Topic: Help: Dvd Drive Problem (Read 78 times)

krazyman · « **on:** January 23, 2008, 11:50:00 PM »

Hey guys, I am in need of some suggestions. I am currently on my second 360 (first one red ringed) and am having some problems. About a year ago I started having a problem with my 360 reading discs. By the time I decided to do anything about it, the 360 was out of warrenty. I decided to buy a new laser and try and fix the problem myself (instead of paying microsoft $100 for a $5 part). When I initally replaced the laser everthing was working fine for awhile. Then it started failing. I found the cause of this to be the pot resistance being too low. So, I ordered a new laser a few weeks ago and just recieved it. Now I have installed it (I checked the pot resistance this time) and I am now having a new problem. My 360 won't read DVD's at all. It can read CD's fine though. Also it is almost like it doesn't recognize a dvd is in the drive because I can't hear the drive speed up. Any suggestions on what I should do from here? I am already planning to try and lower the pot resistance some as it is a bit high right now (4.2).

reddragon105 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 24, 2008, 06:57:00 AM »

Yes, it sounds like a laser issue. If the disk doesn't spin up at all then it can't even detect that a disk is there. If it spins up slightly, then it's detected the disk but can't read it. As you said, I would try lowering the resistence, 4.2 is relatively high. You sound like you know what you're doing, so give it a go and report back! Take it down to 3.4, or thereabouts, for starters.

krazyman · « **Reply #2 on:** January 26, 2008, 08:48:00 PM »

I tried decreasing to pot resistance, but it didn't make a difference. Next I tried the rubber band trick and this didn't help either. Any suggestions on where I should go from here? I am thinking of buying a whole new dvd drive entirely.

krazyman · « **Reply #3 on:** February 01, 2008, 04:41:00 PM »

I have tried going back to my old laser because it would would on some games every now and then, but when it didn't work, it would give me the "please insert disc into a 360" error. Now this disc is giving my the open tray message too. This leads me to think that the problem is not a result of the laser. Is there anything else that could be causing this error?

GamestationOH · « **Reply #4 on:** February 01, 2008, 10:56:00 PM »

QUOTE(krazyman @ Feb 2 2008, 12:41 AM)

I have tried going back to my old laser because it would would on some games every now and then, but when it didn't work, it would give me the "please insert disc into a 360" error. Now this disc is giving my the open tray message too. This leads me to think that the problem is not a result of the laser. Is there anything else that could be causing this error?

The "please insert disc into a 360" error" can most likely be fixed by a new laser. 18.00 on Ebay.

krazyman · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2008, 08:23:00 AM »

It is not a laser problem, I have bought two lasers in the past. The first one I bought off ebay used to work fine, but the pot resistance was too high so it partially burned out. (but it still works half of the time) I bought a second laser off ebay and it is not working at all. And when I try and go back to the one that works sometimes, it is not working at all. I could have screwed something up when changing the lasers.

This post has been edited by krazyman: Feb 2 2008, 04:24 PM

GamestationOH · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2008, 02:29:00 PM »

Try the plastic square fix... I think that is what it is called. You glue a small square of plastic "cut from a dvd case) to the white laser guide. It fools the drive into believing the laser is lined up to the spindle closer.

Could someone post the link to tutorial and pictures??

RDC · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2008, 03:40:00 PM »

Hitachi or Samsung? If it's a Hitachi the spindle motor could be the cause, unless you can hear the disc spin up. Likewise all the laser reinstalling you've done may have damaged the flex cable to the laser, check the end of it and make sure none of the contacts are messed up and try another one if ya have access to it.

krazyman · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2008, 11:16:00 PM »

It is a samsung drive. I think the flex cable is the problem, I noticed some of the metal contract strips were peeled away. Is there anywhere I can by a new one?

RDC · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2008, 11:32:00 PM »

Look or post in the 360 B/S/T for it, bound to be more than a few parted out or shot drives in there you could get one from.

krazyman · « **Reply #10 on:** February 03, 2008, 12:38:00 AM »

Ok, the problem was the flex cable. I examined it closer and noticed that two of the contacts were touching each other, I fixed this and now my drive is reading dvds again. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Now I just need to sort out my laser problem, but that shouldn't be too hard.

krazyman · « **Reply #11 on:** February 03, 2008, 03:53:00 PM »

I fixed the laser problem, the pot was extremely high for some reason (like 9.

. Now everything works perfectly. I just wanted to thank you guys for the help.

Author Topic: Help: Dvd Drive Problem (Read 78 times)