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How to listen to a music disc on a laptop. How to open a disk and flash drive on a laptop. The drive won't read the disc

A laptop is a portable computer.

A laptop is the same computer as a personal computer. And it has the same parts, just smaller. That's why laptops are more expensive.

A laptop can be compared to a mobile phone, and a regular personal computer can be compared to a regular home phone.

In order to open a disk, floppy disk or flash drive on a laptop, you must first insert it.

Let's start with the floppy disk:

Look at the laptop:

If the laptop has a special floppy drive, that is, a device for floppy disks, then you can open the floppy disk. But most laptops do not have this drive, since floppy disks are considered obsolete and unreliable.

You can learn more about floppy disks by reading the article “Floppy disks”.

To insert a floppy disk, there should be a hole like this:

If your computer does not have such a hole, then you can skip the next paragraph.

Insert the floppy disk along the arrow that is drawn on it until it stops (until it clicks). After you have inserted the floppy disk, go to “My Computer”. It is either located on the Desktop, that is, on the screen, or it can be opened from the Start button:

Then double-click with the left mouse button on the icon

"Disk 3.5" (A):

You will see what is written on the floppy disk (files and folders). To remove a floppy disk from your computer, you must first close all files and folders that you opened from the floppy disk. Then press the small button under the hole into which the floppy disk was inserted. The floppy disk should pop out of the laptop on its own. Now about how to open a CD or DVD disc:

Either on the side or front of the laptop there is a storage device for disks. It's called a CD or DVD drive.

To open it, you need to press the small rectangular button.

When you press this button, a click will be heard and the drive will slide out slightly from the laptop. Gently “help” him move out all the way. Then you need to literally “put” the disk on it, shiny side down, and “push” it into the laptop until it clicks. After you have inserted the disc, wait 15 seconds: the disc may open on its own (this happens with discs on which movies and music are recorded). If this does not happen, open the My Computer icon. It is either located on the Desktop, that is, on the screen, or it can be opened from the Start button:

Then double-click the left mouse button on the “CD drive” icon (can also be called CD-RW, DVD, DVD-RW drive).

What is recorded on the disk will open.

Now let’s learn how to open flash drives on a laptop. The flash drive looks like this:

In order to open a flash drive on a laptop, you need to insert it into a special hole:

You will find several of these holes either on the side or at the back.

After you insert the flash drive into one of the holes, open “My Computer” (let me remind you, it is either in “Start” or on the Desktop).

A new icon should appear there. For example, like this:

This icon is usually called "Removable Disk". Double-click on it with the left mouse button. You will see what is written on the flash drive (files and folders).

Before removing the flash drive from the laptop, click on the special icon at the bottom right (next to the clock) once with the left mouse button.

The message “Safely remove USB storage device” appears. Click on it once with the left mouse button. The message “Hardware may be removed” will appear. Now you can remove the flash drive from your computer.

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How to watch a DVD on a computer or laptop, how to insert the disc correctly

There are many special players for reading DVDs.

Among them: PowerDVD, Windows Media Player, Media Player Classic.

To view the contents of the disc you will need one of these programs.

The easiest way is to use a player that is used by many Windows users, Media Player Classic.


It is worth remembering that the standard player sometimes does not recognize digital signatures and codecs, so you have to use other players.

Launch using PowerDVD

Unlike Media Player Classic, this program is paid. It can read media of any format, from MPEG and MP3 to ASF and WMA.


Launch using Windows Media Player

This program is available on every Windows computer, which makes it very convenient for reading disks. The playback manipulations are exactly the same as for Media Player Classic, however, this player has a number of its own features.

The player does not play files because:

  1. The DVD was recorded in a different region. Mircosoft products have algorithms that prevent pirated recordings from running.
  2. The standard player conflicts with other players. In such cases, you must stop using third-party software.
  3. The computer's optical drive is damaged.
  4. The file format is not compatible with the player.

composs.ru

Booting from a disk in a laptop

Booting from the disk in the laptop does not work, the instructions are lost, I pressed all the buttons on the keyboard that I could, as a result it started some process, now Windows will not boot, I also can’t get into the BIOS, help, HP laptop. When I read this request an acquaintance, he uttered an interesting phrase: “Can you imagine what will happen when it gets into the BIOS?” I imagined and even began to fear not for the laptop, but for the girl, because you can boot from the disk in the laptop without changing the settings in the BIOS.

