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Please Help with a MATSHITA UJ-840D

Forum Storage : DVD/CD Writers - Please Help with a MATSHITA UJ-840D

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Hi everybody,

As said in the title, I have a MATSHITA UJ-840D.

It's on a Sony Vaio VGN-FS660 laptop, about a year old. When bought the DVD-+RW would write/read/burn/everything just fine at max speed. However a few months ago, things started to go awry. The drive would read only certain CDs and not others (I couldn't find a pattern), and it would never successfully burn/copy CDs. The image-making half would go through fine, but when it reached the burning half of the process, it would reach at most 11% and say that Burning has failed. I have been using Nero for this. If it can read a CD once it always can read the CD, just that it just won't read some CDs. This has been pretty annoying and if anyone could help me, it'd be great. I don't even know if the problem is software or hardware related.

Thanks all.

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It appears as though the drive recognizes burned CDs as blank CDs for some reason. And the burning still will not work. Anyone, help please? :(

Reply to haagendazs

I have a sony vgnfs675ph with the same drive (Matshita 840-D) and have the exact same problem. I also suspect it is hardware related, but don't really know. I contact Sony's parts center and they want $299 + tax for the drive. ROFL. First I would like to say that that is horribly overpriced for a dvd rw, and second -- they should give me the damn thing because it is obviously a problem from the manufacturer. Anyway, anyone with more info please post.

Reply to fyathyrio8

hi, i have an advent laptop bought about 6 months ago, n im having exactly the same problem, right down to the 11% copy before the error. have u had ne luck in solving the problem?

Reply to pricemeister1990
- 0 +

hi.
you guys can look in the link below if there is a firmware update for that drive.
http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_all.php
sometimes firmware fixes the things.

Reply to bacis

Unfortunately that site only provides firmware for the UJ-840S model. I've tried this firmware and it doesn't help... I'm not sure if it does anything. And I have not found anything on this matter yet :(

Reply to haagendazs

Try going here. http://www.gidforums.com/t-1805.html
I was experiencing the same problem before, but changing one setting fixed it. Hopefully you have as much luck as I did

Reply to fyathyrio8

Thanks for the link, but unfortunately it didn't work. My burning still screws up right at 11% just like the other poster said.

Reply to haagendazs

Did you try reducing the burning speed?

Reply to fyathyrio8

Yes; unfortunately it still crashes at 11% :(

Reply to haagendazs

I am assuming you are using Nero. If so, check the 'Simulation' box. I'm not sure why, but before I did this, Nero wouldn't give me any useful error messages. After Nero runs the Simulation, it will attempt to burn the disc (and will probably fail again). When it does fail, hopefully it will give you some more information than before. I received a "Power Calibration" error. Have you looked at the Nero log at all?

Reply to fyathyrio8

Actually I've noticed that it says Power Calibration Error for me, too. However I have tried the default Windows XP drag & drop burning thing, and it screws up there too, so I don't think it's just Nero.

Reply to haagendazs

Agreed, it is not just a Nero problem. Do a search on power calibration error. I read some posts saying to try better cd-r's (which I think is b.s. but o well) and also to try cleaning the eye on the cd drive. Incidentally, it was in one of these posts that I read about the setting in administrative tools. I am still confused as to why that worked for me... Good luck, let us know how you made out.

Reply to fyathyrio8

Just a Q, what version nero are you all using?

Reply to mousemonkey

my toshiba laptop with a similar matshita drive started giving me problems after a year also. first I realized the max speed availale was less and now it'll burn but theres errors although it completes the burn and says there was no errors and that's on the slowest speed. made it difficult to burn drivers and such to cd hen I just setup my new desktop

Reply to rquinn19
- 0 +

I have the same problem with my Sony VGN-FS640/W. Of course when I contacted sony, they told me to just make sure my cd's were clean haha. Anyways, I was looking to replace the drive. Does anyone know of any good brands/models that are compatible with my computer? Any help would be great!

Reply to jhan
- 0 +

just celan the drivelens whit a little household alkohol on a cottonstik,it helpt me. :D

Reply to pop59
- 0 +

Here is the Firmware update for your drive. I found it in Sony's Support Drivers/Software page. I looked up your model (VGN-FS660) and this was the latest firmware update they had for your drive model.

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/s [...] 16&os_id=7

It upgrades your Firmware to version 1.04. See if this helps.

Reply to andytg7

apparently the firmware update said my drivers were up to date already

however i tried the alcohol thing and surprisingly it worked!!
thanks!! =)

Reply to haagendazs
- 1 +

i have the same drive on my hp pavillion (same problems, can't read/write dvds OR cds consistantly).

after trying the techie solutions like firmware/drivers/etc., i just took the lens cloth from a pair of sunglasses and wiped the drive clean.

guess what? WORKS PERFECTLY NOW!

give it a try.

Reply to pachell

Hi all,

I also faced the same probleM. Surprisingly whn i tried the alcohol cleaning, it worked. This is really amazing. Thanks all for the information.

cheers!
priya

Reply to priyabrat

Hi !! Same Matshita 840d, in my HP pavillion, I have no problem with the CD's, but can't read and write any DVD's. :( Why, Matshita, whyyy?

