# CD not detected

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-not-detected/223625>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 9, 2004, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-not-detected/223625 "2004-01-09T12:35:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-not-detected/223625/1 "2004-01-09T12:35:31Z")

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My computer’s CD drive is playing up a little. Brand new, clean CD’s are sometimes misread or not detected at all - I am told that the drive is idle even though a CD is sitting in it.

Are there any quick diagnostics I can run (OS: Windows 98) to see if this is a driver software problem, or is there any way I can safely clean the optical elements in case _this_ is the problem?

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**Author:** ![Quint\_Essence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/54ee81/32.png) [@Quint\_Essence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint_Essence)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-not-detected/223625/2 "2004-01-09T13:31:56Z")

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canned air is your friend…

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**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-not-detected/223625/3 "2004-01-09T14:41:17Z")

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Open the case and check the ribbon cable to the CD. Make sure it’s connected securely on both ends.

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**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-not-detected/223625/4 "2004-01-09T15:00:35Z")

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Yeah, checked the cables, and the IDE status seems to check out.

The puzzling thing is that the problem emerges _gradually_ during a session. When I switch on the computer after it’s been off all day, it will usually read any CD fine. However, _change_ the CD (or even simply open and close the CD tray) and it will make stuttering noise, as though it starts to spin and then inexplicably stops as it gets up near full speed. Eventually it does not even spin, but tells me that the drive is idle and no CD is detected. Restarting, or even turning the computer off for some minutes, doesn’t help.

However, leaving it off for a few _hours_ definitely _does_ help! This is why I suspect that it the problem is physical in nature, but any hints on checking the BIOS or software would be greatly appreciated.