text: how can i check if my cd rw dvd rom combo drive hardware is faulty?   if it is more than 18 months old or has burnt more than 200cd's, the chances are it's dying. these things are not worth repairing due to the cost of replacements.  a modern dvd writer also writes cd's and due to the twin laser configuration, is generally substantially better than older combo drives.  be aware it is dead easy to replace a drive. at worst, you have 4 screws to undo.