Plextor PX-712A cannot read data files . . .HELP!!!

[dgsg]

Backing up data for switch to new PC. Used Roxio, as always, to make backup DVD of My Documents folder. It did the backup and verify and said operation was completed successfully. It WILL not read the DVD, says it is empty. Uninstalled from device manager (XP) and rebooted. Found new hardware and installed the drive at system boot. Still will not read backups. Went to Plextor's web site and found & installed the latest firmware upgrade and still will not read the disk. Tried reading old backup disks that I know worked and it will not read those either! Also will not read data CDs BUT WILL play music CDs? Any ideas?

 

[Zepper]

When's the last time you cleaned out the drive and the optics? Smokers in the house? Cleanliness is next to godliness with optical drives.

.b.h.

 

[dgsg]

Originally posted by: Zepper
When's the last time you cleaned out the drive and the optics? Smokers in the house? Cleanliness is next to godliness with optical drives.

.b.h.

Must be a problem in XP. I can get the drive to work fine with a Ghost Boot CD.

 

[Nocturnal]

Chances are the drive is bad. I have a 716AL drive that experiences the same issue. I can write to CDs/DVDs but when I try to read the burnt data it says the disk is empty. I just found out today that the drive itself can read pressed DVDs like an actual Windows install CD but not ones that had data written to it by a burner.

Try and search for the Plextor diagnostics instructions. You short two pins and then press a button or something and insert a blank disk. It will perform diagnostics on the drive. If the drive spits out the media then the drive is okay and it may be a minor config. issue but if it does not spit out the media then the drive is bad.

 

[fire400]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
Chances are the drive is bad. I have a 716AL drive that experiences the same issue. I can write to CDs/DVDs but when I try to read the burnt data it says the disk is empty. I just found out today that the drive itself can read pressed DVDs like an actual Windows install CD but not ones that had data written to it by a burner.

Try and search for the Plextor diagnostics instructions. You short two pins and then press a button or something and insert a blank disk. It will perform diagnostics on the drive. If the drive spits out the media then the drive is okay and it may be a minor config. issue but if it does not spit out the media then the drive is bad.

don't lose sleep over something like this.
i have a toshiba laptop that can't even read data DVD's at all from it's optical drive bay, dates back to 2003. 30 bucks shipped for a DVD-RW drive and you're all set.