We will give two examples with an HP laptop and a Sony VAIO. So our first laptop is HP.

I would like to note that the principle of changing the boot device is not the same for all laptops, and if you have experience with a device from one manufacturer, most likely you will experience difficulties with a laptop from another manufacturer. But as they say, you don’t need to be afraid of difficulties, think, after all, this computer is yours, aren’t you interested in finding out how it works, and you should even be able to handle things like setting boot from disk in your laptop or getting into the BIOS. I hope our article will help you and also, as soon as we get our hands on a laptop from any other manufacturer, screenshots of the boot selection will be immediately added to this article. Let's start with an HP laptop. One of the largest information technology manufacturers in the world made sure that we did not experience any problems when working with his device and it was very easy to set it to boot from disk.

When you turn on the laptop, a prompt appears -> Press ESC to load the start menu, click.


The menu appears:


F-1 system information F-2 diagnostics F-9 (changing boot settings) will give us the opportunity to boot from the disk on the laptop without going into BIOSF-10 the terrible BIOSF-11 restoring the laptop to factory settings

We skip the first and second points and it’s so clear, let’s press F-9 Boot Device Options (change boot settings) and see what happens, press


This window appears, where they explain to us in the language of a potential enemy that if we are afraid to enter the BIOS, we can change the laptop boot from the disk here. We are glad that using the F-10 key, we can change the boot priority, by the way, now the boot is set just from the disk and if we reboot, and there is a DVD with the operating system in the drive, its installation will begin. The job is done, and now let’s look at our BIOS with the bravest ones, exit this menu and press ESC, the reboot occurs. When selecting the start menu, press ESC again and then F-10
And here we are in enemy territory, select the System Configuration option with the arrows on the keyboard and press Enter
Before us is the menu of this menu, select Boot Options
Here we allow or prohibit changing the boot from any device. Let me explain, for example, you see the latest Internal Network Adapter device (network loading) is set to Disabled,
This means that loading over the network is prohibited; if we set it to Enabled, then firstly, loading over the network will become possible, and secondly, the offer to boot over the network will appear at the very beginning, in the start menu. The start menu appears when the laptop boots, when you first press ESC and then F-9, where without going into the BIOS you can change the boot priority to the disk drive, this menu will look something like this. Note: unfortunately, when writing this article, we had already given away the laptop, so The screenshot was made in Photoshop.
Now go back and select the Boot Order option and press Enter
in this menu we see that the laptop is ordered to boot from the hard drive,
and we can choose whatever our heart desires, we want and boot from a flash drive, by the way, loading from a USB device is just below. By the way, you forgot that we are on enemy territory, so we quickly change the boot from the hard drive to the disk drive, move using the keyboard to our CD/DVD ROM, then using the F-6 key, as indicated on the right side of the BIOS window, pull out the CD/DVD ROM to the first position.
Next ESC, exit this menu, then ESC again and move to the Exit option, press Enter, we are asked to save the changes made, we agree Yes.
A reboot occurs and if there is a Windows disc in the drive, the installation process will begin. It's the turn of the Sony VAIO laptop. When you turn on the laptop, a prompt also appears to press F12, but this means booting over the network, we don’t have instructions for the motherboard, to get into the BIOS you basically need to press F2 or Delete when booting, less often, even less often, press F2 and enter the BIOS
Using the arrows on the keyboard, select the Boot tab, which is responsible for changing the boot device and press Enter
On the Boot tab, we see that the first boot device is a flash drive, select it using the keyboard and press Enter. In the menu that opens, select our Internal Optical Disc Drive

Now the first boot device is set to the floppy drive

www.imprice.ru

How to start a laptop from disk via BIOS

In order to start a laptop from a disk, you need to change the boot order of devices. By default, a work laptop has the following order: hard drive, DVD drive, flash drives, and so on. The CD can contain both an operating system installer and a full-fledged mobile version of the operating system, so that if the laptop OS fails, you can repair it or save important data before reinstalling the OS.

