Hi all My neighbour's CD-ROM won't play store-bought audio CD's. The windows startup and shutdown sounds are working fine but when you put an ordinary music CD in his CD-ROM the microsoft cd player comes up on the screen and ticks away the seconds of the song as though it's playing but no sound is heard. I am able to read data CD's fine. I was able to download some software from a CD in the CD drive just can't play music. Any ideas?

It's probably WindowsMediaPlayer problem. Try getting the newest WinMediaPlayer at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/player.aspx If you're using Quicktime, goto www.quicktime.com and download the latest version. If the startup and shut down sounds are heard, then it must be software problem. hope this fixes the prob. There are two types of people in this world: lazy people and stupid people.

also, check out if there's new firmware for the cd-rom drive. It usually fixes these kinda problems Intel P4 3.2E Ghz@ 3.8Ghz Asus P4P800-E Deluxe Kingston 2x512MB PC3200 D-Channel Asus AX800 Pro WD Caviar 160 GB WD Raptor 37 GB Zalman Reserator 1

Check to make sure the CD stereo connector is connected to the soundcard. If you have headphones, plug into the CD RON head jack if you hear music, it's probably the connector missing. The dumbest question is the one not asked

Or something very easy. Each CD-Rom has a 4pin Audio cable socket. If you look from behind it's usually on the left side of the drives backside. You need a cable from there to the CD audio connector on the soundcard or an the motherboard if it has onboard sound. Unless the program allows digital audio (for example inside Nero) the music cd sound goes directly over this little cable and out of the soundcard. So no audio cable, no misic cd audio!!!!! And check the audio connector on the soundcard/board because there are two different types. One is a black connector that also fits into the optical drive and the other is a smaller white one. The savest way would be to get a audio cable with both connectors on one side. And it has to be long enough to reach from the drive to the audio connector and you should be able to go around certain dangerous areas on the board. For example that cable shoundn't run directly over the cpu fan or other fans!

The Analog audio cable is no longer nessessary. Right click on My Computer and go to Properties. Click on the Hardware tab and click on the Device Manager button. Expand the DVD/ CD ROM drives catagory and double click on your drive. click on the Properties tab and put a checkmark in the Enable Digital CD Audio for This Device.

Kurt, that is not in win98se as i've just checked mine, maybe in me or xp but not 98 david