i dont see any other alternative.

if you aren't able to determine which of these problems is the culprit, then Rob is your man.

i dont want to buy that drive if i dont have to.

Especially if the problem turns out to be something other than the drive, in which case you'd have spent the money but the player still wouldn't work.

I'm not saying the drive's good, I'm just saying that until you've ruled out everything else then you can't know.