To enable booting from a CD, you must enter the BIOS by pressing the “Delete” (Del) or “F2” button after turning on and before loading the operating system. On some laptops there are other BIOS entry buttons, but they are so rare that they are rather the exception to the rule.

In the BIOS, select the “Boot” or “Boot menu” tab. If there are no such tabs, in the “Advanced” tab you need to look for the line “Boot” or “Boot priority”. In the “Boot” tab or line, you should set the boot order so that the disk drive is in 1st place.

After this, you need to press F10 and Enter, or select Save settings and reboot in the last tab, thereby saving the new boot order settings.

Insert the boot disk into the drive; the CD will now boot automatically. After completing all operations that require booting from disk, you should go into the BIOS again and set boot from the hard drive first. This should be done to load the operating system faster.

If the first thing in the queue is booting from a DVD, then every time you turn on the laptop, the drive is first polled, and after the computer realizes that there is no disk in the drive or the disc is not bootable, it boots from the hard drive. At the same time, the loading time of the operating system increases.

SovetClub.ru

How to install boot from disk on HP

Every user remembers the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) only when they need to reinstall the operating system from a disk. The key combination that calls up the start menu with the necessary options for each laptop depends on the model of the laptop's motherboard. When loading, the system gives a hint for a certain combination, for example, for HP laptops it is the “Esc” button - “Press the Esc key for Startup Menu”.

One of the largest information technology manufacturers in the world, Hewlett-Packard, took care not only of hassle-free entry into the start menu to reset boot parameters, but also developed two options for changing settings: without entering the BIOS and directly in the BIOS environment. You can select the required item in the start menu:

  • "F-1" - system information,
  • “F-2” - system diagnostics,
  • “F-9” - change boot settings,
  • "F-10" - BIOS,
  • “F-11” - restore the laptop to factory settings.

The “F-9” item allows you to change boot settings without using the BIOS menu. When you select this item, you are given a choice between a CD/DVD drive and an HP laptop hard drive. Navigation is carried out using the cursor keys, that is, the up and down arrows. The selected option is activated by pressing the “F-10” key, which confirms changes in the settings and, when a CD/DVD disk with the operating system is inserted into the drive, starts loading it.

Point “F-10” opens the BIOS environment for changing parameters. Navigation is also carried out using the cursor control keyboard. The name of the current section or subsection is displayed at the top of the window. To change settings you need the “System Configuration” section. In the menu that opens, the “Boot Options” section is responsible for changes, which provides a list of possible data download sources. If any value from this list is activated, then opposite it in quotes is the value “Enabled”; if not, then “Disabled”. Accordingly, we activate “CD-ROM Boot”. Below the list of possible activations there is a “Boot Order” option, which you must enter to change the order of boot places. By default, the list is headed by the laptop’s hard drive; to change the list, use the “F6” key to move “CD/DVD ROM” up to the first position. To exit to the main BIOS menu after the necessary changes, use the “Esc” key. In order for the changes to be saved, you need to confirm them when exiting the BIOS.

If in both cases, when changing the parameters, booting does not occur from the selected CD/DVD disk, then you need to make sure that the disk is multiboot and that there are no defects or damage to the disk. You can use Nero Express 6 to create a multiboot disk with an operating system such as Windows XP.

After you restart your HP laptop, the operating system will load from the drive. After installing the system, you will need to go into the BIOS again and return the boot settings from the hard drive.

Typically, when a CD or DVD is inserted into an optical drive, the personal computer automatically reads the contents of the media and the function is turned on. autostart, it’s called like this: Autostart.

In addition, today the autorun function on computers works not only with CDs or DVDs, but also with USB devices, such as USB drives (flash drives), digital cameras, etc.

But sometimes Autostart does not work. And this scares many, but there is nothing scary about it. The Autorun Disk function is customizable and can be enabled or disabled independently in the computer operating system.

The Autorun function allows you to reduce the user's time to launch media content. The computer automatically detects file formats and selects the desired program or opens a context menu and prompts you to select the desired action.

