How to test if my DVD-RW drive broke?

[farmerjohn1324]

It doesn't seem to be reading anything. Last time I used it was over a year ago and it worked fine.

HP laptop running Windows 10.

 

[strollin]

It might just be dirty. You can buy buy a cleaning disk that has a small brush that would clean the lens as it spun in the drive. They cost around $3.

Optical drives are quickly going the route of the floppy drive. Not many new computers even come with them anymore.

 

[Darren]

You can just use a q tip and rubbing alcohol to clean the lens. Those brush disks do work but since you can physically access the lens easier and cheaper to do it yourself.