LG GCC-4243N reads CDs but won't read DVDs anymore

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CPeterson3 - 29 Aug 2008 01:01 GMT

Hi,
I just replaced my hard drive on my Dell 600m, so I had to reinstall Windows
XP SP2 and all my drivers, etc. Everything seemed to go OK, BUT the CD/DVD
drive (HL-DT-ST RW/DVD GCC-4243N) in my 600m will no longer read DVDs of any
kind, not data and not movies. It used to read DVDs before with no problem.
It reads audio CDs now no problem, but when I put a DVD into the drive, it
does absolutely nothing, doesn't even complain or give me an error warning.
I think the hardware is fine, but I wonder if I need some sort of software
file or codecs to make the 'dual' function to work. As a hope, I have since
downloaded and updated to XP service pack 3, but it didn't help. I'm not
sure where to look to solve the problem. My GCC-4243N has drivers level A103
in it now (firmware?). Anyone have any ideas on how I can restore my ability
to read DVDs? It never was a DVD writer, only a reader. Thanks.

Craig

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smh - 29 Aug 2008 05:48 GMT

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> Hi,
> I just replaced my hard drive on my Dell 600m, so I had to reinstall Windows
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Craig

Double check that you did not 'disturb' the drive connection when you
installed new hard drive.

Go into the Device Manager, DVD/CD-ROM section and see if everything
looks normal, like 'This device is working properly'.

Dell has a diagnostic utility in a hidden partition. If you copied it to
new drive, try it by F12 when you start the system. (Also, see if you
have a diagnostic disc.)

How old is the system? Maybe the drive reached its end?

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CPeterson3 - 29 Aug 2008 16:14 GMT

>Double check that you did not 'disturb' the drive connection when you
>installed new hard drive.

My CD/DVD drive appears to be just fine, hardware wise. It reads audio and
data CDs just fine, so I doubt that I could have disturbed anything that way.
The system sees and it uses it. But the system just doesn't see DVDs in it.
Even the nomenclature every refers to the device as a CD/DVD drive.

>Go into the Device Manager, DVD/CD-ROM section and see if everything
>looks normal, like 'This device is working properly'.

The Device Manager reports that "this device is working properly." It even
reports the device type as "DVD/CD-ROM drives", and also it has a tab in the
dev mgr screen for "DVD Region". All indications are that the system sees it
as a DVD capable drive. But it won't read DVDs.

>Dell has a diagnostic utility in a hidden partition. If you copied it to
>new drive, try it by F12 when you start the system. (Also, see if you
>have a diagnostic disc.)

When I installed the new hard drive, I didn't set up or load that extra
partition. But I do have the diagnositics CD, and I did run that (which
meant I had to use the "CD" player to read it, and it did). The diagnostics
ran just fine on it, but the diagnostics only did CD type activities, not DVD,
from what I could see.

>How old is the system? Maybe the drive reached its end?

The computer was purchased in mid 2004. I'm confident that the drive has not
given up its ghost yet, as evident by the reading that it does do. Plus, I
think it will scream error messages at some point if it were in trouble. BUT,
it just does not want to recognize a DVD placed inside of it. I'd love to
understand better how a "dual" drive like this GCC-4243N does it's thing.
Hardware wise it appears to be OK. But does it use a special driver or a
special decoder to read a DVD? I don't know. I wonder, if in the process of
reinstalling Win, that stuff didn't get re-uped. Any more thoughts?

Craig

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Ed Light - 29 Aug 2008 19:29 GMT

Do you have Nero infotool?

http://www.nero.com/enu/downloads-infotools.html

It will show if the drive should read DVD's. Maybe not that helpful.

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smh - 29 Aug 2008 21:08 GMT

> >Double check that you did not 'disturb' the drive connection when you
> >installed new hard drive.
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> ran just fine on it, but the diagnostics only did CD type activities, not DVD,
> from what I could see.

Take out the diagnostic cd and insert a dvd disc before test.

> >How old is the system? Maybe the drive reached its end?
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> special decoder to read a DVD? I don't know. I wonder, if in the process of
> reinstalling Win, that stuff didn't get re-uped. Any more thoughts?

Go into Device Manager, right-click the drive and choose 'Uninstall'.
When you reboot, Windows should find the drive and (re)install drivers
automatically.

Open the tray/drive and inspect for any 'abnormality' (and you might try
cleaning the laser lens).

Here are problems opposite to yours - read dvd, but not cd:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/CD-ROMS-DVD-2114/Combo-Drive-CDRW-won.htm
http://www.fixya.com/support/t140187-combo_drive_cd_not_reading_but_dvd_ok
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=101596

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