Setting up Autorun is very easy. Let's say you want to configure this function to automatically launch CDs or DVDs. Open the folder: My computer, choose: Properties and go to the tab: Autostart.

A menu will open in front of you with a list of actions that you can choose. Moreover, this list may be different, depending on the installed programs on different computers. Here's what one of the options for such a menu looks like:

From the drop-down list, select the type of files recorded on a CD or DVD disc. It's better to set the parameter: Mixed content, because The discs come across different types and it is usually impossible to say in advance what is recorded on the disc.

And choose the action you want to perform. Then press the buttons: Apply, OK and the Autorun function will work without your participation. Those. After inserting the disc into the optical drive, you will be prompted to perform the desired action.

But there is one more point here: in order for the disc to play automatically, a file must be written in the root folder of the disc: Autorun.inf. Naturally, this file is created by the disk developers. But if you independently prepare a disc with some information for recording, then creating such a file is easy.

Create a text file in a regular notepad and give it a name: Autorun.inf. Open the file in any editor, for example in Notepad, and write the following code into it:


open=setup.exe
icon=cd.ico

The first line "tells" the computer to run the autorun function. The second line “says” that the file needs to be executed setup.exe, which should be in the root of the disk (or some other file you need), the third line gives the command to load the icon (you can do without it).

In exactly the same way, you can configure autorun for other devices that you connect to your computer, for example, any removable USB drive. Select this device in the menu: My computer, Properties, Autostart and configure the execution of the desired action.

This is what the autorun menu (list of suggested actions) may look like, depending on the programs installed on the computer:

Sometimes users deliberately disable the autorun feature to avoid infecting their computer with viruses. The fact is that in the same file Autorun.inf You can also write other commands that trigger the installation of malicious code. The virus can be recorded on a disk or downloaded from the Internet.

Therefore, if you doubt the origin of the disc, it is recommended to view the file Autorun.inf before automatic installation. It's easy to do. Cancel automatic installation of disk contents, find the file Autorun.inf and open it in any editor, such as Notepad. To start the disk normally, only 3 lines of code are enough (see above).

If you find something else in this file, especially links to resources on the Internet, then most likely such a link will download a virus or malicious code to your computer.

To disable autorun, it is best to edit the registry. To do this, go to the registry editor ( Start/Run/ team: regedit), find the following registry keys and set the following values:

Key:

ParameterAndmeaning:
"AutoRun" = 0

Key:

ParameterAndmeaning:
"NoDriveTypeAutoRun" = ff

Key:

ParameterAndmeaning:
@="@SYS:DoesNotExist"

Key:

AutoplayHandlers\CancelAutoplay\Files]
ParameterAndmeaning:
"*.*"=""

When the need arises to use autorun, then you need to change these keys in the registry as follows:

Key:
ParameterAndmeaning:
"AutoRun" = 1

Key:
ParameterAndmeaning:
"NoDriveTypeAutoRun" = 0

Key:
ParameterAndmeaning:
@=""

Key:
Parameternecessarydelete:

Instructions

The easiest way to watch a DVD is to use the standard Windows Media Player. Insert the disc into the drive of your personal computer. Press the button to close the drive. Go to Start - All Programs and open the Windows Media Player application. In the dialog box that appears, in the upper left part, click on the “File” link, then “”. Specify the exact path to where the DVD is located. But this program cannot always read digital signatures and disk encodings.

More reliable and complete software is CyberLink PowerDVD v 11.0.1620.51. Purchase this version of the licensed program from a specialized store. PowerDVD can read all formats, such as MPEG (AVI, MPG, MPEG, MP2, MP3, M1V and M2V), QuickTime (MOV and QT), MIDI (MID and RMI), audio (Dolby AC3, WAV, ASF, WM, WMA, WMV).

Insert the disc into the drive of your personal computer. Close the drive. The program installation dialog box will open. Specify the location where the program will be installed. Click Next. When the process is complete, reboot your operating system for all changes and updates to take effect.

