Yes, if it's a CD drive, then it won't read DVDs, but if it's a DVD drive, then you only have a couple of options. Find and borrow some DVDs and test them in the problem drive, or buy a DVD Burner drive and replace the old one. Or, make sure the DVD you burned was correctly done.
Of course, you don't say what type of "burn" you did on the DVD disk. Remember that it must be a data disk type of burn which is finalized, (not copy/paste with packet writing software as many old computers can't read such) and if you want to make the disk bootable, those are usually made with disk image burning software that correctly copies the files from an ISO to the bootable disk. (Yes, some are made simply by copying the files from one bootable disk to another, but you haven't really told us what "I put Windows 8.1 on a DVD with my desktop PC" means.
Hope this helps and let us know more.
Grif
Hey all,
I'm having a really strange problem that my troubleshooting skills aren't helping figure out:
Context: I'm trying to format and install a new OS on an older laptop I have, and I first tried booting from a USB drive but found that the BIOS of the computer doesn't support booting from a USB drive, only optical or HDD. So...
I put Windows 8.1 on a DVD with my desktop PC, which can now read the disc just fine. But when I put it into the laptop, it spends a long time looking at the disc and then says "please insert a disc".
Here's the weird parts: First I figured, well there's something wrong with the burn on the disc. It has been eons since I've had to burn a disc and probably did it wrong. Except the disc can be read in every other computer I put it in. (I've tried 3.)
Well, ok. Then it must be the DVD drive on the laptop right? Well, It can read various other CD-ROM discs I have, (that came with products...not burned.) so it's operating, at least somewhat. Unfortunately, I do not have any non-burned DVD-ROMS laying around to try.
I tried to burn another DVD with a different set of data and it still won't read it.
I don't know what else to look at. The only thing I can think of is that the drive is not reading DVD data, even though it is a DVD drive, and can only read CD-ROM data, and I don't know what to do about that.
Any insight would be appreciated. ![]()

Chowhound
Comic Vine
GameFAQs
GameSpot
Giant Bomb
TechRepublic