Quickly, I try to accumulate, refurbish, reoutfit older computers and give them to retirees. An ancillary purpose is to further my understanding ... I see a fair number of machines.
A current problem (and I've seen it fairly often) is that the CD drive will seemingly run fine one day but then the next day it whirs and whines like it's trying to build up speed, kinda stopping and starting as well. While fairly old, the drive is to my knowledge OK and has currently worked in other machines. Last evening it whirred, whined, stopped, started, coughed, snorted, etc for the longest time ... and then gave me that blue screen that the CD may need cleaning ... a sign to me that the drive is not reading it (the CD looks to be as clean and shiney as can be and it works easily in other machines). I guess an alternative could be an inadequate power supply ... not enough juice to get it spinning to full speed ??
Any ideas as to alternatives or ways to verify, validate, pin down, test, etc. I'll take any and all suggestions ... with a great deal of gratitude.
Thanks.

A current problem (and I've seen it fairly often) is that the CD drive will seemingly run fine one day but then the next day it whirs and whines like it's trying to build up speed, kinda stopping and starting as well. While fairly old, the drive is to my knowledge OK and has currently worked in other machines. Last evening it whirred, whined, stopped, started, coughed, snorted, etc for the longest time ... and then gave me that blue screen that the CD may need cleaning ... a sign to me that the drive is not reading it (the CD looks to be as clean and shiney as can be and it works easily in other machines). I guess an alternative could be an inadequate power supply ... not enough juice to get it spinning to full speed ??
Any ideas as to alternatives or ways to verify, validate, pin down, test, etc. I'll take any and all suggestions ... with a great deal of gratitude.
Thanks.