Paranormal Wolf Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 I'm a bit technologically challenged and not the best with computers. I'm having trouble with my laptops cd/dvd drive and hoping maybe someone here will have some advice so here goes... I have an Acer Aspire 5810TZ-4657 laptop running on Windows 7. Yesterday my cd/dvd drive stopped recognizing disks. When I first boot up the laptop the drive is visible from the computer tab. Once you put in a disk it disappears and won't run the disk. The only way to run a disk is to restart/shut down the laptop with the disk inside and restart and run the disk from boot menu. I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling the cd/dvd drive and nothing, still the same problem and it says I have the latest update for it. I've looked into the BIOS (I think) by checking the boot menu upon restart and it shows the cd/dvd drive is #1 on the list in boot order. Well I don't know what's going on with it but if anyone has any advice I'm open to hear it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurchybold Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 That will probably be a problem with your thingamyjig, there should be someone on here that could advise, Regards, Boone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #5 Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 That will probably be a problem with your thingamyjig, there should be someone on here that could advise, Regards, Boone If you speeeld that right, it'd probably be easier to look up, it's "thinamajig", there, that should help! Does it show in device manager? (start -> right click computer -> manage -> DVD/CD ROM drives both before and after you try to use it. How did you try to uninstall / reinstall the drive - physically or electonically; replace the drivers? Your turn ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranormal Wolf Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 If you speeeld that right, it'd probably be easier to look up, it's "thinamajig", there, that should help! Does it show in device manager? (start -> right click computer -> manage -> DVD/CD ROM drives both before and after you try to use it. How did you try to uninstall / reinstall the drive - physically or electonically; replace the drivers? Your turn ... It will sometimes show up in the device manager before I try to use it, right after the laptop boots up. Once I put in a disk it stops showing and won't run it. I tried to uninstall/reinstall electronically because I have no clue how to do so manually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elyse Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 How old is your computer and the CD/DVD drive? The laser inside could just be dirty/dusty and that's why it has trouble reading? There's 'cleaning discs' you can buy that apparently clean the reading laser inside - I've never tried one for my Macbook, though, because I need a new CD/DVD drive anyway (it won't eject most CDs but it's fine for DVDs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranormal Wolf Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 How old is your computer and the CD/DVD drive? The laser inside could just be dirty/dusty and that's why it has trouble reading? There's 'cleaning discs' you can buy that apparently clean the reading laser inside - I've never tried one for my Macbook, though, because I need a new CD/DVD drive anyway (it won't eject most CDs but it's fine for DVDs) Lets see it isn't that old, got it first year of collage and I've been in collage for 3 semesters so it between 1.5-2 years old. I have read online that a lot of people have had issues with this model so it may just be shot If I can find a disk cleaner I'll give it a try. I use to have one a long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Has it been dropped or jarred recently. If so then the DVD scanning head may have gone out of alignment. it only has to move a tiny fraction of a millimetre to misread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranormal Wolf Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Has it been dropped or jarred recently. If so then the DVD scanning head may have gone out of alignment. it only has to move a tiny fraction of a millimetre to misread. That's a very good possibility as both my boyfriend and I are a bit clumsy. I know in the past it has been dropped/jarred but not really recently. If this is the case how/can I fix it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 It's such a delicate thing that you can't really do it yourself. you'll get charged more to get it realigned than to buy and install a new one yourself. Here's a guide to replacing most of the major components in your machine. http://www.insidemylaptop.com/taking-apart-acer-aspire-5100-laptop/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranormal Wolf Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 It's such a delicate thing that you can't really do it yourself. you'll get charged more to get it realigned than to buy and install a new one yourself. Here's a guide to replacing most of the major components in your machine. http://www.insidemylaptop.com/taking-apart-acer-aspire-5100-laptop/ I'll check that out and I was starting to think when I posted this thread that it would be the actual device that is bad. I need a new laptop anyways cause this one is kind of crappy anyways. Sigh its always something isn't it lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Sounds like the drive has gone to me. Its one thing it losing the read on a disk, but for the drive to dissapear completely I would doubt very much that its a read issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranormal Wolf Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Sounds like the drive has gone to me. Its one thing it losing the read on a disk, but for the drive to dissapear completely I would doubt very much that its a read issue. *sigh* That's what I'm thinking as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #1 Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Stephanie's how to fix your laptop advice: Get a new laptop Take the old laptop out after turning the new laptop on. Take hammer Smash old laptop, make sure the new laptop is vacing the old one Tell new laptop that it is expendable and the same thing will happen to it should it act up. I'm not all that computer savvvy....sooo yes...maybe not the route for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Stephanie's how to fix your laptop advice: Get a new laptop Take the old laptop out after turning the new laptop on. Take hammer Smash old laptop, make sure the new laptop is vacing the old one Tell new laptop that it is expendable and the same thing will happen to it should it act up. I'm not all that computer savvvy....sooo yes...maybe not the route for everyone. HAHAHA I love this!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranormal Wolf Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Stephanie's how to fix your laptop advice: Get a new laptop Take the old laptop out after turning the new laptop on. Take hammer Smash old laptop, make sure the new laptop is vacing the old one Tell new laptop that it is expendable and the same thing will happen to it should it act up. I'm not all that computer savvvy....sooo yes...maybe not the route for everyone. I feel this will be the solution Just have to wait till I get the $$ for a new one. Don't think I'll go with Acer as I read a lot of bad complaints about them, particularly this model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 No, No, No . . . you have all wrong. . . :0 1. Buy new laptop. 2. take it home and spend hours setting it up. 3. Suddenly realise you need to retrieve some info off the old one. 4. Boot up the old one only to find it is now working perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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