Issue with Sony DVD writer DRU710A reading CD-ROMs

[epicurus]

Hi,

I'm having the following issue: several weeks ago, I was burning a VCD of a family picnic for my inlaws who don't have a DVD player. At some point the burn hung up and when it finally freed up, it didn't recognize there was a CD in the drive (I got a message asking me to insert a blank disc in the drive. When I did, it spun the disc for a while then repeated the request).

Since then it does not recognize either recorded or blank CDs but works perfectly well with DVD-ROMs, both reading and recording.

I'm tempted to think it's a software problem but are there different drivers for the CD portion from the DVD portion? Any suggestions?

Other info: Sony DRU-710A, updated firmware, Dell Inspiron 4600 w/P4, XP-Professional, Running Nero buring software.

The only other wierdness that may affect this is that 6 months ago there was a brief power failure that caused my computer to restart before completely shutting down. Ever since then, it thinks it has a floppy (A:) drive but it doesn't. Dell support has been helpless with this issue. I've noticed no other performance-related problems with this.

[confus-ed]

Since then it does not recognize either recorded or blank CDs but works perfectly well with DVD-ROMs, both reading and recording..

Hi epicurus, welcome to wd forums, a philosopher huh ?

I think your problem is most likely software too, but first lets see if we're right . If you look at this forums sticky here , there's a procedure outlined under a section 'cd boot test' - have a try & see if you can use you windows cd to boot from - this elimates 'windows software madness' !

[slgrieb]

Um, more likely a hardware problem I think. Bad optical drives can generate a really strange array of symptoms including failure to identify media correctly, mis-reporting the type of content on a disc, etc. When these issues are software related, they are most often caused by installing or removing some ill-behaved burning program. Since the problem showed up in the middle of a burn, I'm pretty sure the drive is at fault. Still, you might want to try this: http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;314060

I realize the problem description doesn't exactly fit, but this simple registry edit fixes lots of burner problems. I would also try running a CD/DVD lens cleaner (such as Discwasher's for example).

[epicurus]

Thanks! I'll review both. See which is less 'intrusive' and try that first. Then the other. I'll report back if I have any success.

Edit: Nero has updated its software. I'm going to try to download and install the update first and see if that works. If not, I'll try these. (I had given up on their tech support. They must have seen this post. )

[epicurus]

Um, more likely a hardware problem I think. Bad optical drives can generate a really strange array of symptoms including failure to identify media correctly, mis-reporting the type of content on a disc, etc. When these issues are software related, they are most often caused by installing or removing some ill-behaved burning program. Since the problem showed up in the middle of a burn, I'm pretty sure the drive is at fault. Still, you might want to try this: http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;314060

I realize the problem description doesn't exactly fit, but this simple registry edit fixes lots of burner problems. I would also try running a CD/DVD lens cleaner (such as Discwasher's for example).

Yeesh! I went into the registry and have 24 entries with the key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

I'm still trying to find the "Upper Filters" and "Lower Filters"

Any help is appreciated.

Edit: Never Mind. Found the key for the DVD driver. Just needed to delve into it a little.

[epicurus]

Guess it is a hardware issue. I've tried all the steps you've mentioned but no luck. Still writes and reads DVDs but no joy even getting it to recognize a CD is in. I'll have to figure something out for CDs until I can save up for a new drive.

Thanks for the help!

[TheNextAvatar]

I am having the same problem with my Sony DRU710A. The Sony live tech had me shut down and basically rip apart my computer. That was no help and just pissed me off more. So now I have sent an email to Sony and hope that I can get someone with more technology know-how then a monkey to reply.

[confus-ed]

I am having the same problem with my Sony DRU710A. The Sony live tech had me shut down and basically rip apart my computer. That was no help and just pissed me off more..

Hi , welcome to wd forums.

Better tell us all of that then, so we don't piss you off some more, by suggesting the same things !

Will your computer pass the 'CD boot test' or not ? First thing to do is eliminate as many s/w complications as possible & establish if the unit can work properly, the simplest way, is if you have a known working system & swap writers, else we play the 'elimination game' starting with the boot test

[TheNextAvatar]

Hi , welcome to wd forums.

Better tell us all of that then, so we don't piss you off some more, by suggesting the same things !

Will your computer pass the 'CD boot test' or not ? First thing to do is eliminate as many s/w complications as possible & establish if the unit can work properly, the simplest way, is if you have a known working system & swap writers, else we play the 'elimination game' starting with the boot test

They had me go into the device manager and change some settings on the IDE section. I tried booting from a OS cd and it doesn't work. Oddly enough I just noticed that when the light on the drive flashes, so does the hard drive light. Fustrated doesn't start to describe the feeling.

[confus-ed]

..I tried booting from a OS cd and it doesn't work..

Well the cd boot test is pretty reliable, as long as you are certain you've set the options up right in bios to do it, which would spell 'not well' at the very least.. did sony support get you to change the cabling ? Generally that's the only possibility left, if the cd boot test fails..

[TheNextAvatar]

.. did sony support get you to change the cabling ? Generally that's the only possibility left, if the cd boot test fails..

They didn't tell me to, but i tried it any way. And it did not work.

[TheNextAvatar]

Just to update on where I am with this, I contacted a VERY important friend of mine and they persuaded Sony to issue me an RMA on the drive. I guess we will see what happens when they get this POS back.

[TheNextAvatar]

Okay, so Sony sent a brand new DRU800-series drive! I hope everyone else who has this problem gets an outcome just as well.

[confus-ed]

Okay, so Sony sent a brand new DRU800..

Lovely , lets hope that's an end to your troubles !