Optical Drive plays DVDs but not CDs, CD-ROM

I have an Acer Aspire 5000 with a Slimtype DVDRW SOSW-833S Optical Drive, factory installed. Yesterday, after trying to burn a DVD unsuccessfully (which I've done successfully before), I put a game CD in the player. The Player began to whir and carry on like it was getting ready to start the CD, but then it never did. After that episode, I tried a music CD, and got the same results. So, I tried a DVD, and that worked fine. I then tried the Windows XP Troubleshooter, but that only asks of your player is accepting CDs and CD-ROMs. I went though the Troubleshooting process anyway, thinking that it may help, but it hasn't. I have also uninstalled the Optical Drive, and the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers, and let the system "discover" and re-install them. Still, the player will only recognize DVDs. Windows Explorer will only show files when there is a DVD in the player also, and not with any other media. I'm beginning to feel that I may have a "deceased" Optical Drive, but I am still hopeful. I am somewhat of a computer geek, and a former programmer, but I'm running out of ideas. Any suggestions??? Thanks!

 

Since you have done all that work, I think it's time to call Asus customer service to have them send a new drive (that is, if you are under warranty. Don't bother to wait on hold for over an hour at minimum otherwise).

 

Yeap, Acer customer support it is, the drive has broken, I believe Combo drives use different hardware/parts to read CD's or DVD's.

 

IF you lucky they will swap it out with lg dvd burner it works much better

 

My experience might give a clue to what is happening.

I bought a couple of identical second-hand notebook DVD/RW (TS-L532R) drives for my Compaq EVO D530, which uses this type of drive.

The first one read DVDs but not CDs. The light came on and stayed on when a CD was inserted. The second one also read DVDs but when I tried a CD the light flashed once - a message then appeared saying that the drive had been uninstalled.

Now it seems to be dead - it won't install.

I presume something happened to the circuitry.

(The CD reader that came with the computer works ok)

 

My drive was DOA when I got my 3050. It read cd-roms for 3 days then just stopped (it kept reading dvd's though). I got a new drive from Acer in 2 days and it worked fine. I then ordered a LG combo drive from newegg and now the replacement drive under warranty is in my drawer now along with the OEM HD (I have a WD 80gb drive in it now).
ROb