DVDrw drive not reading DVD movies... help?

[aceO07]

My Samsung DVDrw drive doesn't seem to be reading dvds anymore. It will read data dvdr disc and cdr discs, but not dvds. This is a problem in Linux AND Windows. I tried the Incredibles DVD, which I know worked before.

Last time I tried a DVD movie, it was a few months ago, it worked.

Anybody know what's going on?

 

[corkyg]

Sounds like you might have lost your video codecs drivers. What player are you using?

 

[aceO07]

I use VLC in both Windows and Ubuntu.

I'm pretty sure it's not the codecs missing. The disc doesn't even show up as being in the drive if I put it in. Windows My Computer/Explorer doesn't detect the DVD. In Ubuntu, the disc doesn't show up either, no medium to mount. DVDr data disc and cdr disc will be detected and show up.

I assume if the laser for DVD is broken, then the DVDR discs wouldn't read either but they do.

 

[oynaz]

A corrupt firmware perhaps? Try upgrading it.

 

[0roo0roo]

try drive in another pc

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: oynaz
A corrupt firmware perhaps? Try upgrading it.

I just upgraded to v02 of the Samsung firmware for this drive. Unfortunately it didn't help. Now after I put in a DVD (video) it will read for a while.. then go into a loud fast spin and not stop. (The regular disc reading is silent.) I restart after a minute so that the disc won't get damaged.

DVDr data discs and CDs will still detect, but not DVD videos.

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
try drive in another pc

Unfortunately this isn't really a big option since this is the only computer I have access to that supports SATA.

 

[0roo0roo]

boot another os, use a live linux dvd/cd
sometimes if you really want to know if somethings broke you gotta have another pc somewhere...find a friend.

 

[aceO07]

Update: I bought a new dvdrw drive and it works. The new drive is a Pioneer. The old one was a Samsung. I checked at reviews of the drive at newegg (not where I purchased it) and it seemed like other people had the same issue of it not reading discs anymore after a while.