HELP!! CD-RW wont read cd's

[James141000]

Hi,

I've had this cd-rw for about 6 months and all of a sudden it doesn't read or write cd's. it appears to be trying, the little light fashes on then off then on then off then flashes really fast. It wont even load my Bootable XP disc so it has got to be something wrong with my drive.

Any solutions?

James

[midlandsdaz]

sounds like its dead m8 same happened to mine

[PhilEnfield]

Have you installed or uninstalled any software that may have affected the system ?

If so, you could try a System Restore, back to a date when you know it worked ok.

[emailrob]

Check the leads to it as well (both from the drive and to the motherboard). This could lead to duff reads.

[PH/\T B,5TARD]

Sounds like it's dead/dying, 2 questions tho how it your machine setup is the drive on the same IDE ribbon as the C:\ ?.
And does the drive read "Originals" or is it just "backups" it has a problem with? (media issue?).
Two suggestions:
Try a "Cleaning CD" (I have seen drives suffer in smoky environments)
Or as a last ditch attempt if you have nothing to lose perhaps an upgrade to the latest drive firmware.

[James141000]

Think i'm gonna ditch it. Need a DVD-writer anyway and from £40 it's a bargin. Thanks anyway.

James :)

[aznkidlee]

You can try fixing it. Here are a few sites

http://home.att.net/~t.f.cook/tc3.htm
http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/india/245/index5.htm
http://www.deinmeister.de/cdrep_e.htm