QUOTE(G0t M4xx 21 @ Sep 8 2006, 11:48 AM)

Are you sure it is the dvd drive and not the fans that are getting louder?
The artifacts and loud noise could possibly explain an overheating issue, not the problem with the dvd drive.
Yeah, he has a good point. Artifacting should not be caused by the DVD drive.
It sounds to me like a heatsink it not properly secured to the mobo maybe? And when it is on its side, gravity pulls it in to place but when upright it does not?