Pavilion dv9700 CD/DVD Drive No Longer Reads or Burns Disks [ Edited ]

[DJShaan]

Like the title says, my laptop's CD/DVD drive essentially doesn't read or burn disks anymore.  Whenever I try to play a music CD or DVD, the song or video takes forever to load, plays incredibly choppy, sometimes freezes/crashes the media playing program, and sometimes doesn't even load at all.  Whenever I try to burn a CD, 80% of the time the computer doesn't even recognize I have a blank disk inserted, and the other 20% it burns incredible slowly and never finishes.  Under "Device Manager," it lists the device as working properly with no errors.  I've had this problem for months, so I'm not sure what "recent changes" may have had an affect on all this.  If I remember correctly, the drive just died one day.

I've searched HP's website, and have been unable to find out how to go about replacing my laptop's CD drive.  I'm fairly sure my laptop is not under warranty.  Is there any kind of HP hardware repair service?  Is it possible to replace the CD drive myself?

Notebook Stats:

HP Pavilion dv9700 Notebook

S/N:  [text removed for privacy]

P/N:  KL088AV

Windows XP SP 3

TSSTcorp CDDVDW TS-L632N CD/DVD Drive

-Driver version 5.1.2535.0

I'm also planning on upgrading my laptop to Vista this weekend.  I can't imagine that having any effect on the CD drive (can't get any worse than broken), but should I hold off?  Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[DJShaan]

Anyone?

[Big_Dave]

Forget VISTA, do a clean install of Windows 7. 

If you have room on your HD, then shrink your C partition (EASYUS will work on XP) and do a clean install of VISTA or W7 into this new partition. This process will also give you "dual boot" which allows you to boot either OS.  This way you can test your software etc...

Backup up everything just in case you run into problems.

If you notice below, I using a DV9700t and I run multiple operating systems.

[DJShaan]

Hey Dave, I appreciate the advice, but my post isn't really about Windows Vista, it's about my malfunctioning CD Drive.  Any thoughts on how to fix it?

[Airborne22]

I have a similar problem.  My drive isn't even recognized by the BIOS.  And now my battery will not charge.  I have been told by HP that it is the motherboard, and, after researching this, have found that it is a common problem with this model as the board has known issues.  The new replacement board has had these issues fixed. 

[carverman2004]

Was there a solution to this problem? I also have a DV9720US Laptop and likewise, Device manager doesn't recognize my DVD/CD... I've tried the Microsoft tool for Regedit. My Bios does recognize the drive. I'm running Vista SP3. Any thoughts from anyone?

[gretschrocks]

Flip the computer over near the center of the cd/dvd is a screw. remove it. its right next to a hole that has a picture of a keyboard.. remove the screw pull the drive. don't forget to get any disk you might in the drive out.

Now the bad news the drives are running on eBay from 70.00 + to 90.00.

reverse the procedure to install the new drive.

Rich

[text removed for privacy]

[Ignatz1]

I have this exact problem as well. My Dv9700 will no longer recognize my CD/DVD Lightscribe drive.

Here's the worst part. While working with HP to extend my warranty (which HP sent me the notification to do), they required that I run some tests for them to verify that my computer was working satisfactorily. It passed all tests with flying colors. They allowed me to purchase software warranty right then, but they stated that I had to call back the next day to get the hardware warranty.

I called back the next day. We ran through the same tests again - all passed just fine - then they told me that they could not sell me the hardware warranty because my computer was too old and no longer supported. WHAT ! ! ! I had extended the warranty for 2 years after the original factory warranty and now, upon their notification, I wanted to extend it again but they would not allow it and the service person actually told me that my model had too many service issues and that they no longer would warranty it.  Needless to say I immediately cancelled my software warranty, too.

All that said, NOW my CD/DVD Lightscribe drive is not being recognized by my system either.

I guess I'm screwed. I can't get HP support anymore and they don't appear to even seel the drive need. Talk about hanging a longtime customer out to dry.

I own 3 HP Pavilion computers in the family and I feel like throwing them all out in the trash if this is how HP is going to support them. I am amazed and very let down by HP's position on this.

Needless to say, if they will not make this right, I do not expect that I will ever buy any HP products again and I will make sure that everyone I can contact will know howI was treated by HP.

In today's competitive computer market, this level of commitment is not going to be tolerated. There are many options for computers out there and HP will not survive if this is going to be their service position.

'Nuf said. I have the identical problem you have and I suspect that HP has known for quite some time that this was going to occur and cut their losses so that they did not have a recall on the scale of Toyota to deal with

I certainly hope I'm wrong on that, but it sure looks that way to this longtome HP customer.

[netherdragon]

I'm having this horrible problem as well. Recently, my dv9700 has begun to overheat as well. I'm guessing perhaps the overheating some how burnt out the CD drive. It doesn't recognize whether a CD is in it or not. I've gone through several different laptops: Acer, Compaq, Dell, and now HP. Is there a company that actually makes good notebook computers?

[flybeech]

I've had the same problem of the optical drive not being recognized on two of my Compaq/HP laptops in the same series. In both cases, the problem was the GPU having been too hot. After verifying the probem stil existed after swapping in a known good drive. In my cases, the optical drive wasn't recognized in bios. I took the opportunity to upgrade motherboards to the discrete version with HDMI and fill all gaps with hand-fitted copper shims and a good silver-based thermal compound, after cleaning the accumulated dirt and lint that covered the fins on the heat-sink radiators.