Both optical drives now malfunctioning...

[Emulex]

i remember the DVD days when >50% of the media was unusable over 4GB range lol

 

[alexruiz]

What LG burner you got?

I has a GSA-H10N and a GSA-H22N (16x and 18x, both IDE) I eventually sold them both.
LG drives are decent, but LG has the awful tactic of releasing a newer driver 4 months later and rarely release firmware updates for the existing base. Their drives are also "rip-locked", meaning that ripping a DVD video is locked at 4x - 6x . Try to find a firmware that is "riplock free", or a firmware modder. Club CDFreaks is your friend

 

[Puffnstuff]

Drives are so cheap that this shouldn't even be an issue.

 

[taltamir]

Drives are so cheap that this shouldn't even be an issue.

but what if they aren't defective? A software issue or a him switching out the media (which we confirmed isn't the case) means that he could buy a new drive (which is very cheap) and find out it still has the issue... although with a 5 year old drive it might be time to upgrade anyways.

 

[Old Hippie]

but what if they aren't defective?

Then use the new one as a spare but for 20.00 it's worth a shot.

 

[fretman]

What LG burner you got?

I has a GSA-H10N and a GSA-H22N (16x and 18x, both IDE) I eventually sold them both.
LG drives are decent, but LG has the awful tactic of releasing a newer driver 4 months later and rarely release firmware updates for the existing base. Their drives are also "rip-locked", meaning that ripping a DVD video is locked at 4x - 6x . Try to find a firmware that is "riplock free", or a firmware modder. Club CDFreaks is your friend

For my LG Burner, I have the GSA-H62L
For my LG Rom Drive, I have the GDR-8164B.

Thanks.

 

[fretman]

but what if they aren't defective? A software issue or a him switching out the media (which we confirmed isn't the case) means that he could buy a new drive (which is very cheap) and find out it still has the issue... although with a 5 year old drive it might be time to upgrade anyways.

That's what I plan on doing. I'll pick up a new drive and test it. If it's still the same issue, then I'll know that it's not the drive. If it corrects both issues, then that's great.

Thanks.

 

[fretman]

Then use the new one as a spare but for 20.00 it's worth a shot.

Yes, much cheaper than bringing it in for a repair.

Thanks.

 

[HeXen]

I'm not sure how DRM would cause my issue. Please clarify.

Partially i was joking...the story behind the joke was that a few years back there was a thing called Starforce. A ring0 level, powerful yet effective DRM. It actually interfered with the firmware of the optical drives...not sure of details, but for me it prevented my ability to burn anything onto disc...for some others, it actually damaged the drive. Others still were not even able to launch their purchased games or the drive could not read the disks until it was uninstalled.

The fear at the time was this kind of DRM would escalate, However due to complaints, Ubisoft stopped using them and starforce was forced to do something different.

I suppose if you installed an old Ubisoft game, such a thing may occur still, i dunno but just dvd drives are really cheap..just get a new one.

 

[taltamir]

Partially i was joking...the story behind the joke was that a few years back there was a thing called Starforce. A ring0 level, powerful yet effective DRM. It actually interfered with the firmware of the optical drives...not sure of details, but for me it prevented my ability to burn anything onto disc...for some others, it actually damaged the drive. Others still were not even able to launch their purchased games or the drive could not read the disks until it was uninstalled.

The fear at the time was this kind of DRM would escalate, However due to complaints, Ubisoft stopped using them and starforce was forced to do something different.

I suppose if you installed an old Ubisoft game, such a thing may occur still, i dunno but just dvd drives are really cheap..just get a new one.

Powerful and effective? are you joking?
starforce was easily crackable.
It was malware. It permanently degraded OS security, it was a virus (self replicated without user consent), it damaged standalone players... and they were trying to bully, sue, and threaten anyone who came out and said as such.

 

[fretman]

Partially i was joking...the story behind the joke was that a few years back there was a thing called Starforce. A ring0 level, powerful yet effective DRM. It actually interfered with the firmware of the optical drives...not sure of details, but for me it prevented my ability to burn anything onto disc...for some others, it actually damaged the drive. Others still were not even able to launch their purchased games or the drive could not read the disks until it was uninstalled.

