Cd Rom Drive Only Works Sometimes

[fordescort79]

More often than not my CD-rom drive doesn't work. It doesn't matter what CD or if it has worked in the past. The CD rom light flashes, it makes some quiet beeps and it spins and then stops and spins and then stops with nothing coming up.There doesn't seem to be any way to predict if it will work or not.

In Device Manager it says it is working fine and I have checked for new drivers and none seem to be available. It is a Samsung Scr-3231 32x.

[superOman]

Hi
I have the same problem
It also closes sometimes when im trying to put the CD in.
I suspect it is a faulty driver but I have another idea as well.

What IDE channel is it on? Is it master of slave, and are there any other drivers on that channel?

[bmason]

My guess would be it is caused by a dirty lense. Try running a lens cleaner CD on it (get a phillips one the cheap ones make it worse).

[fordescort79]

I must admit that I don't know how to find out what IDE channel it is on or whether it is a master or a slave - could you tell me how to find out? Sorry for my ignorance...

[Susan B]

How long have you had the CD-ROM drive? Did it come with the computer? If so, is the computer still under warranty? Has it ever worked properly?

[fordescort79]

I inherited it with my friends old computer - it worked fine when he got it (about 4 years ago) but just gradually got worse and worse.

[Susan B]

Well, in that case it could be due for retirement or the bit bucket. Try cleaning the lens like the previous poster suggested before giving up on it though.

[Graham L]

I have a suspicion that lens cleaners for CD drives are a bit like battery chargers for cars. The cost is better put towards the replacement item. CD drives cost about $60; "good" lens cleaners cost about $19.

[Antonia]

Hi,

I had similar problems over a long period of time. In the end I removed it from the system and reinstalled it as a generic CD Rom Drive, letting windows use whatever driver it liked and it has worked perfectly ever since.

Good luck,

Antonia

[Baldy]

You can get a CDWriter for less than $100 now. A nice Xmas present to yourself.

BALDY:-)