SAMSUNG CDRW/DVD SM-348B My system does not recognize my CDRW/DVD Drive

I have the exact same Drive.

I have WindowsXPpro on a 2.6ghz Dell Dimension8300. No other optical or floppy drives, in fact the only other things are the hard drive - 80gb and a USB dell branded 64mb memory stick I occasionally use.

About a week after I got the computer the drive started to moan (literally, that was the sound) when working, but no discernible effect on performance accompanied. Gradually I noticed that it was starting to cause a lag on explorer or any other program that tried to ID the disc in the drive. But access and retrieval was still fine. I could stop the moaning by pressing the side of the case lightly, but it would return after a few minutes. These symptoms got gradually worse until about two months ago there was a noticeable drop in performance. I can't remember the precise time it stopped responding properly, but over a few days, it found it harder and harder to deal with DVDs.

In the last month the situation has gotten far worse, it point blank refuses to recognise DVDs, and, as of 2 days ago, became noisy dead weight in my computer when it ceased recognising CDs.

On Dell's Irish Technical support team's advice, I have performed a system restore to beyond when it stopped recognising DVDs, but it had no effect, which leads me to believe that, contrary to the Tech Support team's insistence, it is not a software problem. The only thing that corroborates their argument is that you might get ten minutes' life out of it after uninstalling another cursed windows update module. However, this is a minor symptom, and it's happened before without software changes. The noise, vibration and gradual onset of symptoms leads me to believe it's a Hardware problem.

That said, does anyone have any advice that may help either of us?

[EDIT] I just remembered I used a multimedia lens cleaner DVD shortly before the CD recognition failed.

[edit] Sorry, a lens cleaner CD, not DVD.

Message Edited by Bren C on 09-18-2004 01:15 PM

Message Edited by Bren C on 09-18-2004 01:17 PM

Thanks for your message.  I finally gave up and bought a new drive.  It quit shortly after my inquiry to the Forum.  I am pretty sure you will have to as well.

Thanks,

Gene

Well, if it comes to that, I'll ask Dell for a replacement.

It's very annoying, as you well know. Especially as I got a Demo Disc from PCGamer with a trial of Star Wars Galaxies on it, but the machine wont read it , GRRR!

Anyway, good luck with your new drive.