How I "fixed" the DVD RW

I used to have some problems in reading and writing DVDs lately. It would finish burning, but DVD would report blank afterwards. I also had problems reading DVDRWs.

So I took a glass cleaning cloth and very gently brushed the lens in the drive tray. Although I didn't see any dust or anything on it now my device reads and writes all media that I have. DVDRWs too.

I carry my notebook a lot. It stays in a hot car sometimes (in a Samsonite rucksack) and I think that it wasn't the dust that was the problem. I know that the lens is held on a movable holder that is controlled by electromagnetic coils. I think it was stuck somehow, and when I touched it it moved. Now it can adjust and focus again.

It worked for me, but if you want to try it, be very careful. Or you could end up with a dead optical drive. Be quiet, nice and gentle with everything you do...

Ivan

 

I have the exact same problem. Blank DVDs after successful burning or unreadable files. I though it was mainly a result of my using DVD-Rs but yesterday it happed again, this time with DVD +R. I'll try cleaning the lens.

 

Anyone who tries this do please be very careful. It would be very easy to destroy your drive.

 

Can of compressed air will sometimes work as well.

 

Heh. As a beach veteran who used to use portable CD players. I know how fragile these things are. Be very, very careful. I wonder if I could try that on one of the ones that won't read CDs anymore. <<;

 

Well it still works. Perhaps Zaz gave a better alternative method to do it, but unfortunately I didn't have one of those at my hand at the moment.

Anyway - it still reads everything I put into it (optical media of course)

Cheers,

Ivan