My iomega external DVD drive not recognized

[johnc48]

Hello
I have been given an iomega DVD drive as a present, but my laptop does not recognize it. I connect power and a green light goes on when i open and close the tray, but my Dell Vostro 1510 (Windows Vista business) does not pick it up at all.
The laptop is nearly 4 years old and the DVD drive probably about 6 or 7 (never used).
Help anybody?
Thanks

 

[nhasian]

if you were given this laptop to use from a company or school then you may not have privileges to install the hardware. when you plug the usb cable did windows detect it at all and attempt to install drivers? check the device manager for anything with a yellow circle.

 

[johnc48]

Correction. The laptop is mine (a Dell Vostro 1510), purchased in 2008. The DVD drive is a present from my niece as she doesn't need it anymore. It connects to her Acer laptop OK. But on mine it powers on and the tray opens and closes, but Windows does not recognise it.

I have an iPOd, a Samsung USB hard drive (for backups), a Kindle. All of these are recognized by Windows. This iomega hard drive is the only component that i have not been able to plug and play.

The reason for getting the USB DVD component is because the DVD function of the laptop no longer works, even though i can still read and write CDs. Apparently this is fairly common with Dell laptops (wish i'd known that before i bought this one).