CD/DVD drive unable to see files on disc, and thinks its blank!?

Question

I have an external CD/DVD drive for my laptop, but when i put a disc in it it is unable to see the files. I am running XP and i used vista to burn it -(through windows, i know use NERO). But the funny thing is it works on my other XP computer and it see's all of the files fine!.

It was a DVD-R and it the bad laptop thinks its a blank disc wanting to write something on it!

Is it the external dvd drive or some security/OS problem?

Answer 1

Sounds like it is the external drive.

Sounds like the laser on the external drive is no longer pointing to where it should point.

All CD/DVD's write/read from the center of the disc, towards the outside.

If the laser is not aligned correctly (it fell, was bumped, etc.) Then it will not read the appropriate center sector of the drive, that tells it where each song/ data file is kept.

Seeing nothing there, (because it is pointing at the wrong spot.) it will presume a blank disc.

To verify this theory, try putting a commercial music CD in the drive, and see if it behaves the same.

Best Wishes

Answer 2

This happens a lot of times, especially when the CD gets burnt on a very high speed, and a bad burner, something wrong goes with the CD file system.. I happened to have a CD that works ONLY on the first computer it was first played on.. I could not really explain why.

Answer 3

specific, this is punctiliously risk-free to burn it at 24X. in actuality it is not risk-free to burn it extra effective than 52x as a results of fact the the optimal cost that CD can shelter is 52x. In the two situations, your CD author/burner is effective. No subject concerns. :-) -AJ