Pioneer DVD-RW DVR-K17A ATA not reading anything, where do i start to look to fix this?

I am trying to fix a problem on my dad's laptop (a Toshiba, running
vista home premium)

the laptop is having difficulty recognising that there is a cd or dvd
in the drive. it tries to read something, you can see some sort of
progress on the top bar in computer but then it asks you to insert a
disk. i think the dvd drive is a PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-K17A ATA Device or
possibly a TOSHIBA MK1237GSX ATA Device. all the devices say they are
working properly.

never had to get involved in this sort of thing before and don't have a
clue where to start. . . . . any advice will be greatly welcomed?


--
craigbenham
Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com

Hi,

Try running a CD/DVD lens cleaner disk. You should be able to get one
inexpensively at most stores that sell blank media disks.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"craigbenham" <craigbenham.3if0g4@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com> wrote in
message news:craigbenham.3if0g4@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com...
>
> I am trying to fix a problem on my dad's laptop (a Toshiba, running
> vista home premium)
>
> the laptop is having difficulty recognising that there is a cd or dvd
> in the drive. it tries to read something, you can see some sort of
> progress on the top bar in computer but then it asks you to insert a
> disk. i think the dvd drive is a PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-K17A ATA Device or
> possibly a TOSHIBA MK1237GSX ATA Device. all the devices say they are
> working properly.
>
> never had to get involved in this sort of thing before and don't have a
> clue where to start. . . . . any advice will be greatly welcomed?
>
>
> --
> craigbenham
> Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com
>

I had the same problem on my dell , it was the drive it self. Hardware
problem, if it's under waranty get a new drive. they pop out real easy 2-3
screws. Call toshiba.

On Wed, 5 Nov 2008 19:20:34 -0500, "Rick Rogers" <rick@mvps.org>
wrote:

>Hi,
>
>Try running a CD/DVD lens cleaner disk. You should be able to get one
>inexpensively at most stores that sell blank media disks.

I see that suggested occasionally but I have yet to read that someone
used a lens cleaner and that it fixed their problem. Have you
actually used one and had it work for you?

Many, many times. It's always my first step with drives that are having
read/write issues. Especially if it "used to work just fine". It doesn't
take much dust/debris to cause a lens problem. And, it's almost always the
cheapest solution.

Keep in mind that quite often users that find a solution never post back
saying so.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"Louie" <louiekapp@bluesky.com> wrote in message
news:q8v4h4h0gjb3qs41gknhk09ekca8lsegr7@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 5 Nov 2008 19:20:34 -0500, "Rick Rogers" <rick@mvps.org>
> wrote:
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>Try running a CD/DVD lens cleaner disk. You should be able to get one
>>inexpensively at most stores that sell blank media disks.
>
> I see that suggested occasionally but I have yet to read that someone
> used a lens cleaner and that it fixed their problem. Have you
> actually used one and had it work for you?

See if this helps. CD\DVD in Vista may not recognize the disk
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939052/en-us
--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"craigbenham" <craigbenham.3if0g4@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com> wrote in message news:craigbenham.3if0g4@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com...
>
> I am trying to fix a problem on my dad's laptop (a Toshiba, running
> vista home premium)
>
> the laptop is having difficulty recognising that there is a cd or dvd
> in the drive. it tries to read something, you can see some sort of
> progress on the top bar in computer but then it asks you to insert a
> disk. i think the dvd drive is a PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-K17A ATA Device or
> possibly a TOSHIBA MK1237GSX ATA Device. all the devices say they are
> working properly.
>
> never had to get involved in this sort of thing before and don't have a
> clue where to start. . . . . any advice will be greatly welcomed?
>
>
> --
> craigbenham
> Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com
>