[KendraNelson]

So I got an external DVD burner a few weeks ago. This one. Well, before I went on vacation I tried it out. I burned a DVD just fine using Nero but now that I've come back it seems to have a problem.

Now it gets through transcoding and asks me to insert a blank DVD. I was thinking maybe I still had one with somethin on it in there so I popped it out, put in another blank, and it still says to insert a blank. For some reason it's not reading the DVD!

Interestingly enough when the disc tray it out the computer reads it as a DVD Burner but when it's in place it reads it as just a CD-ROM. Visual aid:

http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=chartzorzto1.jpg

Thoughts?

 

[KendraNelson]

*bump*

 

[dustyjay]

If yo9u have a CdR OR cdRW in it it will read that. Make sure you have a drd writable disc in it. Sounds silly but I have made that mistake myself.

 

[KendraNelson]

I know for a fact that it's a blank writable DVD in the drive.

 

[bernardus]

Is it a new drive? Are you using DVD/R only. DVD/RW are much more difficult to read and older drives won't. The problem is that drives older than 2 years are simply not capable to read RW CD's or DVD's, the laser is to weak or old and the design is lacking.
If the drive is not capable to detect the Cd, it says insert CD. It will not be capable to find the startingtrack or the right calibration.

bernardus

 

[dustyjay]

I have been using DVD RW for more than two years and have not had a problem with them. Nor with CDRW discs. A problem may arise from the disc speed and the Speed capable of the Drive. Also if it is not a newer drive it may need cleaning. You can get a DVD Drive Cleaner at Walmart for just a few dollars. THis may help.

 

[KendraNelson]

No, I bought it about a week before Christmas, brand new.

 

[bernardus]

The point is that the drive can't detect the CD or DVD. If it's a new one I recommend to claim at the manufacturer or shop to be tested.

bernardus

 

[bernardus]

It’s funny. I checked the indication in System/Devices/Properties and programs or drivers. The indication was that a CD ROM utility was being used although both of my CD and DVD drives are RW drives. Also in Explorer displayed as R DVD. Only in Tools of Nero I found more and proper detection of the drives. So displaying a R only drive is the standard option as it seems.
In your case however it seems that the drive cannot detect a clean Disk. Or perhaps no disk at all? In the start of a drive the laser tries to calibrate and detect the starting track and the surface of the disk. An empty disk has no starting track. It relies on the laser zero point adjustment, a more or less mechanical adjustment. If that is not successful it will reply with odd messages or simply stops trying and stops. One thing I could opt is to unplug the device. Restart and shutdown and connect the drive again. It sometimes happens that a previous setting to R only drive is still present. In the BIOS however there is no detection of RW or R only on CD’s or DVD’s. So try your drive in another system and see what is does? Perhaps the laser adjustment is critical? You must have a guarantee on a new one?

Bernardus