CD drive question

[Ivan the Kulak]

I've got a funny problem with one of my PCs running win98. Whenever I run a certain game, after a while the game will freeze and I hear the CD drive going "click click". Sometimes, opening and closing the tray will fix the problem, sometimes not. The game depends on the CD for the music tracks, and needs the disc in the drive. Strangely, the CD drive seems to work normally otherwise, and will play music from other CDs. I know it's not the game disc, as I have 2, and it does it with both. Reinstalling does not fix the problem. The drive is old and I'm guessing it needs replacing, but before I go the expense, I was wondering if anyone might know if another component in the PC could cause this. I'd hate to spend $$$ getting a new CD drive, and then still have the problem.

 

[Zakharov]

From your description, it certainly sounds as though the cd drive is on its last legs. Optical drives just aren't as durable as other parts of a computer. All it takes is for the lens to distort by a tiny amount and the entire drive becomes useless.

I would wait for other opinions before spending any money, though I am fairly confident that the cd drive is the problem.

You shouldn't need to spend much on a new drive though. If you don't need burning capability then a dvd/cd combo drive should cost less than $30. Even a dvd/cd burner will be under $40.

 

[Wolfe Tone]

It's probably about time you upgraded to a DVD drive. They aren't all that dear. In fact DVD burners are really cheap to now a days

 

[Padma]

two weeks ago I spent $80 for a dual-DVD burner. It burns double-size DVDs as well as standard 2G DVDs. And CDs, of course.

"Normal" DVD-burners were running about $40-$50, IIRC.

 

[Ivan the Kulak]

Yeah, I'm guessing it's the CD drive too. It seems to happen after I've been playing awhile, and things seem to heat up in there more than they used to.

I can get another CD drive at my local Best Buy for about $50, I'll probably go that route. No point in a DVD drive for that PC, I only use it for "legacy" games, including Civ2. it's been a great PC up to this point, even though it's old, so I hate to junk it.

 

[Speedo]

I can get another CD drive at my local Best Buy for about $50, I'll probably go that route. No point in a DVD drive for that PC, I only use it for "legacy" games, including Civ2. it's been a great PC up to this point, even though it's old, so I hate to junk it.

You can get plain CD-ROM drives on newegg for about $15...

 

[Ivan the Kulak]

But then you have to WAIT....

I'd rather just get it, and take the hit. Besides, if the drive were to go again I can take it back to Best Buy, and scream at the poor clerks who sold it to me...

As an aside, if I were to decide to grab a CD burner (they're only a little more, IIRC), can anyone recommend any free CD-burning software that will work under win98? And I don't mean any trial period stuff, it would have to be freeware. Like I said, I don't plan on dumping much money into this PC.

 

[Cedric Greene]

two weeks ago I spent $80 for a dual-DVD burner. It burns double-size DVDs as well as standard 2G DVDs. And CDs, of course.

"Normal" DVD-burners were running about $40-$50, IIRC.

Holy hell, I payed $40 for mine over a year ago, did you get an external or something?

 

[Speedo]

I'd rather just get it, and take the hit. Besides, if the drive were to go again I can take it back to Best Buy, and scream at the poor clerks who sold it to me...

Eh, your loss.

Holy hell, I payed $40 for mine over a year ago, did you get an external or something?

Heck I, my burner will do dual layer, +/- R/RW... basically any kind of DVD you can get now. Cost me $50.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

I got mine for $60. Dual Layer too.

 

[Padma]

Okay, maybe I got a poor deal.