DVD-R not recognized

[mrgoldy]

I have a Toshiba Satellite Pro L-500-EZ1530
Windows XP Professional
My DVD drive is HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GT20N
Driver Info
Provider: Microsoft
Date: 7/1/2001
Version: 5.1.2535.0
My driver is the most up to date.

It can read regular CDs and DVDs, burned CDs and DVDs, but when I put in a blank DVD-R it doesn't recognize it.

I've been on the phone with Toshiba Customer Support and they couldn't fix it over the phone. Device Manager
I've taken it to a Toshiba service center because it's still under warranty and the best they said they could do is replace the DVD drive and reload the OS.

Reloading the OS is not a solution I can live with since I have all my business apps loaded already.

I read a forum about doing a regedit and removing the upper and lower filters but when I try to do that I only see the UpperFilters, I don't have the LowerFilters to delete. So I delete the upper and restart but my drive still doesn't recognize blank DVDs.

 

[house70]

Have them replace the DVD drive, not reload the OS. Make sure it is a "master" firmware on the DVD drive they install. If it is so, the dvd drive should be "bootable", meaning you should be able to load a bootable disk and launch it.
Last resort, you could do a repair/install of the OS. That does not delete your programs/settings, but might replace some drivers with the default Windows ones.

 

[mrgoldy]

So I just found that I can burn DVDs but only if I invoke the Toshiba Disc Creator first, then insert the disc.
It's weird that I can't use any other burn application.

 

[house70]

It is a weird fix, but if it works for you... I still believe they should replace the drive.