My DVD drive has stopped reading any disc inserted in the drive when the computer is running. The PC is exactly a month old today and was working fine until last Thursday, I was able to install software from CD. Then on Weds I created some CD's containing a couple of videos I had shot and out of three tries only two worked. On Thurs when I came to install some more software it would not read the CD at all ( I don't know if the problem with writing to CD then reading are connected).

I am running Vista Home Premium 64 bit and the drive is HL-DT-ST DVD+_RW GH30N.

I contacted the munufacturer who ran some tests then got me to boot the PC with the OS disc in the drive and it booted fine from the disc and then went on to load windows successfully with all accesibility to CD/ DVD restored BUT when I turn it of and on again it has lost the ability to read the CD again.

The manufacturer has told me they can fix the problem but for a charge of £39, so they obviously think it is a software problem, but they won't tell me how to do it myself. Does anyone know? Both Anti-virus and Defender checks show no malware on the PC.

Please help, as I can't run the PC with the boot disc in the drive every time I want to read a CD, and I don't really want to re-install the OS as I had to do that once already in the first month.

This is my first time here so if I have missed anything out please ask me.

Have you tried a restore point?
Restore it before you added in software for cd/dvd burning.


List all software you added that wasn't already on the laptop.

I am using Vista's own burning accessory so have added no software for burning.

It is a desktop and the software I have added that wasn't already present is:
Office 97
Sophos AntiVirus
Tomtom Home
Blackberry Desktop Manager
Mailwasher Pro
And RealPlayr

As you can see it is still a new PC so I have not added much. But none of these were added between Weds and Thurs when I started having problems.

I have not tried to restore because I hadn't done anything to the PC that I thought may affect it. Do you still think a restore would be worthwhile?

If restoring it to an earlier point helps in fixing the error yes and you don't have to do a re-install.

:NEVER USED THESE:so not sure if they would cause the problem.

Sophos AntiVirus
Tomtom Home
Mailwasher Pro

My power/communication wire came loose on it's own. Try: Completely unplug the drive and then plug the wires in firmly to the back of the drive.

My power/communication wire came loose on it's own. Try: Completely unplug the drive and then plug the wires in firmly to the back of the drive.