New Dimension E510 doesn't recognize DVD-ROMs

Question

My Dimension E510 won't play commercial DVD ROMs (Adobe files). The drive spins for a bit, then stops. The drive appears empty in My Computer. The drive plays all DVD-Vs so far (commercial and copies from my home player). Also play all sorts of CD, including CD-ROM. The DVD ROMs are fine and work perfectly in my laptop, also a Dell. The chat  and HW support said the disc must be dirty or bad. Trust me, that is not the case. Any ideas why this new computer won't play a DVD ROM!

Skybird · Answer

What version of Adobe do you have install on you system?  Whatdo you mean by play?  Adobe files are files that you read.

osprey4 · Answer

03mach1: What model DVD-ROM drive are we talking about?

03mach1 · Answer

Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 6.0. Sorry didn't mean play, but auto load. The drive doesn't even 'show' that the DVD-ROM is in the drive.

03mach1 · Answer

16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability. I'm not at the computer now so I can't get the HW name and I can't really guess

03mach1 · Answer

No it's a commercial DVD-ROM purchased at Best Buy! I brought it to work today to see if it still works in my laptop and it does!

osprey4 · Answer

Ok, please post that when you get the chance. I'm wondering if the DVD was written by a packet writing program and your computer does not have DLA installed. Did you write this DVD using your drive?

03mach1 · Answer

osprey4, No need to apologize. I appreciate your help. I'll check thev HW device when I get home. I can't believe I'm having issues reading a basic DVD.

osprey4 · Answer

Ok, sorry, my fault for not paying attention. Sonic DLA has been known to cause readability problems with some media. If this is enabled for your DVD±RW drive, consider disabling it.

03mach1 · Answer

osprey4: This is the name of my DVD drive from the Device Manager: HL-DT-ST DVD+RW GWA 4164B

03mach1 · Answer

I would need some detail instructions to do that please

osprey4 · Answer

I cannot find a firmware update for that drive. Have you tried disabling DLA?

03mach1 · Answer

it's the only prerecorded DVD-ROM I have. It works on my laptop and I also tried it on my girlfriend's son's new laptop on my way home today. It worked!

osprey4 · Answer

Wow, that's pretty odd unless the disc is using another UDF format that your computer simply doesn't recognize.  Is it just this one disc?

osprey4 · Answer

Ok, sorry. Open My Computer, right click this drive and select Properties. Look for the DLA tab, click that and uncheck Enable DLA.

03mach1 · Answer

any ideas on how to approach Dell with this? I'll bring my laptop home tomorrow, so they don't tell me I have a bad disk.

Storage, Drives & Media

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