Why Won't My Dell DVD Burner Work?

DVD burner problems

You can use your Dell DVD burner to back up data to discs, burn authored DVD projects, and copy DVD disc images and DVD-VIDEO folders of movies to watch in a regular DVD player. However, sometimes the burner doesn't work properly.

DVD Drive Problems

Your burner may not work because of a hardware malfunction in the drive. Try to play a regular DVD in the drive. If it spins up properly and plays the disc, then the problem most likely is not in the hardware mechanism. Ensure that you have the latest firmware for your drive model.

Incorrect or Faulty Media

If the blank disc you want to burn is scratched or otherwise faulty, or if it is the incorrect format for your drive, the drive will be unable to burn your data onto the disc. Use a different disc, preferably from another manufacturer, and make sure that the disk format is compatible with your drive.

Burning Software Problems

Sometimes, your DVD burning software installation may not be installed properly or the installation is corrupt. Reinstall the latest version of your burning software and make sure the device drivers are up to date. To eliminate a software issue, download an alternate DVD burning application to use. If it works, then the problem most likely is with your original software.

References

• Dell: Windows DVD Drive Issues (Dell)
• Dell: Dell Windows 7 CD/DVD Troubleshooter Redirector
• Computer Cleaning Guide: Cleaning a DVD or CD-Rom Drive

Resources

• Proaction Media: Recordable DVD Media Format Guide