Optical drive doesn't work properly

emil4467

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Jul 1, 2013
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My optical drive is not working properly and i can't find the reason for this. It sometimes burn and read ok, sometimes doesn't. For example, yesterday i copy some files on CD with Nero Express and today when i inserted the disk it doesn't load the disk. I can hear how it cycling continuously but window explorer can't detect even there is a disk in the optical drive.
I disabled the autoplay options and after this it was able to load disk few times but now again it doesn't work.

The CD's are new Verbatim disks and i don't think they are the reason. Also, when i check the driver it says that it works properly. It's from 2006 but i couldn't find newer version.

This is my optical drive: TSSTcorp CDDVDW TS-L632H ATA Device

Any idea what might be the problem?
 

coteau

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Mar 12, 2008
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Toshiba forum here on issue:
http://forums.toshiba.com/t5/Computer-Troubleshooting/What-can-I-do-if-my-CD-or-DVD-drive-doesn-t-work-properly-in/ta-p/280285

Microsoft fix-it from the previous Toshiba forum:
http://support.microsoft.com/mats/cd_dvd_drive_problems/en-us

More than likely need firmware update:
http://forums.toshiba.com/t5/Drivers-and-Utilities/Firmware-Update/m-p/181974#M10774

I could not find the firmware for this particular drive but the above link has a firmware download link.

Older optical drives with newer media are susceptible to many issues due to firmware and the older laser in the drive being incompatible with the newer discs sometimes.

If you computer is a Dell - firmware from Dell support site for drive:
http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/driverdetails?driverid=R250068
 

emil4467

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Jul 1, 2013
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My laptop is Toshiba Satellite A205-S5812 with Windows 7 x32.
I think i found a firmware update for the optical drive released 2009 which is the latest. But is it safe to run the firmware update? It should update BIOS, correct?
 

coteau

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Mar 12, 2008
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It will update the firmware on your optical drive not the BIOS on the motherboard.
BIOS should be specifically labeled BIOS under support for your computer.
If you update firmware and if something goes wrong like you loose power in the middle of update, you could ruin your drive.
To keep it up to date I would chance it. I have updated quite a few but I can't remember a time when I ruined a drive due to firmware. It is possible though if drive is flakey or if you loose power during update.