You can also watch the DVD using Media Player Classic Home Cinema. Download the free K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 7.7.0. Install this software on your personal computer. Go to “Start” - “All Programs” and launch this application. Click on the “File” drop-down list and specify the exact path to the DVD. Start watching.

When a user purchases a new optical drive to replace the old one, he inevitably faces the problem of installing it inside the system unit (unless, of course, the drive is external). Fortunately, today this operation is simple and quick.

Instructions

Free up the selected compartment by removing or breaking out the plug on the front panel of the system unit case.

Insert the drive into the free bay and secure it with screws or latches (some cases may require additional “slides” to be installed on the drive beforehand).

Connect the power and data cables (IDE or SATA) to the drive.

Close the computer case and turn it on.

Video on the topic

When working on your computer every day, your hard drive can be filled with information. In order to free up free disk space, you need to clean up the old hard drive or purchase a new hard drive. As a rule, cleaning the hard drive does not help for long. The ideal solution is to buy a new drive. But what should you do if you haven’t installed hard drives?

You will need

  • IDE hard drive, system unit, “+” screwdriver.

Instructions

After you purchase a new hard drive, it must be kept at room temperature for 20 minutes. Connecting a storage device means it heats up quickly. And a sharp jump in temperature can have a bad effect on its operation. At high temperatures, the hard heads move slowly. Therefore, in summer, just like in winter, it is necessary to let the device sit.

First, you should turn off the power to your computer. Disconnect all power wires and remove them from the “pilot”. After this, turn the back of the system unit towards you.

Arm yourself with a screwdriver. Remove all connecting screws. Remove the side walls.

Get your hands on a new hard drive. Please note that the back side of the information storage device includes three connectors: power cable, jumper connector, data cable. At this point, you should be interested in the jumper connector. You already have the main disk. Accordingly, you will have an additional disk. Since you have 2 hard drives, you need to know which of these 2 drives is the main one (Master) and which one is the additional one (Slave).

Face the hard drive so that the front side is facing you. There will be a sticker on the disk with an illustration that will tell you how to connect the jumper correctly. After installing the jumper, you can proceed to connecting the disk.

Insert the drive into an empty slot. Most often, the free slot is located above your main drive. Connect all connecting cables, focusing on your old one. You won't be able to insert it incorrectly. Connectors and cables are made in such a way that they are connected only in position.

After this, you can turn on the computer, go into the BIOS and check that the connection is correct. If all disks have been found and identified, you can turn off the computer and then assemble the system unit.

Sources:

  • Why do you need to know how to properly connect a hard drive?

If you need to read the information on a flash card, you can do it on any computer. Please note that when working with a flash drive, there are a number of features that will help you secure your computer, as well as the information stored on the flash card.

You will need

  • a computer equipped with a USB port,
  • flash card

Instructions

Getting started with a flash card. Today there are two types: with a USB 2.0 interface, and also with a USB 3.0 interface. To read each type, the computer must be equipped with the appropriate ports. To get started with a flash card, you just need to insert it into one of your computers. After inserting the device into the connector, do not rush to view the information stored on it. The flash drive may be infected with a virus.

To check the flash card for viruses on it, you must ignore the autorun window by clicking the “Cancel” button. Next, you need to open the “My Computer” folder. In this section you will see an icon that will look like a removable disk. Click on this icon with the right mouse button. If you have an antivirus installed on your computer, you will see the “Scan for viruses” option in the menu that opens. Click on this command with the left mouse button, and then wait until the media check finishes. If the flash drive is infected, it is not advisable to continue working with it on your personal computer. If the card does not pose a threat to the PC, you can start working with it. To do this, you need to double-click on the removable disk icon that appears in the “My Computer” folder.

If you do not want to damage the information recorded on the card, after finishing working with the flash drive you need to properly complete the process. To do this, right-click on the device shortcut displayed in the tray. In the context menu, select the “Safely Remove Hardware” command. As soon as the system notifies you that work with the device has been successfully completed, remove the flash card from the slot. This way, you will not damage files and documents stored on the card.

Today, a wide variety of materials are distributed on DVDs, from movies to Linux distributions. If your computer has a drive that does not support this format, you can replace it with another that supports it.

