Jan 24, 2018 Bad CD-ROM drive. If you tried all the steps above and you're still encountering errors with reading discs in the CD-ROM drive, it's possible that the drive is bad. You can try replacing the drive and see if a new CD-ROM drive resolves the issue. How to test a computer CD-ROM or DVD drive for failures.
Reference | Questions |
---|---|
DOS | Information on loading generic MS-DOS CD driver. |
CH000495 | How do I find what CD (or any other type) disc drive I have in my computer? |
CH000834 | How do I install a computer driver? |
Company | Drivers page |
ACARD | ACard CD/DVD software |
Acer | Acer disc drivers |
Addonics | Addonics disc drivers |
Actima | Actima disc drivers |
Afreey | Afreey disc drivers |
Alps | Alps disc drivers |
AOpen | AOpen disc drivers |
APS Tech | APS Tech disc drivers |
Archos | Archos disc drivers |
Artec | Artec disc drivers |
Artecon | Artecon disc drivers |
ASUS | ASUS disc drivers |
Aztech | Aztech disc drivers |
BenQ | BenQ disc drivers |
BTC | BTC disc drivers |
CenDyne | CenDyne disc drivers |
Chinon | Chinon disc drivers |
Creative Labs | Creative Labs disc drivers |
CyberDrive | CyberDrive disc drivers |
Delta Electronics | Delta Electronics disc drivers |
Digital Research | Digital Research disc drivers |
Disctec | Disctec disc drivers |
Exp Computer | Exp Computer disc drivers |
Fujitsu | Fujitsu disc drivers |
Genius-Kye | Genius-Kye disc drivers |
Goldstar | Goldstar disc drivers |
H45 Technologies | H45 disc drivers |
Hi-Val | Hi-Val disc drivers |
Hewlett Packard | Hewlett Packard disc drivers |
Hitachi | Hitachi disc drivers |
IMES | IMES disc drivers |
I/OMagic | I/OMagic disc drivers |
Iomega | Iomega disc drivers |
Jazz Multimedia | Jazz Multimedia DVD drivers |
JCI | JCI disc drivers |
JVC | JVC disc drivers |
Leoptics | Leoptics disc drivers |
Lite-On | Lite-On disc drivers |
LG Electronics | LG Electronics disc drivers |
Matsushita | Matsushita disc drivers |
Memorex | Memorex disc drivers |
Micro Solutions | Micro Solutions disc drivers |
Mitsubishi | Mitsubishi disc drivers |
Mitsumi | Mitsumi disc drivers |
Mustek | Mustek disc drivers |
Nakamichi | Nakamichi disc drivers |
NEC | NEC disc drivers |
Newcom | Newcom disc drivers |
Panasonic | Panasonic disc drivers |
Pioneer | Pioneer disc drivers |
Plextor | Plextor disc drivers |
Procom | Procom disc drivers |
Reveal | Reveal disc drivers |
Ricoh | Ricoh disc drivers |
Samsung | Samsung disc drivers |
Sony | Sony disc drivers |
Tatung | Tatung disc drivers |
Teac | Teac disc drivers |
Toshiba | Toshiba disc drivers |
Traxdata | Traxdata disc drivers |
US Drives | US Drives disc drivers |
Vintech | Vintech disc drivers |
Yamaha | Yamaha disc drivers |
Zenith | Zenith disc drivers |
Before following any of the steps below, make sure multiple discs do not work in the drive. If only one CD or DVD is causing problems, it's an issue with the disc itself and not the drive.
TipMany CD and DVD drive errors in Windows are caused by drivers or other background programs. If you're running Microsoft Windows, run through Windows disc drive troubleshooting steps first.
A bad disc drive can cause an assortment of different issues on your computer. Below are a few of the possible issues you may encounter. It is important to remember that the issues described below can also be caused by more than a bad disc drive.
- Error when reading CD or DVD.
- CDs or DVDs may not play audio or video properly.
- CD or DVD programs may not install or encounter errors after being installed.
There are different ways to test your computer's disc drive and determine if it's bad or has flaws. Below is a listing of these recommendations.
Software and hardware solutions
CD and DVD drives can sometimes get dusty and dirty inside, causing problems with reading discs. You can use a CD/DVD Drive Cleaner kit to help clean the disc drive, which can be purchased at many office supply stores and electronics stores.
Below is a listing of software programs available that are designed to test your computer's CD and DVD drives and discs.
- CDRoller - Great program that is used to test and, if needed, recover data from CDs and DVDs.
- CDCheck - Another great program used to help check CD drives (no DVD compatibility) and can also be used to help recover data from damaged discs.
There are many fantastic commercial products that are worth considering. Below is one of these products.
- CD/DVD Diagnostic - Diagnostic program from InfinaDyne that is not only capable of testing a drive and disc, but also can recover some or all data from discs that may be bad.
Check the power supply
If the power supply is not providing enough power to the disc drive, it can cause the disc drive to not be able to function properly. The disc drive may not be able to read CD or DVD if it does not have enough power. You can check the power supply to determine if it's not working correctly.
TipIf the disc tray will not open, that may also be a result of the power supply not providing any power, or enough power, to the disc drive.
Replace the disc drive
If the disc drive is still unable to read any CD or DVD after trying the above suggestions, the disc drive is most likely bad. We recommend you replace the disc drive to fix the problem.