My dvd drive doesn't read or write

somebody please help me. my compaqs hp 300n dvd drive doesn't read or write dvds. i have no idea as to what the problem might be. i have downloaded the firmware update from hp. but nothing. it couldn't play dvds for a while now. i did a system restore back to factory default awhile ago and it breifly played. but i have too many files on the computer now to do it again. since i cant play or burn dvd's i cant back up the system. i do know that my brother switched the dvd drive with the cd rom drive but then switched it back. this could be the problem but i do not know. please help me to solve this problem. this is the family computer so i can't do too much.

Does it work with CDs, both playing and burning?

What speed are you trying to burn at?

What media type are you using? (+R or -R)?

Will it play a pre-recorded (commercial) DVD?

Does it "see" that media has been inserted?

Why did your brother switch the drives?

it reads and rights cds

any speed

its supposed to do both and rw

no

i have no idea it was probably for fun

windows detects it in device manager. its weird because i think windows doesn't recognize it as a dvd player but as a cd player so it won't play or even write a dvd. im lost

check this. i went surfing the web and i came across another forum. coincidently this guy had the same problem. however his problem was fixed by renaming the control sets for the dvd player in the registry. since his problem is almost exactly the same i'll (reluctantly) try it. the only thing is that he put the drive in another computer and used its control sets values. unfortunately i don't have another computer yet so i don't know if it will work. that and i'm not sure i should be messing with the registry this early. btw thanks for the help or the consideration anyway. if this does not work. I'LL BE BACk:)

OK chaosclown, let's look at what we have here after the first pass?

1. It will read and write CDs............ they are not as "accurate" as DVDs, but this does suggest that the device is working? (incidentally, running a cleaning disk might still be a good idea)

2. I think that your device will only burn at around 3x or 4x.

3. You missed my question; it will write and re-write, but what format media? My understanding of that type of drive is that it needs the DVD +R format of media, and will not work with -R?

4. That is a problem..........if it does not detect media then nothing will work.

5. I would have guessed he was trying to fix the problem perhaps.......?;)

6. You may have the same problem as the other guy, and props to you for doing your own research:D

I would try the following:

1. Run a cleaning CD at least 3 times.
2. In "device manager" uninstall the device, reboot and let Windows re-detect it..............make sure that you know where the driver is.