The fear at the time was this kind of DRM would escalate, However due to complaints, Ubisoft stopped using them and starforce was forced to do something different.

I suppose if you installed an old Ubisoft game, such a thing may occur still, i dunno but just dvd drives are really cheap..just get a new one.

Thanks for clarifying. I don't think my issue is with DRM.

 

[alan1476]

I'm actually copying a movie that I transferred to a DVD. However, the duration of copying that same DVD has gone from about 15 minutes to 50 minutes. Definitely strange.

I'll get a cheap cleaning kit today and give it a try.

If nothing changes I may as well get a couple of new drives.

Thanks for the feedback.

Look to see if you are still in UDMA2 or you have slipped in PIO Mode, look in the Device Manager.

 

[fretman]

Look to see if you are still in UDMA2 or you have slipped in PIO Mode, look in the Device Manager.

I am still in UDMA mode.

Thanks.

 

[Zap]

That's what I plan on doing. I'll pick up a new drive and test it. If it's still the same issue, then I'll know that it's not the drive. If it corrects both issues, then that's great.

Coincidence? New LG SATA DVD writers are available at Newegg for $16.15 with free shipping after coupon code.

 

[fretman]

Coincidence? New LG SATA DVD writers are available at Newegg for $16.15 with free shipping after coupon code.

Nice. I'll see what models are available and see if my local store will price match.

Thanks.

 

[fretman]

Issue has been solved.

I uninstalled my DVD Rom drive. I uninstalled the IDE/ATA/ATAPI controller for my DVD Rom drive. Rebooted my machine.

Then ran the Opti-Drive program again. Put in a DVD and the Read speed was still 6.6X.

But then hit the refresh button on the Opti-Drive program and the Read speed changed to 16X.

Thanks for all who replied.

Note: Issue with DVD Burner not reading CDs is still an issue. Will pick up a new drive when the time comes.

 

[wirednuts]

the only problem i have with the "theyre cheap, just replace it" argument is i think a lot of people would rather pay a little extra to have a drive that will last years and years... its not the way the industry works though, you have to build with the parts available and normally there isnt much in between cheap and really good.

 

[HeXen]

one time i paid a higher amount for what i thought was a "better" dvd drive. it was a Sony and it did not last but a few months, then i got a Plextor top shelf dvd and i think it lasted a year if that. Then bought a $20 samsung drive and it just burns and burns and burns for the last 2 years...great drive.

Though next time i think i'm going BR, maybe a thin drive and build a SFF desktop. Well smaller than my current which is already small.

 

[Tsavo]

one time i paid a higher amount for what i thought was a "better" dvd drive. it was a Sony and it did not last but a few months, then i got a Plextor top shelf dvd and i think it lasted a year if that. Then bought a $20 samsung drive and it just burns and burns and burns for the last 2 years...great drive.

Though next time i think i'm going BR, maybe a thin drive and build a SFF desktop. Well smaller than my current which is already small.

Plextor and Sony drives are rebrands.

I built a new X2 3800 box for a friend back when those chips were still fresh, and put in two Plextor rebrands of Benq DVD burners. They are still going strong to this day.

All of mine have died except for an NEC, but it's IDE.

 

[Puffnstuff]

Sony br drives are liteons. I discovered this when I went to flash mine and it was the liteon firmware software.

 

[wirednuts]

ive been waiting as long as i can to buy into bluray. im trying to see if a new dominant format is on the way first, but i dont even see resolutions above 1080p becoming mainstream in the next 10 years anyway so i think bluray is here to stay. but second and more importantly, im waiting for bluray drives to get faster and better, while cheaper in price at the same time. its pretty close to what i would call acceptable now, but im really waiting to pay $40 for a good fast bluray burner that wont degrade over months.

and right now i think LG has top notch burners. well its a hitatchi/Lg partnership i think but they are great drives.

 

[HeXen]

Plextor and Sony drives are rebrands.

maybe so but people like me are just not going to magically know these types of things when buying something. I buy a toaster at Walmart and how many are going to know if its a rebrand or not. same differences