I have a 1st gen eMac, and the drive in it (CD, CD-R) doesn’t read CDs anymore. I have to put a cd in another comp on our network and transfer the files to mine through the drop box. Why doesn’t it work any more? 
I’m getting an Intel iMac for Christmas, but until then itd be nice to read discs.
Is the eMac slot loading or on a sled? While your drive very well may be dead, it’s also possible that one of the small optical parts inside has gotten too dirty or (and this is a long shot) that the ATA cable connecting it has been dislodged. To check the latter, see if the drive still registers in the system profile (About This Mac > More Info). If the lens is dirty, you might be able to blow into the mouth of the drive with some compressed air.
I know your resources are limited, but an external CD-ROM drive wouldn’t be that expensive, if it came down to it.
Yeah, it still shows up in System Profiler. Should I try some compressed air? It’s a sled btw.
It’s worth a shot I suppose. Strong lungs kept my Sawtooth’s CDRW alive for 6 months or so after it starting giving me trouble.
Before busting your lungs or renting a 1000mW Blowthingie for 50 bucks an hour… try a Cleaning-CD… That works fine.
If the drive won’t read CDs, a cleaning CD won’t work (belive me, I’ve tried).