Hi,
yesterday my hard disk SATA SEAGEATE 120Gb,start to make some noise.This was all,1 minute later the system hangs.Power down,restart detect devices screen...hard disk not recognized and loud noise comes from the hard disk (propably damaged heads).My bad luck...this was the 2nd hard disk on my system that i use to store all my files...Disconnect the hard disk and the system start up normal with the primary Western Digital 120Gb hard disk,but there is just windows xp and installed programme.Look fast to see if i have some bach up of my files to DVD.Ok not all,but a lot.Insert the 1st to DVD Drive Nec 2500A (this is the only optical drive in my sytem).Surprise...the DVD is not readable...ok try the 2nd,looks like read it but when copy some folders back to hard disk i get some error mesage and the transfer isnt imposible.Try also some other with the same results.They are from different companies like Philips,Platinum,SwissTec.Look fast to cdfreaks forum.I see a lot of people having problems with NEC 2500 for reading DVD.Ok...i move to the store buy a new hard disk...and also a new DVD reader with the wish that its can read my old back up DVD.
My question-Is it better to buy a new DVD Recorder (BENQ 1640) and remove the NEC 2500,or should i move to a reader only because from my experience looks like they can read better copy DVD (my main wish is to take my files back from the back up DVD)?Thanks

Your problem with the DVD's is poor quality discs. Most any current burner will do a better job of reading them than the 2500 will, but it's trial and error finding a drive that can read them, if any will.

Take the discs to a computer shop and see if anything there will read them.