i recently updated to the most recent version of ubuntu. i think i have watch dvds since then using vlc (not 100% sure though). however, just today i wanted to burn a cd and i noticed my computer didn't seem to recognize my blank disc. so i tried several other discs - dvds, cds, burned, not burned - and it makes a noise like it's working at something, and then it stops and i can't see any icon on my desktop and i can't find it in my file structure. i tried to open a cd through vlc's "open disc" command, and it said "VLC is unable to open the MRL 'cdda:///dev/cdrom'. Check the log for details." any advice? oh, and i know next to nothing when it comes to this kind of stuff, so please use laymen's terms!

for burning a dvd " k3b " is right now the better program to use
the built in gnome tool has had problems ( Gnome Baker )

for watching "store bought" dvd's did you install the reverse engineered lbidvdcss and libdvdread
to read the proprietary format in dvd's

You could have a drive going out too. How old is the laptop anyway?

Get a real cd - not cdr, not dvd, not rw, but pressed in plastic. clean it. Does the drive read that? Does it read after running the command above 2 or 3 times?

Now your blank. Does it spin up? After hdparm?

hdparm will force one or two last reads out of a disk. Your drive is on the way out if you need it. Start shopping.