Cannot burn CDs or recognize blank ones

kmac20

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Whenever i try to access either a blank disc or write to one, i receive the following message

E:\ is not accessible.

Incorrect function.


I have a Sony CDRW CRX216E that i am trying to use for burning/writing to discs. the drive can recognize other discs, such as game discs, but whenever a blank cd is in my drive it gives me that error. I've tried uninstalling/reinstalling the drivers in device manager but cant get anything to work. i've read it can come about from installing daemon tools or the likes, and i downloaded daemon tools once but never used the program and uninstalled it mere minutes later. I also ran the SCSI driver uninstaller found at www.duplexsecure.com/en/downloads but still nada. I cant check either if it is from that as i only have 1 drive that burns (the sony one) and the other one is just a dvd drive reader. in device manager though they both have this following their real drive names: SCSI Cdrom Device, which makes me think that daemon tools did mess something up. if anyone can help me that'd be amazing. rest of specs:

Intel core 2 duo e6420 @ 2.9ghz
2gb kingston ddr 800
x1900xt msi 512mb
Soundblaster audigy 2 (zs)
WD 2500ys hard drive
samsung 160gb hard drive
xion power supply
Windows XP Home Edition w/ SP2

EDIT: fixed e6420, it said 6520
 


What software are you using to burn with? Try Deepburner:

http://www.deepburner.com/?r=products


 

kmac20

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badge: I am not using any software to burn. i simply cannot even access the drive with a blank cd in any way i can think of, including windows itself through my computer, i get that error message i posted earlier. should i try using software like that?

G-paw, do you mean a windows xp repair with the disc? and how can i check if drive is going bad, just try it in another pc im' assuming?
 
There are programs that can get installed in windows that will do that so you can't burn discs off, lots of them. There are quite a number of games out there that come with this type of software also.
 

croc

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Did you ever try to play a Sony / EMI music cd???
 

g-paw

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Yes, try running Repair from the XP disk. When ever I've run into this in the last couple of years, replacing the drive fixed it. Again, at $30 for a DVD-RW, it's really the quickest and easiest solution. If the drive is still under warranty, you can RMA it. Never hurts to have a spare drive around
 

kmac20

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evongugg: i updated the firmware already i believe, still nothing

ahnilated: yeah i know this but it doesn't really help me narrow down my issue...any other suggestions?

croc: it's POSSIBLE but i'm unsure if i did. is there a fix for it if i did?

g-paw: i'll try a repair with the windows disc, i'll check if that works.
 

croc

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I believe that there is a rootkit removal tool on Sony's website, but I've heard some horror stories...

I'd back up my data and do a clean install if I were in doubt. Do you have access to an external HDD?
 

kmac20

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no but i have my main wd 250 gig and then a secondary internal 160 gig one. i have less than 160 gigs total so i should be good. how do i backup though? i mean just copy and paste everything? thats gotta take awhile wouldn't it? i never really backup, not out of ignorance but because i never really have anything that i need to backup, besides school papers which i post on my school website anyway. otherwise its just clean install of everything for me. any tips or programs?
 

croc

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Personally I use Acronis true image, but the ms backup utility should be ok for what you want to do... Just get your mydocuments, and whatever data subdirectories you have (mypictures, etc.) and copy them somewhere else. Yes, it will be a bit slow and tedious, but once done you are good to go and do a re-install of your OS. Then you can restore all of your data back.

But if you have no important data to worry about, then don't spend the time / effort... Just do an OS re-install, then install your programs again.
 

chungdokwan

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XP does this a bit, what may be worth a try is if you open windows explorer then right click on the drive your having problems with.

Select properties then go to the recording tab and tick the enable recording on this device box.

This may not be your error but its worth a look as it only take 2 secs.

Good luck.
 

kmac20

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chungdokwan- i've tried that fix NUMEROUS times and that tab isn't even there on my cdrw properties. i think it has to do with the issues that already are plaguing it, and its probably just demonstrating how messed up the recording is if it doesn't even appear for the drive properties

croc- my point again: i don't really have any files like that to back up. the only ones i do wanna back up really are games and patches so i don't have to install them again, but a lot edit the registry when installed and if i just copy and paste them back sometimes i can get errors in the games right? so i just, for games at least, have to reinstall by hand once i get xp reinstalled? also is there a way to backup steam games? how does that work i've read about it, something like right clicking and backing up local content; know anything about that?
 

Zanathon

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E:\ is not accessible.


Incorrect function.

is the standard message that xp will give you when you try and access a non formated drive.
A blank optical disk is the same as a non formated hd and canot be accessed as it has no information or formatting that windows can recognize. What are you trying to burn and how?
 

kmac20

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Zanathon its not just accessing it i cannot even put files onto the disc. just a regular cd-r disc is what i'm trying to use
 

techguy911

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Chances are your burner does not recognize your blank, i have had trouble like this from time to time with brands that are not picked up properly, just had a customer bring in a stack of tdk blank cd's the machine does not see them on a new 20x lite-on dvd burner.
I put in blank ridata cd and have no problems was having the exact same problem as you are.

What you need to do is buy singles and find out what brand works.
 
techguy911 is on to something, have you tried a different type of CDR/W? Not all disks are compatible with all writers. And, you could have just gotten hold of some bad disks.
It happens. It's either that, the firmware is messed up, or the drive just went bad.
 
I second the check your cabling suggestion, and add to check in your CMOS setup and make sure the headers are enabled your drive is plugged into, also double check the drive jumpers, maybe swap out a connection cable just in case you have a bad one.
 

kmac20

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Zanathon- that registry edit did the trick for allowing the recording tab in my drives. however, i am still unable to burn discs; now i can load the files so that they're waiting to be written, but when i try to burn them it tells me i have no disc in the drive, even though i clearly have one in (unless it disappears every time i put it in!)

i am very doubtful it is the CDs as i have used them many times before on a variety of computers with no issues.

i am almost 100% sure it is a software problem caused by installation of virtual drive software (which i will never ever do again) and nothing else, so if anyone knows how to fix this it'd be great. Although i WILL try taking out the drives re attaching cables etc.
 

techguy911

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i am very doubtful it is the CDs as i have used them many times before on a variety of computers with no issues.

Well the customers i had also had that as well they could use the blanks on two other machines one with an lg burner the other creative burner (panasonic)

BUT they could not get it to even pick up these tdk blanks on there lite-on 20x dvd burner on there new machine, were you able to use those disks in that burner before?.