Why won't my dvd drive work

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I have 2 pc's an old one running ME and a new PC running XP.
The old PC has a dvd drive (reader only).
The new PC has a writable dvd.
The new PC will burn dvd's cd's and will read them Ok, it will read shop
bought cd's and some dvd's but will not read other's (both movies and games).
The old PC will read, for example ea games lord of the ring battle for
middle earth II but the new PC won't. If I move the dvd reader from the old
PC to the new PC it won't then read the dvd. I have upgraded the new PC with
all of the windows updates, I have updated the firmware on the dvd drive, I
have ripped my hair out, kicked the cat (only joking). Please help me
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
One issue could be 40 core versus 80 core ribbons. I've had machines in the
past where replacing 40 core ribbons with 80 core ones, got rid of data
corruption problems on cd and/or dvd drives.
It's a known issue that when newer/faster hard drive IDE's data transfer
speeds were introduced / 66mhz and higher, 80 core ribbons with their extra
40 "earths/screens" were required to prevent data corruption.
....another obvious one - dust on a laser lens somehwhere ?!

When you say "won't" read, do you mean they won't "track-in" / or if you
prefer, go to "disk-ready," or simply won't "play" ?

....there are SOOOooo many standards and design issues connected with CD/DVD
drives, in addition to hardware considerations, it's a job to know where to
start with this one !

I recently had a PC to work on where a felt "ring" that should have been
stuck to the "idler" in the drive was handed to me by the owner who told me,
"...it came out along with a cd when I ejected it." !! ....in went a new
drive !

On the older machine - if the drive is several years old, treat it to a new
one maybe ?

regards, Richard
 
I think you are missing the point the old dvd drive works fine until I put it
in the new machine, then it has exactly the same problem as the new drive
i.e. you put a dvd in the drive and the drive spins and attempts toread the
dvd then it just stops spinning, if you then look in explorer the drive
displays as empty. the new machine has all 80 core cables. the drive in the
new machine is brand new so I don't think the laser is at fault. Having
looked on the web there are loads of people who are suffering exactly the
same problem and I am convinced that the problem lies in XP.
 
I do see your point.

As I tried to indicate, I've worked on machines where an older cd or dvd
drive will work in one machine but, not another. An "unknown" (to me at
least!) causal factor seems, I suspect, to be the age of the drive and/or
possible differences in the way the elctronics in that drive are interfacing
or interacting with different motherboard chipsets - in different system
boxes.

The simple solution, (that's always worked for me), to a drive that refuses
to go to "disk ready," (using a cd or dvd disc that's okay in a different
drive), is to replace the drive.

Who, (other than MS boffins), knows the mysteries of what Windows does when
it's being installed, and what timings and configurations relating to
hardware it finds in a specific system box are gathered and set, - and who
knows how good it is at correctly interacting with hardware that's being
changed around, and swapped in and out ? I suppose one could reinstall
Windows to see if that cures it but, that's hugely time consuming - for the
sake of the cost of a new drive.

regards, Richard
 
Might be as simple as a power issue, is the power supply got enough juice to run the drive?
 
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