Starting today sometime, my Toshiba SD-R2512 had begun to refuse to read DVD type discs. The reason for this is beyond me, but I recently did a format and reinstall of XP Pro. Not long after that, my DVD-ROM didn't read DVDs anymore at all. I've tried DVD-R, DVD-ROM, DVD-Video but none worked and they all gave me the same problem.

When you put it in and it gets read, you hear it do that little thumping sound and hear faint beeps of the electronics working it normally does when it begins to spin up, except that it doesnt spin up at all, it just reads the disc a little bit or tries to read it about 3 times and following that, it stops doing anything. The drive becomes silent and the orange light stays lit and doesn't turn off. I don't know what would cause a drive to refuse to read DVDs but read CDs only.

I checked the device settings, took it out and used an air can on it in some spots it was a little bit dirty at and then when I put it back no luck. The few reasons I have for this is maybe the firmware (you don't have to be in Windows or DOS to observe this problem, so it is obviously either a firmware if the drive has a chip for it, or hardware problem). Drivers being the cause can't be the problem, so I'm sure it is firmware or just the drive is going bad. I'd hate to buy a new one (even though if I were to, I'd probably go for a diffrent brand than Toshiba, and have it a CD-RW/DVD-RW combination drive instead of just my CD-RW/DVD-ROM). One more thing I noticed is that when I uninstall the driver in the device manager then reinstall it, the system identifies the drive as a CD-ROM. It does not say DVD-ROM or anything. It does however say in the tray while the drivers are being loaded in that it is a Toshiba DVD-ROM SD-R2512, however dispite this, it doesn't read DVDs. That led me to believe the drive is damaged or the firmware onboard it needs a refresh. Since I just did a format and reinstall of windows, I had no Antivirus software installed at that time and I was currently doing windows updates, the most vulnerable time for your machine I'm told. Should I even consider the possibility of an infection which effected the drive?

What I'd like to know is what can cause a problem like this? What makes a drive read one kind of disc perfectly good and not read another at all? If also possible, could someone point me at a page with some firmware designed for this drive?

I just bought a new keyboard and now this. Oh well, it had a pretty good lifespan anyways.

I have exactly the same problem with my 5680. I have updated firmware, but it doesn't help. CD-RW work, but not peferctly. I had to reload recordable CD sevral times sometimes before it works.

Not really much (read: any) help, but I'm semi-relieved to hear I'm not the only one who is having this problem on their 5680. DvD-R's that I KNOW have files on them get read as empty, no DVDs play period. This seems to be just a recent issue (within the last 3 months).

Normally this would indicate that a couple of problems may be prevelant. The first is that the lens/mirrors are dirty and the second is that these are slightly "out of killter". You might try a CD/DVD drive cleaner and if that does not work, then us a bit of rubbing alchol on a Q-Tip and gently try to clean the lens in the CD/DVD device try. When I accomplish this cleaning procedure, I do it about six or seven time - waiting about two minutes between each try. Then after I am done with the "Wet" swap treatment, I follow this with a dry wipe and then the cleaning disc. If a CD/DVD device tends to "favor" one type of device over another (DVD) and then only allow CD Reads (And only those that are "store bought"), this indicates someting is dirty. I am a heavy smoker and that really comes into play with these device failures.

I had used just the cleaning disk before and it hadn't worked. The alcohol and Q-tip method did. Thanks a bunch, I was getting worried after searching through other forums with people that had similar problems that I'd have to invest in a new drive since the concensus was that a laser failure was the cause. *hugs the money you just saved him*

Glad to help. I replaced a couple of drives before I became "Smarter".

Been a while since I checked this post.
I should try that cleaning method out. Oh, and smoking is bad for your computer too. Especially the hard drive. Smoke will destroy data. =P

And thanks.

I just took apart my 5680 for some cleaning. The fans blow tons of dust everywhere, including INTO the cd-rom. Clean that sucker up first, may be that simple.