Replace the DVD Player in Your Laptop

4 Parts:

Basic DVD Player/Optical Drive Troubleshooting

Replacing Your Laptop's DVD Player/Optical Disc Drive

Questions and Answers

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Thinking of buying a new Laptop because your Laptop's DVD player isn't working? Are you sure you really want to get rid of your old Laptop and spend another $500? I guess you have to think about it.

Most of us get really frustrated when one of our most important devices or even just a part of it stops functioning. One good example of a device part is the DVD/Optical drive of a Laptop. This serves a very important purpose because this is where we insert the installers of the programs that we need to run in the computer. When this stops working, we become unable to work, do our tasks, finish our school projects, and many more functions. If you are just about ready to give up on your Laptop's DVD drive, and the only option you see it getting rid of it, think again. Here are some steps that you can follow to replace your Laptop's DVD drive and save some money while you're at it.

Before you go about replacing your Laptop's DVD player, you have to be 100 percent sure that the DVD player is the actual problem. Here are some steps you can try.

1. 1
   Power cycle your Laptop

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   This step has been tried and tested many times and we perform this in our everyday lives. Refreshing your devices is always the quickest fix to many of its hardware issues.

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2. 2
   Check your DVDs/CDs

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   Make sure that the disc you are trying to load is working fine and isn't damaged at all. To isolate the problem, you can try loading the disc in a different DVD player and see if it works there. Alternatively, try a different disc in the DVD player.

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3. 3
   Enable Autoplay

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   Autoplay is the ability of a computer to automatically read any media devices that we connect to it. If this is disabled, your DVD player won't recognize any discs.  

   1. On the home screen, click on the start button and go to "Default Programs".
      
   2. Under Default Programs, click on "Change Autoplay Settings".
      
   3. Make sure that there is a tick on "Use Autoplay for All Media and Devices", and press "Save".
      

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4. 4
   Check if the DVD player is being detected

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   1. On the home screen, click on the start button and type "Device Manager" in the search bar. Click on "Device Manager" on the results.
      
   2. On the device manager window, look for "DVD/CD-ROM Drivers" and click on the arrow button on the left to expand it. Make sure that the driver of the DVD player is still there.
      
   3. If you do not see the driver of the DVD player on the list, click on "Action" on the top left hand then Scan for hardware changes. This should automatically find and re-install the driver.
      

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When all else fails, and your DVD drive has decided to quit, here are the steps that you can follow to replace it with a new one. It's important that your new DVD/optical drive be ready before performing this step. We will show you the different Laptop brands and model number to give you the general idea of replacing the DVD drive on your Laptop. Call your computer manufacturer of any local computer shop to help you pick the correct model number of the DVD drive that you need.

Toshiba L750/L755/L750D/L755D Series

1. 1
   Before performing any steps, make sure that your Laptop is turned off and no accessory is connected to it

   .

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2. 2
   Turn the Laptop over and remove its battery.

   

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3. 3
   Remove the screws from the door located in the middle of the Laptop's back.

   

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4. 4
   Next, remove the screw that lock the DVD player in place and gently pull out the DVD drive.

   

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5. 5
   Take the DVD drive, and remove the screws that hold the tiny mounting bracket

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   Transfer this bracket to the new DVD drive at the same exact place where it was located on the old one.

   

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6. 6
   Put the new DVD drive into its slot by gently pushing it back in and replace the screw that holds it in place

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   Make sure that it is tight enough to secure the DVD player.

   

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7. 7
   Finally, put the cover back and screw it in and place the battery back into its place

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   Turn the Laptop back on and try loading a DVD.

   

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HP Pavilion DV6

1. 1
   Before performing any steps, make sure that your Laptop is turned off and nothing is connected to it

   .

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2. 2
   Turn the Laptop over and remove its battery by sliding the tab below the battery slot and pulling out the battery.

   

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3. 3
   Remove the screw located in the middle part of the back panel that has a disc symbol beside it (see red label)

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   This is what locks in the DVD drive.

   

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4. 4
   Carefully pull the DVD drive from its slot.

   

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5. 5
   Get your new DVD drive, and put it in its slot

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   The label of the DVD drive should be facing down.

   

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6. 6
   Finally, replace the screw the locks in the DVD drive

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   Turn your Laptop back on and start using your new optical drive.

   

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Dell XPS L502X

1. 1
   Before performing any steps, make sure that your Laptop is turned off and nothing is connected to it

   .

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2. 2
   Turn the Laptop over and remove its battery by sliding the tab below its slot and slowly pulling it off.

   

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3. 3
   Loosen the screws that secure the door on the back of the Laptop and lift the cover to remove it.

   

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4. 4
   Remove the screw that locks in the DVD drive

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   Gently pull out the DVD drive and take it out of the system.

   

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5. 5
   Remove the screws that hold the tiny mounting bracket in the DVD drive, and transfer it to the new one

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   It should be placed at the same exact location where the old one is located.

   

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6. 6
   Slide the new DVD drive back in, and replace the screw

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   Ensure that the screw is tight enough to secure the DVD drive.

   

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7. 7
   Put the cover back in and tighten its screws

   .

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8. 8
   Finally, put the cover back and turn your Laptop back on to start using the DVD drive again.

   

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My DVD player works but the CD player doesn't. Should I replace the player on my laptop or take it to someone?

Sorry for so long a question. I can't think of anything to add. I have tried: I tried cleaning the lens and restarting. I think it was caused by: I was in the middle of copying an audio book and the next day when I tried to finish copying it the player wouldn't work, however the DVD does work though.

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How do I get a new DVD player for my HP 2000 laptop?

My DVD player kept falling out, but I was able to put it back in, but I lost the DVD player! Please help!

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If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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