DVD drives don't recognize DL discs

[chuckl45]

I have a Lite-On SOHW-1673S and a Lite-On ATAPI iHAS422 CD/DVD burner. Neither one will recognize a DL disc by ANY manufacturer. They USED to. I can NOT find any reason for this. I am running Windows XP Pro (C: drive), XP 64 (D: drive) and Ubuntu 9.04. Same problem on all 3 OS's.

System specs:
ASUS M3N78 Pro motherboard
ACPI BIOS ver. 0701 1/6/09
8G RAM
Maxtor 320G HD (C:drive)
Seagate 750G HD (D:drive)
ATAPI iHAS422 SATA
Lite-On SOHW-1673S IDE

NO viruses detected. Firmware on both drives have been updated. The Lite-On utility BookType shows "No Media" when a DL disc is inserted. ALL other types of discs, DVD and CD, work just fine.

SiSoft Sandra shows no problems. Fix-It Utilities show no problems.

I'm stumped.

 

[sturm]

Did you have this problem before you updated the firmware or after?

 

[chuckl45]

Did you have this problem before you updated the firmware or after?

They were both working fine a week or so ago. Once I discovered the problem, I checked for firmware updates. The SOHW drive was already up to date. The iHAS422 had a firmware update, which I installed today, but it didn't change anything.

I haven't installed anything lately that I can see would have caused this. I'm using Nero 6, which I've had for a couple of years or more, and ConvertXtoDVD 2, which I've had for a couple of years or so also.

I do have a new HP dvd1040 drive, IDE, which I'm about to swap with the SOHW.

 

[belial2k]

Most likely cause is an OS or Nero update that ran in the background. Is your Nero a legit copy? I would restore your computer to a point where you knew they were working, and see if they work again.

 

[chuckl45]

Most likely cause is an OS or Nero update that ran in the background. Is your Nero a legit copy? I would restore your computer to a point where you knew they were working, and see if they work again.

Yes, it's a legit copy. It came with the SOHW drive. And, it can't be a Nero update since I've never updated it plus, I have the same problem under Ubuntu 9.04 where I DON'T use Nero. That also rules out an OS problem. I have the same problem under WinXP, WinXP-64 and Ubuntu.

I'm thinking it's a BIOS problem that I can't find. How could I have the SAME problem with TWO DVD drives under THREE OS's?

 

[photonboy]

If your DVD drive is detected and working for anything it is NOT a BIOS issue.

Frankly, it makes no sense based on what you've told us.

Try this:
1) turn OFF the PC
2) physically unhook both optical drives
3) boot into Windows and shut down again
4) Hook up one of your drives
5) Start Windows
6) try to burn a disc

Again, you seem to imply you can do everything but burn DL and can't do that under different OS's on two separate optical drives and I just can't believe that.

The thing that would make sense to me would be your optical drives are conflicting with each other on the same ribbon cable but then i wouldn't expect them to be working at all.

 

[chuckl45]

If your DVD drive is detected and working for anything it is NOT a BIOS issue.

Frankly, it makes no sense based on what you've told us.

Try this:
1) turn OFF the PC
2) physically unhook both optical drives
3) boot into Windows and shut down again
4) Hook up one of your drives
5) Start Windows
6) try to burn a disc

Again, you seem to imply you can do everything but burn DL and can't do that under different OS's on two separate optical drives and I just can't believe that.

The thing that would make sense to me would be your optical drives are conflicting with each other on the same ribbon cable but then i wouldn't expect them to be working at all.

Trust me, it makes no sense. There can't be a ribbon issue. One drive is SATA and the other is IDE. They are both slaves to two different HD's....one IDE and the other is SATA.

I did notice that in Admistrative Tools-Computer Management-Disk Management......the drive letters were reversed. I switched them to where they SHOULD be but no change. THIS was under WinXP Pro. I've yet to checked under WinXP-64. I'll do THAT next. But that doesn't explain Ubuntu's problem.

 

[RetiredChief]

(1) The SATA DVD drive is a master, there is no slave on a Sata Port.

(2) Basicly I would follow photonboy's recommendation with the following cavats:
- Disconnect one DVD drive and leave it disconnected until you get one working.
- Boot computer (Pick one operating system (My choise - XP C and stay with this until it works. Go into device manager/Hardware and delete both DVD drives. Shut down computer and disconnect one of the DVD drives and turn Computer back on and let XP Pro reinstall driver. If this works then re-install 2nd drive. If this does not work, again remove drive from Hardware, shut down, remove this drive and reconnect the 2nd drive and try.

 

[belial2k]

I would assume you are using the same media as before when they worked. Its the only thing that would make sense to me...you got some bad media.

 

[chuckl45]

(1) The SATA DVD drive is a master, there is no slave on a Sata Port.

(2) Basicly I would follow photonboy's recommendation with the following cavats:
- Disconnect one DVD drive and leave it disconnected until you get one working.
- Boot computer (Pick one operating system (My choise - XP C and stay with this until it works. Go into device manager/Hardware and delete both DVD drives. Shut down computer and disconnect one of the DVD drives and turn Computer back on and let XP Pro reinstall driver. If this works then re-install 2nd drive. If this does not work, again remove drive from Hardware, shut down, remove this drive and reconnect the 2nd drive and try.

Just tried this with both drives. Reconnected JUST the SATA DVD (which is plugged into SATA connector 2....it shows up as a slave, my Segate 750 SATA HD is plugged into SATA 1 and shows up as Master). No change. Plugged in JUST the HP drive (swapped out from the SOHW drive). No change.

I just popped in the LAST DL DVD I burned and it played just fine. It's just BLANK DL DVD's that neither drive will recognize.

It's about time for a big ol' shot of JD.......

 

[chuckl45]

I would assume you are using the same media as before when they worked. Its the only thing that would make sense to me...you got some bad media.

It doesn't matter which media I use.....Memorex, Sony or Verbatim.

 

[chuckl45]

I have no idea what happened but everything is working now. I never did get the normal Windows "Blank CD" window but Nero recognizes blank DL's now and ConvertXtoDVD just burned a DL disc. And LightScribe worked.....not that I had a problem with that anyway.

FM.....I guess.

Thanks anyway.