Optical drive not working, M17x R4

My DVD drive in my M17x R4 has stopped working. It is seen by Windows Explorer, but when I put a DVD in it, it just spins for a while and then nothing. If I try to see what is on the DVD via Explorer, etc. it just gives an error message. Every once in a while I will get my default DVD player (Zoom Player) to pop up when I put a DVD in the drive, but then nothing (also tried using Windows Media Player, etc.)

I've uninstalled the drive and rebooted and let it reinstall, checked for updated drivers, done the upper and lower registry delete trick (though only one of those was present.) Googled and read all I can. Short of buying and trying a new drive, what else can I try?

Thanks

 

this happened plenty of time, and not just in alienware, we users normally don't use our optical drive all the time, and believe it or not optical drives collect dusts just like any other components in your laptop.
so, simply take it out and clean it, especially around the slot opening (just blowing thru the slot opening won't work, if it does tho, good for you). i've been doing this for my previous sony vaio fw and asus g73jh.
unfortunately tho, taking out the optical drive in r4 is not an easy task, because you need to literally go as far as removing most of the parts (including the monitor) to reach where the optical drive bay located.
theres a vid here : Alienware m17x R3/R4 disassembly
note: new aw 17 is a lot easier.

and if your drive is actually beyond repair, i would suggest buying usb external drive instead, they're cheap nowadays.

 

He could just buy a new drive if its completely broken.. Slot loaded drives are like $50-60 which isn't too bad..

 

yeah i agree they're cheap, but in order to replace the drive you still need to disassemble the R4. a pretty daunting task if you never did any laptop disassembling.

 

Wow, did not realize it was so much work to get it out! On my old Dell XPS, you had to take of the LCD, Palmrests, etc. just to get to the fans to clean them, but removing the optical drive was just taking a couple of screws out without taking anything apart and sliding it out. I assumed, since it is so much easier to get to the fans, etc, on the M17x that all I would have to do is something similar.

I can take everything apart but it is a PIA, especially removing the LCD. I think it may just be easier to get an external drive for as little as I use it (though I do use it on occasion.)

 

yeah apparently AW realized this and make the optical more easily accessible in the new AW 17 chassis.