DVD drive

[dembee]

My computer no longer reads CDs and DVDs inserted into it. It was temperamental and aften took several goes to work but has finally stopped recognising that there is a disk there. Has anyone any suggestions for a solution. If I need a new drive is there any advantage/disdvantage to getting internal rather than external. I dont have the expertise to replace it myself and would need to employ someone to do it. Thanks

[ChuckFickens]

CD/DVD les cleaner, as available from most music shops or electrical retailers

if that doesn't work it may be time for a new CD drive, if it's a desktop they are less than 20quid for an internal IDE DVD recorder.

And replacing an internal CD drive on a desktop is not beyond most people, if you can change a plug you can replace a CD srive, it's really that easy.

[romko]

cd lens cleaners are as waste of time and money. In some cases they can actually damage the lens, as small brushes mounted on the disc knock into the optics at high speed. Not recommended. And if the drive isn't recognising discs, it won't spin or make use of the cleaner anyway!

what you will need to do is remove and open up the drive, and using a cotton bud/q-tip soaked in pure alcohol from a chemists or head cleaner solution, gently clean the lens. if this doesn't work, the optical block has failed and the drive is BER. they do fail in large numbers but replacement is easy, as chuck says.

[dembee]

Thank you - I ordered a new internal drive and have successfully installed it following instructions on videojug. You were right ChuckFickens as easy as changing a plug