Instructions

Select a drive based on the following considerations:
- what computer it is intended for: desktop or;

What interface does the old drive use: IDE or SATA;

Should it be able to write DVDs or only read them?

Should it be internal or external.

Connecting an external drive is the easiest way. Just plug it into any free USB port. If it will work in conjunction with a laptop or netbook, be sure to use a USB hub with its own power supply. Such a drive will not work in DOS.

To install the built-in drive into your computer, first turn off the power to it. Disconnect both cables from the old drive, remembering how they were connected. Remove the screws and pull in the old drive. On the new drive, if it is an IDE drive, move the Master-Slave-Cable select jumper to the same position as on the old one. Insert the new drive, secure it, and then connect both connectors in the same way as they were connected to the old one.

Before installing the drive, the laptop requires not only de-energizing, but also removing the battery. Using a special latch (or two such latches, depending on the design of the machine), disconnect the special cassette with the drive. Remove the four screws and then pull the drive out of the cassette. Insert the new drive and secure it with the same screws. Place the cassette with the new drive in place. Make sure it is secured with the latch (or two latch) again. It is impossible to install an optical drive in this way.

If it has been upgraded, reinstall the battery. Turn on the machine and check if the new drive works. Try and burn two or three media of each supported format to make sure that the drive is fully functional.

To connect an external device designed to operate via a USB port to a computer as a second hard drive, you just need to insert the connecting wire into the appropriate connectors on the bodies of both devices. The process of installing a stationary hard drive as the second main drive in the system unit of your computer is more complicated. The sequence of actions for this option is described below.

Instructions

Shut down the operating system, turn off the computer, and disconnect the network cable. Position the system unit in such a way that you have free access to both of its side surfaces.

Remove both side panels. As a rule, to do this, it is enough to unscrew two screws connecting them to the rear panel, and then move them back 5 centimeters and put them somewhere not very far.

Install the new hard drive into one of the free slots in the case. Do this carefully so as not to accidentally disconnect the wires, of which there are plenty inside the case. The connectors for connecting power should be on the motherboard side, and the hard drive is secured with four screws - two on each side of the system unit case. Use an already installed hard drive as a sample for placement and fastening.

Connect the power cable and data cable (“cable”) between the new hard drive and the motherboard. These wires differ depending on the type of hard drive being installed (IDE or SATA), but in any case, their connectors are asymmetrical in shape and the connectors can only be inserted in one way, so you cannot make a mistake. An already installed hard drive will help you find the necessary slots on the motherboard - the connectors you are looking for should be located next to those used to connect it. On hard drive cases that use the IDE bus, there are jumpers that are used to establish a hierarchy of disks installed in the computer - one of them must be designated as primary, and all the rest as secondary. However, in most cases there is no need to use them, since the BIOS is able to figure out the device configuration itself with the jumpers set by default.

Make sure that you have not damaged anything inside the system case during the installation process or forgotten any tools in it. Do not rush to close the case - you should first check the result of the operation performed. Connect all the necessary wires, the last of which should be the network cable. Then turn on your computer and go into the BIOS settings to make sure it can recognize the new device. After this, turn off the computer and replace the side surfaces of the system unit.

Sources:

  • how to connect a disk to a computer

Having learned how to independently install programs from a disk onto your computer, you will stop wasting money on calling a system administrator and will be able to handle any program yourself. In addition, program developers make their products so that even a beginner can install them.

You will need

  • - computer;
  • - a program recorded on disk.

Instructions

First of all, insert the disk with the program into the computer drive with the mirror side down and the matte side up. You may be prompted to enter or confirm your administrator password in a window that opens. If you know the password, enter it and confirm.

If you want to install the program on your computer manually, then open and run the installation wizard file Install.exe or Setup.exe. In the first two windows you will see information about the program itself and the license agreement. After reading the material, click on the “Next” button. Often, in order to continue with the installation, you will need to check the “I agree to the terms of the agreement” box. Depending on the type of program, you will see a special form in which you fill in the required fields.

