DVD-RW won't recognize DVD-R.

[shamrock1313]

I got this drive from my friend. It is quite an old drive, Pioneer DVR-105. Its maximum burn speed is 4x.. Anyway, I upgraded the firmware on it because I thought that was the problem, but of course, it didn't help..

The drive doesn't recognize a blank dvd-r or anything of the like. It recognizes games such as Battlefield 2, F.E.A.R., etc.. I am confused. Can someone please help me?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Did you install CD/DVD burning software?

 

[Ronin]

You did use the proper firmware for the drive, right?

Or perhaps the friend gave you the drive because it wasn't working right to begin with.

 

[shamrock1313]

I am trying to back up a game since it is getting very scratchy. I put in a blank dvd, and I click on the drive in My Computer and then it comes up saying 'No Disc in Drive.' I put the same dvd in my other drive, and it lets me go into it and it shows it completely blank.

I can find the drive on my computer, and I can find any other dvd/cd possibly made. It is just it cannot find the dvd-r/rw.

He said it worked perfectly fine. It is just he had never used it and left it in its retail box for quite sometime.


I am almost 100% sure that I have the right firmware upgrade since when I went to install it, it said that the device was found..

 

[shamrock1313]

I have Alcohol 120% and Nero. They both can burn dvd-r/rws and image files and neither program can detect a blank dvd in the drive.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Try leaving the blank in the drive, and use Nero to try to burn some data files to it -- game saves, My Documents, whatever. See if Nero will use the blank.

 

[shamrock1313]

Nothing will recognize the blank cd in my drive.

 

[Danzilla]

question: Does your operating system recognize the drive correctly? I've seen it incorrectly ID a DVD as a generic CD before. In that case the problem was fixed by installing a new version of CD/DVD software.

 

[shamrock1313]

It recognizes it as a dvd-burner.. It just doesn't read the blank dvds. I doubt new software would help seeing as how I have the newest software of the programs I listed.

 

[wchou]

turn off your computer then back on again. the problems is that firmware flash requires reboot on some burners that are ancient.

 

[shamrock1313]

I did reboot. I rebooted many times. It still doesn't work. Any chance its a faulty drive? I mean it reads cds and the Battlefield 2 DVD, but it won't recognize a blank dvd.

 

[shamrock1313]

What is the best DVD Burner out there? I am assuming the drive is bad so I will be purchasing a new one.

I would like to spend the least amount of money, but in return, get the best bang for the buck.

I was thinking about this drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827152047
It has great ratings. Anyone with this drive want to comment on it?

 

[shamrock1313]

Bump

 

[corkyg]

Try a DVD +R disk and see what happens.

 

[vailr]

Try a different brand of quality blank DVD.
Such as "Taiyo-Yuden: made in Japan".
If you want a DVD-RW that can handle cheaper, generic quality
blank DVD's (and the latest available firmware doesn't solve the read error problem),
then you'll need to replace with a more recently designed DVD-RW drive.
Such as: Pioneer DVR-110, LiteOn 1693S, NEC 3540A, BenQ DW1640, etc.

 

[wchou]

Originally posted by: shamrock1313
I did reboot. I rebooted many times. It still doesn't work. Any chance its a faulty drive? I mean it reads cds and the Battlefield 2 DVD, but it won't recognize a blank dvd.

i didn't say reboot, turn off the computer! then back on. rebooting only works for modern hardware... ancient burner from 4x to 8x requires you to power off your computer for the firmware to take effect. otherwise it won't recognize anything you throw in.

 

[shamrock1313]

Sorry, I misunderstood, but I did power it off and back on. I decided to give the drive back to him and to purchase a new and faster drive with dual layer capabilities.

 

[tweekah]

I have nec 2500a/2510a/3520a No problems on any of the drives! You can't go wrong with the 3540a.

 

[NaiMan]

I have problems reading a dvd that I just burned.

I use nero, i have a NEC drive.

any help? The dvd successfully finishes, but can't read what it just burned???

wth

 

[NateSLC]

I have an NEC 1300a that does the same thing. It won't recognize writable media whether it's blank or already written on any longer. It will only recognize pressed DVDs. I'm betting the drive is bad.

 

[NaiMan]

i hope it's not bad...i have 2 of them that does the same thing

 

[ShadowBlade]

Originally posted by: corkyg
Try a DVD +R disk and see what happens.

 

[python023]

Originally posted by: ShadowBlade

Originally posted by: corkyg
Try a DVD +R disk and see what happens.

 

[NateSLC]

Originally posted by: NaiMan
i hope it's not bad...i have 2 of them that does the same thing

NaiMan,

Since your drive(s) can apparently recognize a blank disc, i think your problem is different. I don't have any advice at the moment though.

 

[NaiMan]

Originally posted by: NateSLC

Originally posted by: NaiMan
i hope it's not bad...i have 2 of them that does the same thing

NaiMan,

Since your drive(s) can apparently recognize a blank disc, i think your problem is different. I don't have any advice at the moment though.

LOL Thanks Nate,

I think I'll update some firmware when i get home. One more thing to mention...when I burn other things, like back up for movies and copying other DVD-R's that have data in them...it works fine! Just when I try to burn data myself ti won't work.

frustrating.