8200e red LED keeps blinking.

[Praveen_6]

Hi,

I have a 8200e External CD-Writer connected to a Win 2000 Dell box.

I can't get the CD-Writer to read/write a single CD( it used to work before ). After I insert the CD it makes a whirring noise for a while and then red LED remains blinking forever.

I disconnected the drive from the computer, powered off the drive for a while and then powered it on and tried it again. I still have the same problem.

Anyone faced this problem before? Can somebody suggest me something to try out? I have noticed that it started making a bit louder noise when trying to read the disk than before.

Any help is GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Thanks very much,
Praveen.

[Marco Hogeveen]

Is it less then one year old? Then you still have warranty.
-> Call HP Customer support and let them exchange the unit for you, it looks like it's broken.

Marco.

[Vincent Farrugia · Accepted solution]

Hello,

After a lot of usage, dirt will enter the CD-writer drive and the laser will not function accurately any longer. You might want to open it and clean the drive, or if it is under warranty, replace it.

HTH,
Vince

[Praveen_6]

Thanks to all that replied. As my warranty expired, I opened the HP CD Writer and found out two white plastic rings that are lying around. When I shaked the writer (before opening) they were making noise as if they were not screwed/attached to anything....

So I removed those rings and then I used the CD Laser Lens Cleaner which I bought from Best Buy.

Doing this solved my problem and I'm able to read and write CDs.

My special thanks to Vince whose reply triggered some thought in this direction.

But now I'm worried about those two white rings that I removed from inside the writer. They don't seem to have caused any problem, but just wondering if they might in the future...

-Praveen.