I run Windows XP on my laptop. For the past few months, I have been having problems with my CD/DVD drive. It will read and play CDs just fine, however, when I try to play DVDs it reads them, but they lag/skip every second or so. This occurs with burned DVDs as well as store bought ones.

I have used a cleaning disc and gone through the windows troubleshooter to make sure all the settings are correct. I'm not sure what else to try, I'm hesitant to clean the drive myself because I don't know how to open my laptop to do so. I've cleaned the drive in my desktop before, but that was much more simple.

Please help!

Hi,

I have two suggestions for you;

1) Change the IDE (flat) cable that connects the CD drive to the motherboard
2) It may be that the DVD laser (there is a CD and a DVD one) is either broken or on its way to being broken