zero_gylt,
Since your Presario is few years old it is not that surprising the optical drive is tired. When I said inexpensive, you can pick up a DVD burner for 40 bucks or so. Then you can burn DVDs as well as CDs (I think your model came with a combo DVD reader CD Burner).
Installation is pretty easy. If you have a friend that is comfortable inside a PC, enlist his help. If not it would be a minimum charge at a repair shop.
-Fred