Go to device manager in control panel and see if the optical drive is remarked with a question mark or exclamation point. If so, right click on it and select uninstall. Reboot and go back into device manager to see if it is still remarked. If it is, right click on it and select update driver software and then update automatically. If that fails to work you may need to replace the cd/dvd burner or simply get an external USB burner. Premature burner failure is relatively uncommon, but does happen. There are other possibilities such as a bad ribbon cable connecting it to the motherboard, but checking and replacing it will require disassembly of the laptop in order to do and there's no guarantee it isn't still the burner itself.