When a DVD drive stops recognizing inserted DVD or CD media, the first thing to do is to try cleaning the laser lens with a soft cloth or a lens-cleaning DVD. Sometimes that doesn't help and that's when most people trash their old drive and look for a new one. However, slim drives are more expensive and often have a specific front mask with a glossy finish or an unusual shape that is generally not well replaced with a generic mask.
The good news is that the problem is usually caused by dust that gets inside the space between the lens and the laser diode, and can be easily fixed by opening the drive and blowing the dust off using a can of compressed air.
This video shows you how to repair a slim DVD drive from an ASRock ION 330HT PC by removing the dust from the laser.
DISCLAIMER: This video is for educational purposes only. Anything you do with your hardware is at your own risk, and opening it will certainly void the warranty. I CAN NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG.