Next, find drive C and make sure there is free space for the downloaded program. Set the default program to C:Program Files. If drive C is busy, then click on the “Browse” button and select another drive.

If you want to create a quick launch shortcut or a desktop shortcut, select this line in the new window that opens and click on the “Next” button. A window will open in front of you where you can see the installation of the program, with a performance scale in percentage. Once it is installed, click on the “Finish” button. After this, your program will be completely installed.

Check on your desktop for a shortcut to the program you just installed. If you don’t find it there, then go to the Start menu. The installed program will definitely be displayed in this menu.

note

Be careful when purchasing discs with programs from unverified resources, as they can be used to introduce a virus into the system.

Helpful advice

If you do not want to manually install the program, then use the Installation Wizard installation package, which allows you to install programs of additional complexity.

Modern users require more and more hard drive space to store information. Many solve the problem by connecting additional hard drives to the computer.

You will need

  • - Internet access.

Instructions

Determine the type of hard drive that is suitable for your . Study a paper copy of the instructions for the motherboard or look at the necessary information on the official website of the manufacturer of this device. Modern computers are equipped with a SATA slot, through which the motherboard and hard drive are connected.

It is worth noting that some motherboard models connect DVD drives via the IDE port. This makes it possible to use this channel to connect the motherboard to the hard drive. Open the cover of the system unit and find out the presence of certain ports. The IDE slot is a thin wide cable, and the SATA slot is a small wire with a small rectangular connector.

Buy a new hard drive. You should not choose a hard drive with a capacity of more than 500 GB unless you are sure that your motherboard supports relatively new hard drives. Information about this can be obtained on the website of the manufacturer of this motherboard model.

Turn off the computer and unplug the AC power cord. Connect the new hard drive to the selected connector. Turn on your PC and hold down the Delete key. After opening the BIOS menu, go to Boot Device. Find the Boot Priority section and open it. Install your old hard drive next to First Boot Device. This is necessary for the operating system to boot successfully.

Press F10 to restart your computer while keeping your settings. After the operating system has finished loading, wait until the new hard drive is detected. Completely format it. This will ensure stable operation of the device, saving you from possible troubles associated with data loss. Partition your hard drive if necessary.

The drive won't read the disc

If you encounter a similar problem, then most likely the problem is a malfunction of the optical drive you are using. For example, you put a CD in the drive, and it just spins it, but nothing appears on the screen. There are several most common reasons why this can happen. Most likely, the drive has simply become unusable and it is time to replace it. Fortunately, such a replacement will not hurt your pocket too much, and finding a suitable device will not be difficult. Of course, there is no need to write off your disk drive ahead of time. First you need to understand the problem.

Troubleshooting

For example, if the user is using virtual disk managers, then most likely the problem lies with them. Quite often it happens that such programs conflict with the optical disc drive and as a result it refuses to work. Sometimes users create too many virtual drives, but do not know how to delete them correctly, and by mistake they can delete the drive itself from the system.

In addition, you can check the drivers for the drive. In order to find them, you should open the “Start” menu and go to “Control Panel”, where select “System”. A fairly extensive list of parameters will appear here, among which you need to find and select “Hardware”, and then “Device Manager” in the menu on the left. In the window that appears, you need to find the item “IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers”. Here, using the right mouse button and the “Delete” button, eliminate absolutely everything. After that, restart your computer and everything will be fine.

Sometimes the problem may be in the cable that connects to the motherboard and drive. In order to check its serviceability, you should buy a new one at a computer store (fortunately, it costs about 200-400 rubles) and install it in place of the old one. It is worth noting that when installing a new cable, you need to carefully inspect the connection connectors and make sure that it will stand where you need it. Otherwise, you can throw not only the purchased cable into the garbage disposal, but also the drive itself, as it will simply burn out.

If none of these methods work, and the drive still does not read a working CD, then this means that its service life has expired, and you will need to buy a new one. In most cases, the drive's board breaks or it simply burns out on its own.

There are many special players for reading DVDs.

Among them: PowerDVD, Windows Media Player, Media Player Classic.

To view the contents of the disc you will need one of these programs.

The easiest way is to use a programmer that is used by many Windows users. Media Player Classic.

