problems with CD-RW

[weendog]

we bought a new Sony Vaio (PCV-RX755) in about August or so. and now my CD-RW drive doesn't work. i had this problem before, but it fixed itself. but now, i think it's dead.

windows can't find it and the tray won't open. i have a dvd-drive as well which windows sometimes won't find but it still opens. anyway, being fairly new to computers, i asked a friend, and he said to check the power cables and maybe try switching them on my cd drives. i looked, checked the cables, but i can't seem to unhook them so i can switch.

is the power the problem or is there something else i should look at?

[Rick]

It’s that new a machine.
Get the drive replaced .
It’s still cover by the warranty

If the Open button on the front of the drive doesn’t work and the drive lights don’t come on when powering the system up then the drive is Toast

If you have a disk in the drive and need to remove it.
On the front of Most cd-rom drives you will see a small hole
about the size of a tooth pick

Take a paper clip
Open it up straight and use one end to press the button inside the hole.
If the drive has any power it will open the drive door

[Budfred]

For opening the CD door with the paper clip, if you press firmly the door will open even if the CD doesn't have any power. This is a mechanical switch to open the door, I have used it with a CDRom that wasn't even in the computer.

Budfred

[Sylvander]

Always make sure that ALL your drives are set to "auto"[detect] in "BIOS Setup > Standard CMOS Setup > Hard Disks > Type"
i.e.
Primary Master : auto
Primary Slave : auto
Secondary Master : auto
Secondary Slave : auto

Make sure the jumpers are set correctly [CD-Drives on Secondary cable] [CD-RW = Master(end connector on cable), CD-ROM = Slave(on middle connector)] and all cables are well connected. If in doubt replace the signal cable with a new/good one.
If you only have one drive on a cable it should go on the end connector [so that you don't have a "tail" of cable in which signals will reverberate like a flute or organ pipe with its resonant frequency].

I spent years enduring an unreliable CD-drive, then discovered the signal [IDE] cable was faulty [and it was like that from new].