program
if you dont have two cd / dvd drives to do a copy disc

you will need to create a folder to copy the music to then burn it to a disc

to make a folder right click in my documents select new folder you can name it lets say my music blues for the sake of this exercise

click start all programs accessories open windows explorer navigate to your music cd

select the cd right click copy and then paste the music into your newly made folder folder or

click and hold the cursor and drag and drop the cd into your new folder

if you are downloading data from the internet

once it starts downloading windows will ask whether you want to run or save it
a browse option will open you can save it into your folder in my documents

once you have done this open up your burning software depending on which it is you can choose either a data cd or dvd or burn an image you would select the option make an audio cd or music cd depending on the burning sofware

http://download.cnet.com/instant-cd-dvd-burner/3000-2646_4-10393316.html

Burn audio, video, and data CDs/DVDs and create and burn ISO files.
Instant CD & DVD Burner is the ideal choice for anyone looking for a simple but full featured CD/DVD burner.

http://www.freeware-downloads.com/nero_essentials.htm

nero 8.1 essentials free

This is the newest version of the most known CD and DVD burning software, but now with the capability to burn HD DVDs, and Blu-ray Discs

http://download.cnet.com/Ashampoo-Burning-Studio-Free/3000-2646_4-10776287.html

Multi-disc file backup and restore on CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs; create compressed backup archives with powerful password protection; split archives automatically across multiple CDs, DVDs or Blu-ray discs; restore archive contents to their original locations; integrated Audio CD ripper store your audio tracks as WMA or WAV files

if you need more help with this post a reply

Hope this helps

The automatic ejection takes place when the burn process has completed successfully. Have your tried another writable CD or DVD? If your laptop is not recognizing any more writable CDs/DVDs, then the problem might be a failed CD/DVD drive. Otherwise, it is probably a bad CD or DVD.
Hope this helps.

Hi,it's obvious from your problem that the particular disc that cannot be viewed on your computer is of a formatt not supported by the windows XP.some DVDs are of low quality which can be viewed practically on any DVD player but as a result of their low quality and the sensitivity of the Windows they are not recognized by your computer. In as much as other DVDS play on your computer,it means there's no problem with your computer,but an unsupported disc formatt is been trying to be viewed and there's nothing you can do to view a DVD formatt not supported by your computer.please don't be bothered.
Thanks and take care

This problem is normal and exists with many CD/DVD drives.
On some of the drives, if you put in blank discs and try to open the disc in My Computer or Windows Explorer, Windows displays no contents or a blank disc. Whereas on other drives, you get the error message that you mentioned about incorrect function.

What software are you using to burn CDs or DVDs? Are you able to burn CDs but not DVDs or you can't burn both the discs? Did you try a CDs with a different make/manufacturer? Some drives refuse on some disc makes. Try another disc and another writing speed, or try the lowest writing speed available with your software.

Hope that helps,
Regards,
Raspal

1.use original disc, bcz some brand drives not supported all the discs available in the market.
2.cheak with other disc,if any disc cant read ,then

* Open Your CPU system cabinet,then cheak the data cable and power cable of the Dvd/Cd Drive.(You may change the other power card in your system already had)

* change the data cable
3.if u still have the problem,then finaly replace the new drive.LG Dvd Drive is beswt one.because it can read all discs.

Hello my friend,i can think only 2 things.The first thing is the region code.So right-click My Computer then select Properties,select the Hardware tab,click the Device Manager button and go to DVD/CD-ROM drives,double click to open the tree.Then choose your dvd burner and double click or right click and properties to open the dvd properties.Go to the dvd region code and select the code/country that the dvd supports and click OK.Also you can download a program called region free.The second thing is that your drive supports CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL, DVD-RAM so if the disc is something else then is not supported by your reader/burner.

It shouldn't be a driver issue. DVD drives are natively supported by XP. What software do you have installed for playing DVD'? Windows Media Player 11 would be excellent, and it's free from Microsoft. PowerDVD and WinDVD are also good, but you have to buy them.

I have a similar issue to you, except that my dvd drive will only recognize a disc if I have booted up into windows with it in the tray...once in windows it will still think it has the first disc in no matter what disc i insert. If i boot up with no disc then it will never read it unless I follow the steps below.

A solution I found by pure frustration and trying all sorts of things is to eject the DVD tray and leave it opened, then right click on the dvd drive in 'my computer' and select the 'hardware' tab...then select the drive and click 'properties'.
A new window should open. Select 'volumes' and click 'populate'. Now close the window and insert the disc you wish to read, close the tray and repeat this process. Windows should now recognize the disc you inserted

Alot of trouble I know, but it works for me. Hope this helps.

Try some factory CD and DVDs and just try to get them to open in Windows (not play in a media player program). If you get errors on every disc you try, it may be your CD/DVD hardware packing in.

If it reads some CDs or DVDs and not others, particularly media discs, you may be having software driver problems, otherwise, it is likely hardware.

Try inserting the disc and spinning it up while resting the laptop on its side, or even upside down. If it reads sideways or upside down, the CD/DVD reader hardware has gone and cannot probably be prepared (this is a symptom of physical controller failure and is ot fixable by normal means).

Good luck...