It is worth remembering that a standard player sometimes doesn't recognize digital signatures and codecs, so you have to use other players.

Launch using PowerDVD

Unlike Media Player Classic, this program paid. It can read media of any format, from MPEG and MP3 to ASF and WMA.


Launch using Windows Media Player

This program is available on every Windows computer, which makes it very convenient for reading disks. Playback manipulations are exactly the same as for Media Player Classic, however, this player has a number of its own features.

Player doesn't lose files because:

  1. DVD has been recorded in another region. Mircosoft products have algorithms that prevent pirated recordings from running.
  2. Standard player conflicts with other players. In such cases, you must stop using third-party software.
  3. Computer optical drive damaged.
  4. File format not compatible with the player.

DVD is a multi-purpose disc that is designed for recording multimedia and playing files. There are many virtual players with which you can watch DVDs.

You will need

  • - Media Player Classic;
  • - Windows Media Player;
  • - PowerDVD;

Instructions

  • The easiest way to watch a DVD is to use the standard Windows Media Player. Insert the disc into the drive of your personal computer. Press the button to close the drive. Go to Start - All Programs and open the Windows Media Player application. In the dialog box that appears, in the upper left part, click on the “File” link, then “Open”. Specify the exact path to where the DVD is located. But this program cannot always read digital signatures and disk encodings.
  • More reliable and complete software is CyberLink PowerDVD v 11.0.1620.51. Purchase this version of the licensed program from a specialized store. PowerDVD can read all formats, such as MPEG (AVI, MPG, MPEG, MP2, MP3, M1V and M2V), QuickTime (MOV and QT), MIDI (MID and RMI), audio (Dolby AC3, WAV, ASF, WM, WMA, WMV).
  • Insert the disc into the drive of your personal computer. Close the drive. The program installation dialog box will open. Specify the location where the program will be installed. Click Next. When the process is complete, reboot your operating system for all changes and updates to take effect.
  • Launch this software on your computer. Insert the DVD into the PC drive. PowerDVD will launch the disc menu. Select the beginning of the movie and left-click on it. The viewing will begin.
  • You can also watch the DVD using Media Player Classic Home Cinema. Download the free K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 7.7.0. Install this software on your personal computer. Go to “Start” - “All Programs” and launch this application. Click on the “File” drop-down list and specify the exact path to the DVD. Start watching.
  • Tip added on October 20, 2011 Tip 2: How to watch HD on a computer HD is a parameter of a video file that characterizes its quality. HD video is characterized by high image resolution, which requires processing and playback devices to consume certain system resources.

    You will need

    • - a program for viewing Blue-Ray discs.

    Instructions

  • Review your computer's configuration. Make sure your video card supports high-definition video playback and has enough memory to process it. The computer's processor and RAM also play an important role when viewing. If there are enough resources, this does not guarantee you trouble-free movie playback, since in some cases the changing of video images is slower.
  • Find out the resolution of your monitor. To do this, it is best to look at the characteristics of the model on the Internet. A monitor with a diagonal of 21 inches or more is best for viewing high-definition video, without losing image quality. Naturally, the best option would be a widescreen display, but a regular one will also be quite suitable for your purposes.
  • Make sure your Blue-Ray drive can be connected. It is also possible to watch high-definition video without it, the main thing is that your hard drive has enough memory to store a large amount of information.
  • Install a special player on your computer to view Blue-Ray discs. Without it, video files will not play. You can download similar programs from the Internet or find them on disk.
  • If you want to play high-definition video from your computer's hard drive, open a player that supports the file format you need. Using the "Browse" button, specify the path to find it and add the video to the playlist.
  • If you do not have enough system resources to fully watch HD video, improve the settings by replacing the processor or video card. The larger the RAM of the video adapter, the more images it can process in a certain unit of time, and frame rate is one of the most important attributes of high-definition video.
  • Please note: Before purchasing HD video playback devices, please read the system requirements listed on the disc packaging. Helpful advice Install a standard player that supports both playback of video files from your hard drive and from Blue-Ray media. How to watch HD on your computer - printable version