Computer Hardware Help → Laptop won't read my burned CD/DVDs

Was given a HP zx5000, combo drive will read commercial cd and dvds just fine, but anything I've burned over the years it won't read, it just spins up and down. I use top quality media(Taiyo Yuden, Verbatim) and they all read on other PC's.

I've basically tried everything, even the registry hack to remove upper and lower filters, installed different software.
This is important to transfer files and programs.

Drive is a HL-DT-ST DVD-RW GWA-4080N
There are no firmware updates for this drive on HP's site.

Thanks in advance.

Then you're stuck until you replace that drive or use another type of CD it recognizes. For example, it may not recognize CD-R but recognizes CD+R.

If you don't know the CD media type, download ImgBurn (free) and run it on a computer with a working CD drive that'll read your unreadable CD. Select Mode>Read. Pop in the CD and let it initialize. Second line that says "Current profile" is the media type your laptop CD drive doesn't recognize.

Has to be a hardware or driver issue, my burned discs have never not been recognized in several PC's.

That doesn't matter. The issue is does the laptop drive support the media type.

Per Nero info tool yes.
Could be a worn optical lens?

Dunno, but now the drive is suspect. Replace the drive.

do you have another system to test on?

do you have another system to test on?

Not a bad idea I could try it in my linux box.

try to change your cd drive and check your old drive in another computer.