Is my DVD drive going?

[aimeeandbeatles]

Several odd things are happening:

1) Every so often, when I put a homemade CD or DVD in, it doesn't detect. However rebooting will fix it.
2) More often than not, when burning a CD, it will fail. The CDs often smell terrible and feel really hot when this happens.
3) I got a game for Christmas, which refused to install on my computer. It made this funny "clicking" noise and rapidly flashing CD light. I usually only get that with scratched discs. At first I thought it was the disc itself (it was scratched) and got an exchange. But the new one, which doesn't have a smudge on it, is acting the same way.
4) Older discs are EXTREMELY noisy. which make me worry they're going to explode or something. But it was like this since I got it.
5) Also some issues with scratched discs as well, which run fine on mom's computer but freeze up mine.


What do you guys think? Is there any sort of test I can do? (I can sacrifice one or two burnable discs.) Also, I'll have to convince the rent-to-own place because they're the ones who pay for the repairs.

EDIT: Ought to mention the drive itself is a Drive HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GH20NS15. I got this from HWiNFO32. On the drive it says "Super multi, LG, SecurDisc." I'm not allowed to open it up to see the sticker.

 

[Zelig]

It's like $25 to just buy a new drive.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Yes and my mother to try to fight to get it.

 

[Turner]

Get a job. Then you'd have your own money, and could buy whatever you wanted.

Honestly, as much as you've posted about your mother here, I'm surprised she's not serving several life sentences. Either you're making her out worse than she really is, or are completely making it up.

In any event, if you have your own money, not much she can say about what you buy....

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I do have a job. I deliver newspapers. My mom takes all the money away.

 

[Turner]

Well, it's just you and her, right? I'm sure she's not blowing it on cigs and alcohol....she probably depends on you to help out where you can.

Anyways, DVD drives are extremely cheap. Put a couple bucks aside a week, and you'd have enough for a new drive in no time.

 

[Mise]

Have you tried rebooting?

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Several times. The problems have been going on the last couple weeks, at least. More than a month.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

My mom actually believes me. (Probably because when her CD drive broke, she paid $40 to a tech to tell her the same thing I did.)

Should I getting a slightly slower CD drive ? Because mine makes a lot of racket which drives me crazy. Then again, I'm already crazy. So, you know. I don't know the speed of the current drive, though.

And what's a reliable brand? Current one is LG. My old computer had a Lite-On which was quite better. A lot quieter and only a few coasters (like three or four in the two years I had it)

 

[GoodGame]

#3 makes me think the drive is going. Any kind of unusual noise should be taken seriously as a sign of imminent failure.

#1,2 could just be other issues---burning software, particularities of the drivers, etc...

I like Samsung, but really you shouldn't spend more than like $30 for a drive, unless you want mad, modern features.

 

[civ_king]

and it better be quiet too