My CD drive can play DVD but can't play VCD.  

DVD drive should be able to play VCDs. Try to play some VCDs again, to ensure its quality VCDs. If that fails, you will need resetting the program you use, whether already available to the VCD?

It's unbelievable that you DVD RW cannot play VCD!! According to my experience, it should be able to play VCD because it is DVD RW Drive. It can even write Data to DVD. I think there must be some faults with the connection of your DVD RW and your computer. If possible, you should bring your computer to computer shop then ask the technician to recheck it. Anyway, it can be a problem of your player application. Try to play your VCD with the other players such as Windows Media Player, VLC Player, KM Player, RealPlayer, and so on. One more thing that I want you to check!

1. Insert your VCD into your DVD RW drive
2. Wait for 10 seconds
3. Open My Computer
4. Explore to your DVD RW Drive
Then if you can see there are some files and folders in your DVD RW Drive, it means that you will be able to play VCD.

Hope it will help you!

I don't think it's the drive. Maybe it's the CD itself. Try playing another. It's quite strange though if you can play DVD but not VCD.

some question nainesh1, is your drive brandnew?is this the first time you play vcd on your drive or you can play before but this time it won't because there are some factors why your vcd won't play, maybe you can give us more detail because if this is the first time you'll be playing a vcd and it won't then try using another player or you can try another working vcd but your power dvd should do the job and if it can play vcd before and it won't this time, then it must be your dvdrw that is defective, actually try first if it can read data cd or it can play cd music, if it can't then it's your really your dvdrw that is failing.

The VCD your using is already defective or damage.

I have had similar problems, but in my case it was not just the VCD. My drive could not read any CD. It was a lens problem and Sony told me that repairing the lens will cost me a lot. I figured out that I could get a new drive by investing a little more money. This problem happened to me after 2 years of using the drive.

If your drive is within the warranty period take it to the Sony service center in your area. If it is more than a year old (that is the warranty period) you can start thinking of buying a new one. I recommend you buy LG. It is more reliable than Sony.

This is common. I have the same problem. but in my case, I have a DVD Drive which now can't play DVD's but still can play VCD's.

I think it's a hardware failure. I've google it. ^_^

That means that the thing needs to be replaced. hahah ^_^

i have the same problem. my laptop (acer v3000) only can read dvd and play dvd. but cannot read or play vcd. i have try many cd (movie and data) my drive seem cant detect anything. it is any possibility that my drive already broke? thanks all..

because the type of drive you only to read the vcd, not dvd because the dvd files that can accommodate that many, cd a little while. your drive may be just to read the vcd only. thanks