DVD-Rom no disc detected

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?docid=179256#Issue5

Thanks for the link. I more or less followed the order on the RCDisc. Downloaded more recent files from Dell’s website. In the meantime everything runs smoothly except this DVD-rom.

I did everything I can think off and I am running out of options so your advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

By the way: when I enter a DVD:  lights are blinking and I hear the device but the result is still “no device detected in station D”

Run the Dell Diagnostics on the drive.  The Diagnostics should be on
your hard drive; if not, boot with the Dell Resources and Utilies disc
and run the diagnostics that way.  If the Utility Partition is on your
hard drive, press F12 at startup while the blue Dell is on the screen. 
This will take you to the boot menu where the Utility Partition or
Diagnostics will be a choice. 

Run the Custom Test for the drive and have a data DVD (not movie DVD)
ready for the read test.

Thanks for your advice

When I tried too run the diagnostics on the computer the only choice was hard drive diagnostics and the result was a pass on both hard drives. Next to that diagnostics on the CD-write and CD-rom station  (Philips and Sony) nr’s 4th and 5th in the row, where not available?

When I tried to boot form the CD drive I got an error CDR101 :not ready reading drive D (the RCD was in drive E ?

What could be the next step next to throwing the computer out of the window? Any suggestions, please?

It sounds like the DVD-ROM is failed.  The Diagnostics should confirm that. 

Does that drive read CDs?  Or does it refuse both DVDs and CDs?

Thanks for your respons.

DVD-rom : Does not read anything at all. Data DVD’s as well as CD’s same behaviour . Starts searching, controle blinking but after 30 seconds the device freezes.

USB disk device present in BIOS

But in diagnostics DVD as well as CD write (which works as a charm) are not available (CDR 101) ??

For some reason I cannot run a intensive diagnostic as mentioned in the instructions I got.?? Only a hard drive diagnostic. Despite the fact that I downloaded a latest version (for XPS400/9150) from the Dell website?

The number of question marks is increasing. What do you suggest: replacement or….?

Thanks for your support. This was an intriguing process but before it gets frustrating I am going to replace the failing DVD-rom device. Will see if that’s going to solve the problem. Thanks again I will report the results

Considering:
The drive is in the Device Manager.
It will not read CD or DVD media.
Drive is recognized (PowerDVD).

Sounds like a failed drive.

Part of the Diagnostics is a Custom test only for the optical drive (or
any individual component of the computer).  You are unable to access that
and I do not know why.  That Custom test will test the drive only and
includes a media read test, which I suspect will not read the disc and
thus, the drive indication would be failed.

A replacement drive is less than $20. 

A said I replaced the DVD-rom drive today. New DVD-rom Sony DDU 1615 cost $20.  Peace of cake. The computer recognized the new drive during starting up the computer and installed the firmware automatically.

Works as a charm again. Thanks your support.

Glad to here you are running again.  Best regards.