why wont my computer read disks anymore?

[callyt]

SAMSUNG SP1604N hard disk drive not working!

I have a windows XP computer and for a year have had no major problems with it. however the warantee has now ran out and for a long time the slot where the disks go in (im a computer illiterate) doesnt seem to be working. the disk goes in fine and then all the normal bleepy noises it makes when reading a cd-rom, cd or dvd can be heard, however nothing then comes up on the screen, and if i go into 'my computer' or anything like that the computer doesnt seem to know that theres a disk that should have been read! it doesnt matter what i try to put in, before it would read and burn onto cd and dvds, and i could install programs from cd-roms, but now it doesnt recognise anything! it'll cost a fortune if i have to send it away to get fixed, and like i said i know NOTHING about computers... someone please help me!!!

 

[Tox1cThreat]

I highly doubt its a driver problem, but you can check...

Right click My Computer->manage->Device Manager->CD/DVD Drives->Right click on the drive and select update drivers. Restart.

Or click on properties (the same menu as update drivers) adn see what version it is. Compare this to the ones on the Samsung website for the most curreny.

Another idea is to flash the firmware, See if you can grab them from Samsung's site.

If that doesnt help than I would just buy a new optical drive and throw it in there.

 

[COD2_fanatic]

sounds like the drive died, i had a coouple old HP cd writeers and they done the same thing, you might as well just buy a new drive for like 30 bucks, a Lite-on combo drive would do unless you burn DVD's