Linux can read optical discs, Windows can't

MagikGimp

Honorable
Mar 17, 2013
8
0
10,510
Windows spins up the drive but doesn't even read the disc's label. Right clicking on the icon just gets an hourglass. Sometimes I can read the root of the disc but no further. I can burn discs no problem.
Ubuntu reads the discs fine. I can even install games with WINE.
We're talking CDs, DVD video discs, DVD data, the lot.
Have swapped drives recently (couldn't read a DVD-/+R, I forget which now so wanted to try another drive) but pretty sure the problem was happening before although I cannot confirm this.
Windows is XP.
Thanks for any help you can suggest!
 

MagikGimp

Honorable
Mar 17, 2013
8
0
10,510

Ran the Fix-it: nothing found as it can't read the disc.

Let me fix it myself: Not applicable
Advanced Troubleshooting:
1- Can't read disc at all
2- No change
3- Already DMA
4- n/a

I've also uninstalled any potential software conflicts I can think of- virtual drive software, the software for my Iomega REV drive, Ext2 (Linux partition access in Windows) but still nothing works.
Is this just one of those Windows things that never get fixed? We've all had them over the years.
 

Alan Meunier

Honorable
Mar 17, 2013
1
0
10,510
Some (older) Dell laptops had this (common) issue and there was a reghack that did indeed fix it. I cannot recall the reg entry but it was actually a simple fix.
I have been running Debian a lot of these years since and never had an issue...