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Vostro 1500 Unable to Read Reinstallation DVD
Hello,
The title pretty much sums it up. Literally straight out of the box, this computer refuses to read the included Dell Reinstallation DVD media. When I load the disc, it makes the expected spinning up sounds, slows down, and after a brief pause locks into an infinitely repeating loop of sound roughly like this: ...vvrrr, URNH! ...vvrrr, URNH! ...vvrrr, URNH! Obviously the computer doesn't even have a chance to detect the DVD, much less read it. Fortunately, it has no problem ejecting the "broken record" at any time thereafter, whereupon I can continue operation normally. In fact, I can operate normally even while it's choking on the DVD. The problem occurs whether in Windows Vista, POST screen, or anywhere inbetween. The Reinstallation DVD reads just like a charm with three other desktop PCs. Any OTHER DVD or CD, on the other hand, reads just fine in the Vostro.
This has to be the single most frustrating problem I've ever had with a computer. The ONE disc I need to read, and... I'm guessing the optical drive must be flakey?
Also, the system passes all Dell diagnostic tests as accessed via the boot screen.
If for some reason the specs are needed:
Vostro 1500
Windows Vista Basic
2 GHz Core 2 Duo
2 GB RAM
160 GB
GeForce 6800m GT
WXGA+ lcd (1440x900)
DVD/CD combo drive (PBDS DVD+-RW DS-8W 1P ATA Device)
I know this isn't a Windows-related problem, so this is kind of tongue-in-cheek, but... I haven't used Windows on a computer I've owned in years. This problem isn't doing much to convince me I'm making a good choice! :)
Anyway, thanks for any input!
chesswizard
182 Posts
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March 1st, 2008 22:00
try reseating the optical drive. Does it read the cd when in windows?
bacillus
14.4K Posts
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March 2nd, 2008 12:00
RichardMilhousN
2 Posts
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March 2nd, 2008 23:00
But no, it can't read the disc at all. It's vaguely reminiscent of attempting to load a severely gouged (think along the lines of "skrayping" the data layer off with a razor blade) disc into a drive on a Windows 98 computer, if you've ever had that experience. Disc spins up, maybe catches some data, then chokes on the gouge... repeat. OS never has a chance to read the thing because the drive freaks out.
The other obvious idea is that the DVD itself is a shoddy pressing or something, but the only reason I dislike that explanation (even though it's not unlikely) is because the fact that my desktops can read it suggests that my laptop's optical drive isn't flakey per se, but rather, picky. Guess we'll see what Dell says; great system aside from this small hiccup!
P.S. To anyone that staffs this forum--this took me about ten minutes to figure out. The line in my message about "skrayping the data layer off" a CD elicited the following message with the original correct spelling of "skrayping":