CD/DVD-ROM on laptop works with DVD's but not CD's

[pelikan]

I just got a used laptop and I can't use any CD's in it. Even the Toshiba recovery disks won't work. I tried a few DVD's and they work fine. This is strange because the person I bought it from did a clean install with the recovery disks. The laptop was shipped to me in very good packaging.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks!

 

[pelikan]

bump

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Throw a bootable CD (like the Toshiba restore disc) in there and see if you can boot. If you can, it's software. If not, your CD pickup laser is probably pooched.

- M4H

 

[pelikan]

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried booting from the restore disk. It didn't work. I guess this thing won't work with CD's. Oh well.