Computer Sometimes Won't Read DVD Drive

[Archduke Tips]

What kind of controller does the hard drive use?
The main types are ATA, RAID, and SATA.

If the drive uses a small cable with kind of a thin termination that only has a few gold pins on a small insert in the middle of it, then you have SATA.

If it uses a bunch of pins then it is ATA or RAID.

Its searching for a parallel drive, and you may have a serial drive. Sometimes this can get reset in the BIOS.

Also, your hard drive might just be fucked. When those things give out, it is very hard to fix them.