CDRW/DVD drive not reading DVD's after XP reinstall

[Guest]

My CDRW/DVD drive is not reading DVD's after a clean install of Xp home
version (followed by xpsp2- might this be the problem?). The drive is a
Samsung CDRW/DVD SN324B on Dell Inspiron 1100. The drive is reading data
cds and music cd's correctly. However, when I put in the DVD, the drive
spins, cliques a few times and then stops. I have installed and reinstalled
Intervideo software. The fairly useless person for Dell support had me
install a Direct X program (I forgot which one). He said it was the
hardware, but if the drive is read data adn music, it seems to me that its a
software isse.

any thoughts?

Thanks

Carlos

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Seems you have forgotten to reinstall your DVD decoding software - usually
PowerDVD or WinDVD.

 

[Guest]

No. I installed WinDvd (intervideo) and it still is not working.

Also, when I go to my computer and click on the Dvd drive, when there is a
DVD in it, the shows an empty folder. It doesn't read the DVD at all.

Carlos

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Try a cleaning kit..... but the laser may not be working, the CD and DVD
part of the drive have different lasers. In that case you'd need to replace
the drive.