Disc Drive Help

[The Doctor]

So, I've been trying to find a solution to this problem online for weeks now, and have gotten nowhere. I can't even get an answer at the official Toshiba support forums, and I don't know where else to turn to get this fixed.

 

My laptop's disc drive seems to be at war with a select few DVD discs. It runs all CDs fine, and most DVDs. But for some reason, certain DVDs refuse to play no matter what I do. I insert the disc, it does the usual startup of the drive and everything; and then it starts making an odd clicking/whirring sound for a number of minutes before stopping altogether. When it does stop, the computer doesn't even recognise that there's a disc in the drive at all.

 

The kicker is, it differs with discs of the same set. For example, all the discs in the 4th season of Supernatural will run fine except disc 2, which consistently gives me this weird noise. The disc is clean, undamaged, and store-bought from FutureShop not two months ago. It's worked in the drive just fine before, but now doesn't seem to want to cooperate. I've tried updating the drivers for and completely reinstalling the drive already, and neither had any effect. The same disc works just fine in the DVD player AND my fiancée's laptop.

 

What exactly is going on here? Why would this specific disc, undamaged and legitimate, not work in a fully functional disc drive that plays just about everything else I've tried?

[Lynk Former]

Usually when something like that happens it's because the drive itself is sucky to begin with. I remember issues like that happening frequently with early DVD players but it hasn't occurred in recent years because the quality of players have gone up.

[JesusIsGonnaOwnSatan]

I remember having this problem at one point.

 

Unfortunately, I can't remember if/how I fixed it

 

all the discs in the 4th season of Supernatural

 

Approve.

[.:Lord Revan:.]

My mom had the same problem with hers....on a toshiba, you need to take it in and get it replaced. Is you computer old?

[Darth Avlectus]

I've had similar problems when I used to use my old Vaio laptop.

 

Mine was a problem with how many application/processes at first, then it didn't seem to want to work at all--seems the reader VSCEL (vertical cavity surface emitting laser) eye was the littlest bit dirty. Usually a Q-tip and alcohol G-E-N-T-L-Y (can't emphasize that enough) used will work though you really should try blowing dust off of it first.

 

Then there is the matter of firmware or cheap manufacturing/buggy compatibility. Usually not a problem with Toshiba... unless they decided to go cheap on manufacturing. My only suggestion in this unlikely case is replace with new unit, possibly of a different brand. Though in a laptop this can quickly get to be more of a hassle than it's worth.

 

Otherwise I don't really know what else to tell you.