Computer Gurus: My hard drive won't read software??

[JMS]

Any ideas? It won't read my new printer software nor my new digital camera software. But I ran a diagnostic and it said it was working properly. Also, I put in a CD I burned of photos a while back and it was able to read that. So, I'm stumped.

My tech support has expired. If I can't figure this out on my own should I call Dell or one of the computer repair companies in the yellow pages?? I called a couple for pricing and it's expensive: about $70/hour for walkin and between $100 - $125/hour for house calls. If it ends up being a big or complicated problem, I could almost just buy a new PC.

TIA!

[overcome]

Do you mean it won't recognize the software cd when you put it in the drive?

Here are two suggestions:
1. Put the cd in the drive, double click my computer, right click on the cd drive, and choose something like play, open, run...whatever comes up that looks appropriate. Double click the icon that says "setup.exe"

2. If that doesn't work, try completely shutting down your computer printer, everything and then turn it all back on.

Let us know if you have any success.

[BillK]

It sounds to me like you mean your "optical drive" (or CD-ROM) is no longer reading cd's - not your hard drive (the hard drive is where "stuff" is saved like the software your cd-rom "reads").

If it's nothing more than a dead CD-ROM drive you can buy one of those for about 19 bucks and slap it in yourself. There are a total of 2 plugs and 4 small phillips head screws that hold it in. Heck my one secretary at the office managed to replace hers - and if she can do it - anyone can! It really really is a simple - almost idiotproof process.

[caheinz]

To get the drivers, go to the manufacturer's web site. You can almost always download them, and usually you'll get something more recent than was on the CD to begin with.

And I agree with the PP's. Sounds like your optical drive -- CD, CDR, CD/DVD, whatever, has died. Shouldn't be too bad to repair, though it depends on what you had and what you want.