This past week, my cd-rom drive began having trouble reading data discs and CD-Rs. So I bought a laser lens cleaner and cleaned the lens a few times. Now, it seems to read data discs just fine, but it can't read any of my CD-Rs. So my question is, is it because it uses a different lens to read CD-Rs? What might be the reason why it is reading my data discs but not my CD-Rs?

BTW, I'm using a Creative 52X drive, and write my CD-Rs at 1x. Any help is much appreciated.

I belive it is just one laser and just one lense. However CD-R's and CD-RW's don't reflect light back which the same intensity as pressed CDs. The reflection off a CD-RW is 40% usual, don't know how much weaker a CD-R is.

So it makes sense that a CD-rom will start having problems with CD-RW and CD-R media before it has trouble reading pressed CDs.

Also some brands of media can be read better than others.

Remember that cleaners remove dust, but they also scratch the lens in the process. The fluid and brush isn't 100% non abrasive. So overcleaning the lens will eventually ruin it. So eventually the CD-ROM will have to be replaced.

I prefer to use a can of compressed air to blow the dust of the lens. That seems to work just as well as a lense cleaner and won't cause any damage.

Thanks strife. That would explain why it isn't reading my CD-Rs.

Is there anything I can do to make it read my CD-Rs? Is it possible there is no hope and I have to replace the drive?

I've noticed that although it can read my pressed data discs after cleaning the drive, it usually will have trouble reading during high intensity times, such as when installing something off the CD. So cleaning the drive doesn't seem to have solved all my problems.

Could it be something more than a dirty lense? It's definately not the CDs, as I've tried with new CDs that I never used and are scratch-free. I have also noticed that the drive is still good at reading music CDs, although that could be because they are easier to read?