CLI tools for checking out CDROM drive

[Nigel Henry <cave.dnb@tiscali.fr>]

I've got a Sony CD-RW CRX230E on this machine, which until recently appeared 
to be working ok. Now I'm getting a "No Media Found" when trying to mount a 
data CD. When I first noticed this, I tried an audio cd, and that played ok, 
but now I find that the cdplayer just says "no disc". Neither can I boot live 
cd's now, even though the cdrom is first to boot from.

The drive is detected in the BIOS as master on IDE1, which is correct, and 
dmesg shows that it's there on IRQ15, and KDE's info lists a load of 
different stuff about the drive.

I havn't changed the cable yet, just unplugged, and replugged it from both 
ends. When I put a disc in the green light comes on for a bit, and there is a 
touch of HD activity, and another couple of flickers of the light.

Is there some CLI tool in Debian Etch, or Lenny that I can use to thoroughly 
check out the cdrom drive?

Thanks for any suggestions, including telling me that the darned thing has 
died.

Nigel.