I have a Sony PCG-K37. Approximately a year ago the cd/dvd burner stopped working properly -- can hear it attempting to start, doesn't and eventually stops. Device Manager says it is functioning properly -- NOT! Then, a month ago the computer crashed. I have a new hard disk which I have installed; however, without the cd/dvd drive operating, I cannot run the recovery dvd. Is there anything that can be done to kick start the cd/dvd drive or does it need to be replaced as well? Thank you!:wave:

Welcome to techhelpforum.

Your optical drive may be reported as working by the O/S if the logics (circuit boards) in it are functional. However, if a motor in it has died, then it's time to replace the unit.

If you have a floppy drive on your machine, you can check the drives functionality in DOS;

Boot with a Win98SE Boot Disk* choosing "With CDROM Support".

Insert a Windows CD (or any "factory" data CD, not music) into the drive(s) and at the A:\> prompt, type in dir/a/-p %cdrom%: (or dir/a/-p x: (where x: is the device letter assigned to the drive(s) during the boot process) and hit Enter. If you get a directory listing, the hardware aspect of the drive(s) is OK, and the problem lies within Windows.



*The above bootdisk image file is a self extracting file and has to be executed (run) from a running Windows machine in order to create the actual startup diskette on one of your floppy disks. (This image file produces the same bootdisk which 98SE creates.) This downloaded image file will format the floppy disk to ensure its integrity, write the files to the disk, then verify the file write, so it'll take a minute or three to create the bootdisk.

Ensure the floppy drive is set as the first boot device in the bios.

NOTE: When you boot a machine with this boot floppy, it creates a RAMDRIVE in system memory to contain DOS system tools/drivers. Thus it will move your "normal" CDROM device/drive letter "up" one level. (If your CDROM is normally E: it will be F: when booting with this bootdisk.)

The path to the found CDROM will be set with the bootfiles, so entering A:\>f:\setup is the same as entering A:\>setup at the A:\> prompt. There is no need to include the cdrom drive letter. The CDROM device letter will be assigned near the end of the floppy boot process, right after MSCDEX is loaded.