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Question

DVD Drive does not recognize any disc - says no disc inserte

Sep 29, 2015 5:09PM PDT

I bought a brand new Lenovo desktop a couple months ago from Best Buy, and it has worked great until I tried to use the DVD drive to play a movie. I've actually never used the DVD drive on this computer before - this was the first time I used it. I've tried this with all sorts of discs now, and it doesn't recognize any of them. I have the current driver installed, the computer recognizes the device and can open/close the tray, and the device status is "working properly." I've uninstalled and reinstalled the driver several times, I've updated windows, I've run anti virus, I've run the Microsoft FixIt, nothing works. I can't take the computer somewhere to get it fixed because they all have a multi-day turnaround. My wife's job depends on having this computer at the house for most of the day, every day, I can't take it somewhere and I can't afford a replacement.

The DVD drive is: HL-DT-ST DVD-RAM GHC0N
My Windows: Windows 8.1 (64-bit)
Computer: Lenovo w/ Intel i3-4160 @ 3.60 GHz, 8GB RAM

Discussion is locked

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Answer
The thing is that the native windows driver is
Sep 29, 2015 5:17PM PDT

Fine. If you installed a driver it could break the function. Other apps like CD/DVD emulators can break this too.

USB DVDRW drives are around 20 bucks now. But do try removing the drive in device manager and reboot to see if that clears it up.

And tell me about this driver. Where did you get it from?
Note: Edited for typo.

Post was last edited on September 29, 2015 5:18 PM PDT

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update
Sep 29, 2015 5:48PM PDT

Update- now it plays CDs, but still won't play or recognize DVDs.

I think from drivers.com, but I'm not sure at this point. When in device manager, it says my driver info is as follows:

Driver Name: cdrom.inf
Provider: Microsoft
Date: 06/21/2006 (wow, so old! this computer was manufactured in 2014)
Version: 6.3.9600.16384
Digital Signer: Microsoft Windows
Driver Rank: 0xFF0005

I already tried removing the device from device manager. After a restart, it just re-installed itself and still can't comprehend what a DVD is.

I live in the United States and my DVD region code is set to 1. All of the DVDs I am trying to play are also region 1.

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Device Manager - DVD drive - Properties - Details - Value
Sep 29, 2015 6:08PM PDT

In the Device Manger, if I follow the above specified path (same as to get driver info), there is a Details tab. In that tab there is a "value" box, and it says CD-ROM Drive. Should this say DVD-something-or-other since it is a DVD drive?

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Sadly I think that made it worse.
Sep 29, 2015 6:16PM PDT

99.99% of the PCs I work on use the driver Windows supplies. By installing something from drivers.com I can't tell what state it is in. Try driver rollback now.

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/uninstall-disable-roll-back-update-drivers-windows

Sorry but I can't start this without some taking offense. There is no such driver outside of the one that came with the PC or Windows OS. If there is, it's very rare and the model you listed would never have us looking for a driver.

After the rollback, go ahead and boot safe mode then remove all CD/DVD drives in device manager. One more reboot and it should be back to stock.

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No Rollback Option
Sep 29, 2015 6:56PM PDT

The only click-able button on that Device Manager - DVD Drive - Properties - Hardware tab is the top button, Driver Details. The other buttons, Update, Rollback, Disable, and Uninstall are all faded and not active buttons. From looking at screen shots of other people's working DVD drives, mine seems to have all the right info and versions for everything.

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Then proceed with removing.
Sep 29, 2015 7:05PM PDT

Windows adds it back after a reboot.

In closing, try a cd/dvd lens cleaner.

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DVD Drive will NOT read a Windows Microsoft Office CD
Sep 29, 2015 6:10PM PDT

So this thing reads and plays music CDs, but won't recognize a Windows Microsoft Office CD. Gives the same message as when trying to play DVDs - Please insert a disc.