DVD-RW problem -please help urgent please please

[mukilan]

I have a HP pavilion w5160in witH DVD-RW 16X HP DVD Writer 640b
.The problem is, when i insert any cd or dvd disk the light in the dvd
drive blinks as usual but the drive icon in "my computer" doesnt change i.e
it doesnt read the disk.Also when i doubleclick and open the drive in "my
computer" it doent list the contents of the disk(blank as if an empty disk
is in it).When i try to writ a disk(cd & dvd,using many softwares)i get the
erro saying that there is no disk in the drive EVEN WHEN I HAVE INSERTED A
blank clean empty disk.
The drive is listed in the bios but when i try to boot using a bootable
media,it doesnt.

pLEASE HELP

[kalpik]

Your drive is dead. Get a new one

[assasin]

Before u dump ur drive jst try out dese steps:
1> Change d IDE cable,
2> Check jumper settings,
3> Clean drive's lens ( if u can open d drive and clean d surface of d lens using a cotton dipped in tape head cleaner solution )
4> Try updating ur drive's firmware

[janitha]

You have not mentioned whether it was working earlier.