If your optical drive can't read a CD-ROM or DVD, the problem could be with either the disc or the optical drive.
Is the disc clean? Even the tiniest spot of grease or grime can keep a CD-ROM or DVD disk from being accurately read by your computer. Clean a CD-ROM or DVD disk with mild soap and water and a lint-free cloth. Wipe the surface very gently with strokes that start at the center of the disk and move from the center outward to the edge. (This minimizes the damage if you make any scratches.)
Never write on a CD or DVD with a ballpoint pen, pencil, or anything with a hard tip. The delicate information layer of the CD is very easily scratched. Only use felt tip pens to label your media.
Never try to clean or repair a DVD or CD with a solvent like acetone.
Is the disc recognized by Windows Explorer? Right-click Start and select Explore to open Windows Explorer. Look on the left side of the screen for an icon for your optical drive. (You may have to click My Computer to open the list of devices.) If you see the name of the disc—such as OFFICE or Audio CD—then Windows recognizes the disc (see Figure 1). The disc is probably scratched or otherwise damaged.
Figure 1: Windows Explorer should display the name and contents of the disc.
If the name of the disc and its contents don't show up in Windows Explorer, the disc may not be compatible with your optical drive. Make sure you have the right type of disk for your drive. For example, a garden-variety CD-ROM drive won't read a CD-RW, and a DVD-RW drive won't read a DVD+RW. Table 1 tells you what types of discs work with what types of drives.
Table 1: What Works With What: Optical Drive and Media Compatibility
DRIVE TYPE
MEDIA TYPE
CD-ROM
CD-R
CD-RW
DVD-ROM
DVD-R
DVD+R
DVD-RW
DVD+RW
DVD-RAM
DVD-ROM
R
R
R
R
?
?
?
?
?
DVD-R/RW
R
RW
RW
R
RW
?
RW
?
I
DVD+R/+RW
R
RW
RW
R
R
RW
?
RW
I
DVD-RAM
R
R
R
R
R
?
?
?
RW
CD-ROM
R
R
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
CD-R
R
RW
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
CD-RW
R
R
RW
I
I
I
I
I
I
R = Most drives can read this type of media.
RW = Most drives can read and write this type of media.
? = May be able to read/write this type of media. Check with drive manufacturer.
I = Incompatible. Most drives can't use this media.
Even if you have the right type of disc for your drive, there's no guarantee your optical drive will successfully read it. Inexpensive, no-name brands of media are notorious for being difficult to read. And some brands of media work better than others in a given drive. If your drive manufacturer recommends a particular make of CD-ROM or DVD media, use that brand.
CD-RWs reflect less light than conventional CD-ROMs or CD-Rs, so a CD-RW may not be recognized by lesser quality CD-ROM and CD-R drives.
- If your optical drive is recognized by Windows but won't read any discs, try cleaning the optical drive using a kit purchased from a computer store. If that doesn't work, you may need to replace the drive.
