- 1). Shut down your computer and remove the power cable from the back of the case. Unscrew the side or top panel of your computer case, if necessary, and remove it from the computer chassis.
- 2). Check the cables running from the back of the DVD reader. Disconnect these cables from the back of the drive. Spray canned air into the connections if they are dusty.
- 3). Check the cables for physical damage, such as rips or tears in the cables or connector ends coming off of the wires. Look at the pins in the interface slots on the DVD reader. If any are bent, you may be able to bend the pins back into place with flat-nose pliers. If the cables or drive is physically damaged, you will need to replace the equipment.
- 4). Put the cables back in firmly. Close the computer case. Plug your computer back in and turn it on. If the interface or power cables are not pushed all the way into the interface slot or they have gotten loose, data loss or drive detection errors can occur.
- 5). Put the lens cleaning DVD in your DVD reader and let it spin up. Spray canned air into the DVD-ROM drive after the lens cleaning DVD has completed its cycle to get any remaining dust.
- 6). Click "Start" and right-click on "My Computer." Go to "Properties." Choose the "Hardware Tab" and click the "Device Manager" button.
- 7). Expand the "CD/DVD Drives" section. Find your currently installed DVD reader and right click the entry. Choose "Properties." Click the "Driver" tab and check the listed information. The driver manufacturer should be the manufacturer of your computer, your DVD reader or Microsoft. Click "Update Driver" to have Microsoft automatically search for the latest driver version.
- 8). Go back to the "Driver" tab if the driver manufacturer is incorrect or you want to do a manual installation of the drivers. Choose "Uninstall." Go to your computer or DVD manufacturer's website to download and install the latest drivers if your DVD reader is using drivers direct from the manufacturer. Driver installation is a straightforward process which does not vary much between manufacturers. An installation wizard appears and after agreeing to the license agreement, click "Next" until the driver is installed. Reboot your computer to have Windows automatically reinstall the device drivers if your DVD reader uses Microsoft drivers.
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