DVD-RW reads DVDs but not CDs

[jeffeulogy]

i have a Sony DWD-22a. it's stopped recognizing CD-ROMs and audio CDs completely. DVD playback is spottier than it had been, it seems like it's suddenly more sensitive to scratches and smudges. some discs are seemingly playing at somewhat faster than normal speed with video LAN and nero showtime but rip to the hard drive just fine with DVD decryptor. i couldn't find updated firmware.

the drive worked just fine for about 2 months. has the hardware failed? or could there be another cause?

[RJ]

DVD drives have two different lasers. One for CDs and one for DVDs. Looks like the laser for CDs died. If the drive is only 2 months old, RMA it.

RJ

[jeffeulogy]

i took the drive apart, sprayed the inside out really well with compressed air then tried it a different computer. no dice, so i guess you're right about the laser being burned out.

what could have caused this? would a faulty psu do this? i have a dvd-rom from a dell that died of a bad psu which reads CDs but not DVDs so i'm wondering.

[RJ]

It'd say it was just a bad part. It just happens, though seldom, even if you have a quality brand one.

A faulty PSU can cause damage to a device. Dunno if it can cause damage to a single laser, though. Normally when a PSU burns something out, it's gone for good, not only a part of it.

RJ

[glc]

This is why I recommend dual drives - as not to subject a DVD burner to the wear and tear of reading every optical disk you want to load. DVD readers are less than 30 bucks.