Media player will not play

[debby]

I sometimes listen to music on the computer while I am cleaning. I just listened to something two weeks ago and today I put in a CD and it won't play.  It doesn't even recognize it when I look on "This PC".  What the heck has happened to it?  I have Dell Inspirion Intel i-5-4460, Windows 10, CPU@ 3.20 GHz, RAM 8 GB, 64 bit operating system.  I have not downloaded anything new onto the computer, I have only just gone on FB, ebay, my home page with Comcast and my Comcast mail, and some cross-stitching websites.  It just, poof, won't do anything.  That's all I can describe to you.

[soybean]

Can you try some other CD's? 

[debby]

Yes, I did try other CD's, Soybean.  It's just not working.  Cannot figure this out.  I've had no trouble with the media player before today.

[soybean]

How old is the CD drive?   Sometimes, they fail, i.e. become defective, and need to be replaced.  They are not very expensive and can be replaced by owners who have some experience working inside a computer.  Otherwise, you should take it to a repair service.  Here's a DVD drive from Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-48x-write-24x-rewrite-48x-read-cd-24x-write-dvd-internal-dvd-writer-drive/5109832.p?skuId=5109832

Note: You need to know whether your computer uses the old IDE cable connectors for hard disk drives and CD/DVD drives or the newer SATA connectors. 

[debby]

You had to add that little "Note" in there, didn't ya?  You know I don't know what that means!  I bought the computer on November 16, 2015.  I haven't used the CD player all that much, which tells you I don't clean in the office often since that is basically the only time I've used it.  I was looking at troubleshooters that said I might need to download a new driver, but I was not going to do that until I talked to one of you guys first.  I need to make sure it is a reputable place I'm doing this download from that says I need to download something to run a troubleshooter.  Now, I did run a troubleshooter on my computer, but it didn't fix the problem.

[patio]

Optical drives these days whether used frequently or not have a bout a 2 - 3 year lifespan unfortunately...

Been that way for many years.

[debby]

Well, that sucks!  I have looked everywhere I know to look for which CD/ROM I have and the only thing I found was:

HL-DT- ST DVD+-RW GHBON
Standard CD Rom Drives

I reckon I'll see if my husband thinks he can install it as I know I can't.  Fortunately, we have a repair place that does not charge much and I need to take out laptop in as the last time my husband used it, he evidently did something, the screen went black and he doesn't know what happened.  I've turned it on and it will show the desktop, but if I try to get online or do anything else, the screen goes black.  That is one computer that should never break.  We bought it in 2012 and it gets used maybe four to six times a year!  I will see what I can do about mine.  Thank you!