Sony Viao Laptop DVD problem

[QueBert]

newer model with Vista on it, the DVD drive isn't working (this is a neighbors) so I'm looking at it, nothing coming up in explorer. So I check the device manager and the dvd drive has a ! next to it. I remove it and try adding new hardware, add's back with the ! still, I removed the IDE drivers, it rebooted found new hardware the DVD still doesn't work. I'm guessing there's nothing physically wrong with the DVD, but I have no clue what could have caused this. Any ideas how to fix it?

 

[ScrapSilicon]

if under warranty I'd go that route ..possibly test system's functionality with an external usb 2.0 unit but most likely either the connector inside is buggered or the drive is faulty..either scenario would entail physically removing part(s) ..which would possibly be detrimental to a warranty claim ..gl

 

[QueBert]

it as a registry problem, odd thing is the same problem occurs in XP and the fix I used was the XP method. I thought Vista was built new from the ground up? haha