My combo drive is not reading CDs but reading DVDs perfectly

It is a DVD ROM drive which stands for DVD Read Only Memory. In other words, this drive is meant to only PLAY DVDs and CDs but NOT save data to them.

To burn CDs you need a CD burner. Burners are of 3 types:

CD writer only burns and reads CDs.

Combo drive reads CDs and DVDs but only burns CDs.

Super drive burns and reads from CDs and DVDs.

As you go higher in functionality, the price also increases. Check your needs before you plan to buy one. Also compare prices of all the drives. Note: burn-able media costs are separate.

dvd combo drive means that CD's can be Read & Write whereas DVD's are only read , they cant be written with Combo Drive. So if u want to Write DVD then Purchase a DVD writer.

Could be a bad drive, as DVD lasers are a little different than just CD lasers. The laser may be bad for one, but the other can work. I had this issue, had to buy a new drive.

DVD/CD-RW combo drives are capable of reading the DVD's but cannot burn so try playing a DVD with some content on it also Download VLCPLAYER 
from :http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
if you don't have a DVD player already on your system. As far as CDs are concerned it can both read and write to CDs

A Combo drive is a type of optical drive that combines CD-R/CD-RW recording capability with the ability to read (but not write) DVD media

Lite-on SOHC-5236V is a dvd/cd-rw combo drive so it can read and write CDs and read DVDs (but cannot burn DVDs)
to check the details of this product please click here

if you are good at opening then open the combo drive and clean the lens once by using some lens cleaner solution and then refit it it should work ...

if you still persist the problem then think that the life of the combo drive is getting down and the time to purchase new one is getting nearer ..

after some days your combo drive will fail to read the cds but it will read occasionally for some days after that it will not read anything that s because the lens is becoming weaker ...

at the cost of replacing the lens you can purchase the new dvd writer ...

but also try cleaning the lens with some lens cleaner solution after that it may work for some days ..

the only problem with the combo drive is the lens will be weaker than the normal dvd writer or cd writer so after some days of usage it fails to detect dvds followed by it fails in detecting of cds too ...

thank you

rate my solution

Yes, you can install the cd with the Nero Software in the new Laptop, and you will be able to write CDs or DVDs, but if you have a combo only you will only be able to write/burn CDs but read DVDs no problem.
ciao Ed.

man if you have warranty papers try for a replacement
these are due to manufacturing damages which can be corrected only by them or experts

Try this, but if the problem persists, you need to replace the drive. Go to my computer>properties>hardware>device manager and look down the list for your cd/dvd drives and click the '+' sign then highlight your dvd drive and right click to delete. Restart the pc and windows will find the drive again automatically and install the drivers.

It's common problem with combo drives in notebooks, they don't seem to last long. Try this:- Go to my computer>properties>hardware>device manager and look down the list for your cd/dvd drives and click the '+' sign then highlight your dvd drive and right click to delete. Restart the pc and windows will find the drive again automatically and install the drivers. If the problem persists the laser is faulty in the drive and the drive will need to be replaced.