It could be a laser issue as they use a slightly different wavelength for CDs than for DVDs - selective failure could mean that the wavelength for CDs is fine but the one for DVDs isn't. Disassembling the drive and cleaning it is worth a shot; can't hurt and it might help.

Yeah, the DVD laser is bad or just dirty. Most DVD drives I have seen have two lasers, one for CDs and one for DVDs and I have seen several drives where one works but not the other.

Repo Man11 wrote on 2024-09-18, 21:17:

It could be a laser issue as they use a slightly different wavelength for CDs than for DVDs - selective failure could mean that the wavelength for CDs is fine but the one for DVDs isn't. Disassembling the drive and cleaning it is worth a shot; can't hurt and it might help.

Indeed. Not sure how newer stuff but there used to be two separate laser systems. DVD using smaller pits is much more sensitive to a dirty optical system then CD hence it is usually the first to fail. Cleaning may help. If it doesn't- the laser diode output goes down over time, often you can bring a drive back by finding the tiny potentiometer and turning it just a TINY BIT (trial and error may be necessary to find out which direction and which one is CD and which DVD if there is two of them)

The drive may just not be designed to read any other DVD than a commercially-pressed DVD-ROM (including DVD movies) and commercially-pressed CDs. CD-Rs may be possible but read below for conjecture based on my '90s/'00s memories.

The warning label describes visible and invisible laser radiation. The wavelength of the invisible laser radiation may go into the ultraviolet, or at the very least be not only a shorter wavelength, like 650nm (still a red) but with greatly reduced intensity to not damage CD-Rs (some early DVD-ROM drives warned to not put a CD-R in, as the laser imparted too much energy and sortof 'reburned' the disk in its attempts to read). If the wavelength is particularly short, it is more easily blocked or scattered by any dust on the lens.

Is it region locked?

The invisible refers to infrared and not ultraviolet. CD spec calls for 780nm laser, DVDs use 650nm.

Yeh the drive is hella dirty so I'm going to use a drive cleaner disc on it then maybe I'll check the lens

OK I cleaned it and I think it works now thanks yall

OK actually it doesn't read anything now I'll have to open it up damn it