not playing music cd's isn't usually critical, but if you can't install 
software, that is a problem.  First let's see what discs will and won't be 
navigable by your computer.  That is a windows explorer question.  Then we 
need to know which will and won't play load, or act as they should.  If the 
problem is only audio cd's, then it's necessary to find which programs and 
audio settings are being applied for audio disks.  I'll bet on a program or 
audio setting.  Most likely the cd's are playing just fine, but the volume 
is muted or turned way down.

H T Kaufman MSW LCSW