First, I'm wondering if you've recently reinstalled Windows. This sort of thing might happen if not everything was reinstalled.
The DVD decoder is your prorgam for playing DVD movies. Windows Media Player cannot play movies unless you have such a program installed. You should have a disc for PowerDVD or something. If not, please go to Osprey's Toolbox (link below) and find VLC Media Player. It's free.
For CDs, it sounds like your autoplay options are not set up correctly. However, if you insert an audio CD and start your normal program for playing CDs, do they play?
>First, I'm wondering if you've recently reinstalled Windows. This sort of thing might happen if not everything was reinstalled.
Yes,it was reinstalled by a local repair shop.
>For CDs, it sounds like your autoplay options are not set up correctly. However, if you insert an audio CD and start your normal program for playing CDs, do they play?
The normal program is Windows Media Player. When the player was functioning properly I would insert a CD and get a pop-up window asking which program I wanted to use, or if it was a CD-R or CD-RW ask if I wanted to erase the disc, write new files, etc. Now when I insert any kind of disc it spins around a few times as if the computer wants to do something, but nothing happens. When I open WMP and click the Rip or Burn tab, a message reads "Please insert a disc" as if there's nothing in the CD drive. Other programs like Real Player do nothing.
Dell puts the diagnostics on the hard drive, so hopefully they're still there. Start the PC and hit F12 at the blue Dell logo and go to the utility partition. You'll want to choose Custom test, then you can run the READ test on the CD/DVD drive. Make sure you put a data disc in the drive.
Your drive needs to be replaced. You can either call Dell spare parts or just search the internet. A new DVD burner for your laptop will cost about $50.
osprey4
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July 20th, 2010 18:00
Hi Wanderingsoul22,
First, I'm wondering if you've recently reinstalled Windows. This sort of thing might happen if not everything was reinstalled.
The DVD decoder is your prorgam for playing DVD movies. Windows Media Player cannot play movies unless you have such a program installed. You should have a disc for PowerDVD or something. If not, please go to Osprey's Toolbox (link below) and find VLC Media Player. It's free.
For CDs, it sounds like your autoplay options are not set up correctly. However, if you insert an audio CD and start your normal program for playing CDs, do they play?
wanderingsoul22
5 Posts
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August 27th, 2010 16:00
>First, I'm wondering if you've recently reinstalled Windows. This sort of thing might happen if not everything was reinstalled.
Yes,it was reinstalled by a local repair shop.
>For CDs, it sounds like your autoplay options are not set up correctly. However, if you insert an audio CD and start your normal program for playing CDs, do they play?
The normal program is Windows Media Player. When the player was functioning properly I would insert a CD and get a pop-up window asking which program I wanted to use, or if it was a CD-R or CD-RW ask if I wanted to erase the disc, write new files, etc. Now when I insert any kind of disc it spins around a few times as if the computer wants to do something, but nothing happens. When I open WMP and click the Rip or Burn tab, a message reads "Please insert a disc" as if there's nothing in the CD drive. Other programs like Real Player do nothing.
wanderingsoul22
5 Posts
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August 28th, 2010 06:00
No, my computer will not read any sort of CD.
osprey4
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August 28th, 2010 06:00
What about data discs? Are you able to read files?
osprey4
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August 28th, 2010 07:00
Ok, then you need to run the Dell diagnostics to determine if the drive has failed. Did that shop replace your hard drive?
wanderingsoul22
5 Posts
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August 28th, 2010 08:00
The shop did not replace my drive. How do I run diagnostics?
osprey4
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August 28th, 2010 13:00
Dell puts the diagnostics on the hard drive, so hopefully they're still there. Start the PC and hit F12 at the blue Dell logo and go to the utility partition. You'll want to choose Custom test, then you can run the READ test on the CD/DVD drive. Make sure you put a data disc in the drive.
wanderingsoul22
5 Posts
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September 12th, 2010 19:00
I ran the test with a data CD installed. After the "Optical Device Built-In Self Test" the screen read:
Error Code 0417
Msg. Error Code 2000-0147
Msg Error Code Unit 2 Optical Drive BIST- OPU test failed
I clicked Yes to Dell Tech Support's offer to diagnose the problem. The screen displayed a rainbow of colors, then checked the video, LCD, and memory.
Another message read "No diagnostic Utility Partition Identified: Click Yes to reboot."
osprey4
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34.2K Posts
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September 13th, 2010 16:00
Your drive needs to be replaced. You can either call Dell spare parts or just search the internet. A new DVD burner for your laptop will cost about $50.