LG 16/10/40 huge seek times and mistakes

[TeflonDon]

Hi! I have a problem with this burner, it worked just fine for almost a year now. Recently it started to look for inserted CDs even for minutes freezing up Windows Explorer and you can only navigate slowly in the folders on the CD. This doesn't happen with all the CDs though. Copying to HDD can last up to 10 minutes. It also produced some coasters but later those CDs were recognized as empty again and it could burn to them. Reinstall and trying all kinds of IDE settings helped (it became Sec Master just like before), but only for a while, the problem started again.
Has anyone noticed this problem with this burner before? PLZ help!

 

[AluminumStudios]

I have an LGe 16/10/40 IDE drive (6180b I think?? - not at my own comp. now) and I am beginning to experience the same thing after 7 months of heavy use.

Unfortunatly I've experienced this before - massive seek times and frequent "loosing track" of where it is on the CD resulting in a blinking light and a hung windows for a few seconds is a sure fire sign that the drive is dying. I've never known anything that a consumer can do to fix a drive in this condition (I've experienced it with other brands too.)

I've had horrible luck with Optical drives. I consider them disposable at the rate they die on me (all except for my old Toshiba 32 SCSI which is a real trooper and has been running perfectly since 19' freakin 97!). Having this bad history with drives, I bought mine at Best Buy and spent a few bucks on a 3 year warranty. After I get back from a convention that I'm going to this weekend (Otakon!!!!) I think I'm going to take it in for exchange.

 

[AluminumStudios]

correction - 8160b I think ^_^

 

[TeflonDon]

Originally posted by: AluminumStudios
I have an LGe 16/10/40 IDE drive (6180b I think?? - not at my own comp. now) and I am beginning to experience the same thing after 7 months of heavy use.

Unfortunatly I've experienced this before - massive seek times and frequent "loosing track" of where it is on the CD resulting in a blinking light and a hung windows for a few seconds is a sure fire sign that the drive is dying. I've never known anything that a consumer can do to fix a drive in this condition (I've experienced it with other brands too.)

Yeah... I was afraid. Is it totally dead or is it repairable? Maybe there are only some nice dustballs inside. Anyways, what brand would you recommend for my next buy or does it really happen to all of them? So far I was so satisfied with LG.

 

[Markfw]

I have been thru this twice before, and I am drive number 3. The first was a mitsumi 2x and it died after 100-150 disks burned (2 years), then I spent more money on a Yamaha 8x SCSI ($214) and it lasted 100-150 disks (2 years), and it died. Now I have a Plextor 40x10x40 (or 40x12x40, not sure), and am hoping for more than 150 disks before it dies. My 6Plex reader still works great after 11 years (I think I got it in 91, but maybe as late as 93)

 

[Aquaman]

I have this exact same drive right now.......... I had it since November and I've made 300+ burns so far with only 2 coasters (my fault). Lucky my computer is under 3 year parts & labour warranty

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Booster]

It's probably due to dirty lenses. Dust built up inside, and now it started to cause reading problems. Your drive probably needs a cleaning of lenses. If the warranty has ended, you can open it up and blow on the lens with canned air. Of course, the lens should never be touched with anything. Just a reminder.

 

[InFecTed]

When it comes to cd-rom and cd-rw I'm a Teac fanatic. My burner has over 3000 burns and no problems. My cd-rom is over 3 years old (heavy duty) and still reads everything.
Try Teac and you'll never look back.

 

[Markfw]

Booster, I probably should have mentioned that not only did I disassemble my drive and use Isopropyl alchohol to clean my heads, but then used my air compressor to make sure they were dry and clean, bufor giving up on each of my old drives. The point being that there may also be other reasons for his drive to fail, like mine. Misalignment over time for one, and I can't re-align my own drive heads. But thanks for pointing out one other possible cause. I thought of it for mine to no avail.

 

[AluminumStudios]

I have been thru this twice before, and I am drive number 3. The first was a mitsumi 2x and it died after 100-150 disks burned (2 years), then I spent more money on a Yamaha 8x SCSI ($214) and it lasted 100-150 disks (2 years), and it died. Now I have a Plextor 40x10x40 (or 40x12x40, not sure), and am hoping for more than 150 disks before it dies. My 6Plex reader still works great after 11 years (I think I got it in 91, but maybe as late as 93)

My story is similar - a Phillips 2x CD-R, then a Yamaha 8x8x16 SCSI which crapped out after 1 year 1 month (just outside of warranty), now my LGe. Outside of that I've had many other CD-ROMs and a DVD-ROM die. I believe that all optical drives are trash (accept my old Toshiba SCSI CD-ROM which hung in there for 5 years until I needed to take my SCSI card out to make room for another card.)

I spent $30 for a 3 year warranty from Best Buy, so I'm just gonna get another LGe, probably have it die again, then replace it again. I'm tired of struggling so hard for optical drives that will last.