dvd problems resolved - I hope

[john.richardson]

If you are having problems reading or more particularly writing to dvd's, especially if the problem has arisen and deteriorated over recent weeks, can I suggest that you try the following. i.e.
CLEAN THE DRIVE LENS. This should be done using isopropyl alcohol to avoid damaging the lens coating although I found that an opticians cleaning cloth, together with a proprietary cleaning fluid or spray works very well. (these fluids are prepared to avoid damaging the latest coatings on spectacle lenses) Spray the lens cloth with the solution and then pucker the sprayed cloth area up to form a small pointy bit and carefully rub this over the lens. You will be amazed how many times this works. Whether this is due to laptop dvd drives being more open or exposed than built in tower writers I don't know, but it is certainly worth a try before spending £200-300 on a Sony repair or replacement.
If this doesn't work, then refer to the forums and perhaps check for firmware updates or reloading drivers by uninstalling the drive and rebooting the system. Also only use the best quality and slower speed dvds, especially if using the RW varieties.

[frannys]

You can also buy a disk cleaner,its a disk with tiny soft brushes on.It cleans as it plays.

[Kei]

One of the reasons why it's best to clean the lens manually (by hand), is because it's more thorough and that you can be certain (if not more certain) that the lens is cleansed correctly.
The DVD/CD lens cleaners by disc just have a small brush attached underneath, but it hasn't any cleansing fluid/agent. Plus over time as it'll collect more dirt the more you use it, so you'll have to carefully clean the brush underneath if it gets dirty, whilst being careful not to spoil/harm the disc.
Since the disc type cleaners simply whisk away the dirt with its brush, the dirt can sometimes not be collected onto the brushes, and scatter in the drive.
With a cleansing liquid and cloth, you can collect and clean the dirt more accurately.