I push the button to open to be able to put a CD in, it does not slid out so I can use it. I can hear it try to open but won't. This a DVD/CD Rom Lite-On Combo SOHC-5236V.

SOURCE: My Lite-On combo sohc-5236v does not read CD but it reads DVD.

The reason for this is most likely Copyright protection. If this is the case, it will read DVDs as it is only a DVD-ROM, but what happens in the case of CDs, is that they recognise the drive as a Burner, and the Copyright that is embedded into the CD wont let the drive read it. This also happens with DVDs in some DVD burners.

The way to test this, is by getting a CD-RW disc that has music or files on it, put it in the drive, and see if it reads it. If it doesn't, then you may have a fault with the drive, but if it does read the CD-RW, then the only way round it that I know of, is to buy a CD-ROM drive and use both drives.

SOURCE: Lite-on Combo SOHC-5236v

You may be using the wrong type of DVD format. Some DVD-ROMs and players will only read certain discs. i.e. DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RAM. If you are trying to read a DVD-R disc that was bought blank, and then had things burned to it, it may be that the disc wasn't finalised after burning. You could always try updating the Firmware version by downloading it from the website.

SOURCE: Can the lite-on combo sohc-5236v burn DVD-Rs?

hi...ya sure u can burn the dvd's.
thank u..
rate me.

SOURCE: Can the lite-on combo sohc-5236v

A Combo drive is a type of optical drive that combines CD-R/CD-RW recording capability with the ability to read (but not write) DVD media

Lite-on SOHC-5236V is a dvd/cd-rw combo drive so it can read and write CDs and read DVDs (but cannot burn DVDs)
to check the details of this product please click here

SOURCE: cd problem

try to upgrade the firmare...
on some models of combo drives there are two seperate laser diodes- one for CD and one for DVD.
If so, you are in bad luck....