Cd burner no longer working (Windows 10)

[roy2000]

I have been burning cds and dvds for years with Nero Express Version 11 and never had a problem. I use verbatim brand media.
Suddenly it no longer works. I've dl other trial software (Burnaware, Ashampoo) and have the same problem. Burn failed.
I've tried reducing the speed from 24 to 16.
The cd-drive will read cds so I guess its fine.
I went to Dell and microsoft and did all the updates.


I am also looking for a free software that will tell me about the discs.

Tech Support Guy System Info Utility version 1.0.0.9
OS Version: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro, 64 bit, Build 18362, Installed 20190803183829.000000-420
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8550U CPU @ 1.80GHz, Intel64 Family 6 Model 142 Stepping 10, CPU Count: 8
Total Physical RAM: 16 GB
Graphics Card: Radeon (TM) 530
Hard Drives: C: 1847 GB (560 GB Free);
Motherboard: Dell Inc. 0YDF7T, ver X06, s/n /G1S8Z32/CN129667BB024A/
System: Dell Inc., ver DELL - 1072009, s/n G1S8Z32
Antivirus: Windows Defender, Enabled and Updated

thanx

 

[Gr3iz]

It is possible that your burner has failed. It uses separate lasers to write and read.

As far as the disk info, I believe Nero does display that info. It's been a while since I've used it ...

 

[roy2000]

Thanx, I'll check Nero.
Is there a way to test burner? If its bad, are they a challenge to replace? I'm pretty handy but this is a laptop and I spent most of my time with towers.
Thanx again for the quick response.

 

[Gr3iz]

The problem with laptops is that the pieces/parts are so proprietary. The drive itself is probably somewhat common, but all the plastic that's attached is not. You should be able to remove/replace much of it fairly easily. Where I've had a little difficulty has been the fascia, the plastic on the front of the drawer. I've been successful most of the time, but have broken a few over the years. The drive itself will have a manufacturer name and model number. You can try searching for that, though it does not need to be the same make/model. It just needs to be the same shape/size.

Or, you may find the entire assembly online. Just be sure it matches exactly. As I said, laptop components are very proprietary.

 

[roy2000]

thanx for the insight. I will look into an external burner. Any suggestions?

 

[Gr3iz]

You are most welcome. I haven't used an external, so cannot really provide any specific suggestions. Sorry.

 

[Couriant]

Actually for this model, replacing the internal drive is not hard at all. Start at page 13 of the manual for instructions. You will only need to remove one screw and need a flathead screwdriver to push the drive out.

Then if you need it, you will need to remove a couple of pieces from the drive to put on the new one.

Video on the replacement drive

Looks like Amazon has the drives for about $30ish... You can always use the Dell Chat to get the part number and the cost of the drive.

Also, and maybe some of the older members can confirm, there was a lens cleaner back in the day... i wonder if that can help?

 

[roy2000]

Thank you. I will look into replacing it. I see there are other videos on replacing the inspiron optical drives. Some are more complicated than others. I will try to find the one for my model P75F001
Since my post I went to Amazon and bought this replacement for $24. It worked on the first try.
Rioddas External CD Drive, USB 3.0 Portable CD/DVD +/-RW Drive Slim DVD/CD ROM Rewriter Burner Compatible with Laptop Desktop PC Windows Linux OS Apple Mac(Black)
thanx

 

[crjdriver]

Also, and maybe some of the older members can confirm, there was a lens cleaner back in the day

I am not old; just well seasoned Yes, there were cleaners for optical drives however I cannot recall ever using one. I just disassembled the drive and cleaned the lens and other parts with alcohol. This worked most of the time. Back then an optical drive/burner cost quite a bit more than today. My very first CD burner was $350 and it was all of 4X.

 

[Couriant]

Thank you. I will look into replacing it. I see there are other videos on replacing the inspiron optical drives. Some are more complicated than others. I will try to find the one for my model P75F001
Since my post I went to Amazon and bought this replacement for $24. It worked on the first try.
Rioddas External CD Drive, USB 3.0 Portable CD/DVD +/-RW Drive Slim DVD/CD ROM Rewriter Burner Compatible with Laptop Desktop PC Windows Linux OS Apple Mac(Black)
thanx

Externals are a good option as they can be used on other computers.