📎 AI Summary:
The thread discusses why a Windows PC's DVD drive periodically spins up even when unused, with the initial poster noting this behavior and expressing curiosity about Windows' actions. A responder explains that Windows polls drives to check availability, which is a normal process for all drives. A later contributor suggests third-party software might be causing the disk spins, expressing difficulty in pinpointing the source due to limitations in monitoring drive activity via Task Manager. Overall, the discussion centers on understanding the reason behind Windows or other processes accessing and spinning up the optical drive during inactivity.
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WinFreak

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Thread Author #1
Not that it bothers me, but I have noticed that the DVD drive (UDF live file system DVD inserted) randomly started spinning after the computer was not touched for many hours.

It happens repeatedly.

It does not bother me, I would just like to know what Windows does when accessing the disk.
 

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nmsuk

nmsuk

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#2
It's just polling the drive to see if it's available. It does the same for all drives.
 

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xio

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#3
Looks like this has already been asked. Because of this, I eject the disc or disconnect the optical drive so it does not make noise overnight.

nmsuk said:
It's just polling the drive to see if it's available.
Click to expand...

I don't see why Windows would need to spin up the disc to check the availability of the drive, or why the availability needs to be checked in first place while the computer is not being used.

It might be some third-party software, but there is no way I know of to find out which it is. The task manager does not show I/O usage on optical discs, and even if it did, whatever accesses the optical drive approximately once per hour would be over quickly, so it could not be seen in the task manager. There would need to be a way to record in the background which processes access the optical drive.
 

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