Reply to mylifestyle
- 0 +

Hi all, I have both Nero and Sonic on my Compaq Presario. I had the problem as well. cleaning the lens with alcohol actually worked perfectly. It worked for me. But there's a pattern in all the forums here. Why is it that the problem starts at about a year after installation. I started having the problem just after a year of purchasing the system. It obviously had to do with the manufacturer.
Thanks to you all.

Reply to dammy

pop59's suggestion worked like a charm on the Matshita 840d DVD/CDRW loaded in my Sony laptop! It didn't even recognize a DVD was loaded before it was cleaned. Now it works perfectly. In the 'olden days' manufacturer's manuals used to tell you to clean the lense periodically to maintain performance. I'd forgotten about that until pop's reminder. I'd have to say dammy is right too, since manuals don't mention maintainance anymore and they were not included with my laptop anyway.


Message edited by SanderBby on 12-09-2007 at 11:23:39 PM
Reply to SanderBby
- 0 +

Answer is: replace the drive ! I replaced the UJ-840D in my 2 year old Vaio VGN_F315E I bought a LiteOn DS-8AZP-021C 8x DVDRW at £32.99 from play.com all you need is a small Philips screwdriver I had gone through every known check before replacing it including what sony suggested, they wanted a £142 deposit before it left the house for something that takes half an hour to do You have to set it to your DVD Region after installation in control panel, system, hardware.

Reply to dave333
- 0 +

the problem is that dust accumulates on the lens, so the laser is less eficient for reading/burning. this is true for all optic devices (notebook, pc, audio systems, dvdplayers...) the best way to solve the problem is to clean the lens using a cottonstick and some specific cleaning liquid or distilled water. try to avoid medicinal alcohool because it can leave a very fine pellicle of residue, so the problem is not solved. but you have to be very carefull when cleaning, you should try to avoid moving the lens itself too much, because it is fixed with very sensitive wires... you should try to pin it down ang just rotate the cottonstick just as you would screw something.

for some optic devices time could be the problem ( more than 3-4 years, or less if intensively used).. in this case the optical device should be changed.

Reply to Shmu

I'd just like to say thanks! I also have the same drive in my 4 year old HP laptop. It would not burn CD/DVD's at all, nor was it reading burned CD's. I tried updating the drivers first, after uninstalling and reinstalling the existing ones. I figured that maybe it was time to just turn the old girl in. It turns out simplicity wins again. Cleaning the lens worked like a charm.

Reply to roughsketch
- 0 +

hi friends thanks for your post i am very good thanks

Reply to edgardi

To anyone reading this:
I was like many facing problems with Matshita. I tried the cdgone.reg, unistalling drivers, uninstalling Nero 9, intalling Roxio RecordNow Deluxe (As it comes with Compaq laptops, sometimes it brings the drives back to life)... anyway a bunch of things none of them work.
So I unmounted the drive (just 4 screws keep it there), gave it a good clean, even blow the inside of my laptop, and put it back again... And Voila! it was recognized again. As I write this, I'm burning a Dvd.

Hope this helps anyone.

Pablo.

Reply to ozzy_scl

Hello,
Just registered to comment.
My drive couldnt read / detect any discs. It wouldnt even boot from the cd / dvd when the drive was set to the top in the boot order. I had given up all hope as this was definitely a hardware issue. I then came across this thread and followed the advice of cleaning the lens. And it worked!!
I was surprised because the lens looked quite clean. Whatever it is, the problem is gone and now I can install OS. Keep the forum running and thanks very much...

Reply to nikhilmitta

Wow! I had that same problem and tried wiping my lens and its now working!
Thanks :)

Reply to imhislove21
- 0 +

I have an Acer TravelMate 8200 running Windows XP SP 2 with a Matshita DVD-RAM UJ-850S. I had the exact same problem as johncougar.

In my case, sometime back I had installed MagicDisc ISO Maker, a virtual drive emulator. I had uninstalled it after trial. My problem must have occurred sometime after that. I know how frustrating it is and thinking it was probably a driver or firmware problem I spent countless hours looking for updates. I tried working with DVD-R/+R and everything else and was planning to buy a new drive instead.

Though I didnt see any solutions and no updates I got to learn the basics of Registry Editor and Complete Uninstallation and found out the Magic Disc ISO Maker files even after unistallation using Add/Remove Programs still existed on the computer. I gave it a try by uninstalling with the Unwise button in the Program FilesMagic Disc folder and also cross-checking the RegEdit. It worked like a charm. I am reading and writing without errors as it's supposed to be. :D

So I think the problem is a driver clash with some software or update and the solution would be a complete uninstallation of the software in question.

I hope this helps.

Reply to ardnega

I cleaned the lens and my CD/DVD writer now works fine again, too. Thank you to the [long-ago] replies who suggested trying this simple thing before more complex solutions. FYI, my optical drive was able to read OK, but would not write -- until I cleaned the lens.

Reply to r0bstewart
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