Burner Won't Recognize Blank DVD-R Discs

[ddowden1]

Hopefully someone can finally help me with this. I have a Sony VGN-FS550 laptop with a Matshita UJ-831Da DVD+/-RW drive. I know this laptop is a few years old, but I have ever had any problems with it before. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I had never burned a DVD with it. I have burned numerous CD-R's without a single problem. I successfully burned about 5 DVD's with COPYtoDVD and then after messing with a few other burner programs, my drive quit reading blank DVD-R's. It still reads CD-R's perfectly fine. I did have Nero 6 on here that I had been using to burn CD's but since it wouldn't burn the files I converted via DVD Flick, I chose to use the other program.

I have tried numerous fixes. I have done a system restore to back before I even started burning the DVD's. I have uninstalled the drive and rebooted. I have deleted the upper and lowers in the registry. I completely uninstalled every burning software on the computer, even the Click to DVD program that came on the computer. I cannot upgrade the firmware for the drive because since this is a Panasonic drive, there is no support for it. Nothing has worked. No updates available from Windows or Sony that have fixed the problem either.

I feel very strongly that there is some conflict somewhere that I just cannot spot. Any help with this would be appreciated more that you could ever imagine.

Thanks

[MOVIEGEEK]

It sounds like the DVD laser has burned out.

[ddowden1]

That has been the response that I have gotten a lot. The only problem with that theory is the fact that the drive will still read a copyrighted DVD movie. So it still leaves me stumped. I keep thinking that it may possibly be some kind of registry error that I can't find.

[Dv8ted2]

That has been the response that I have gotten a lot. The only problem with that theory is the fact that the drive will still read a copyrighted DVD movie. So it still leaves me stumped. I keep thinking that it may possibly be some kind of registry error that I can't find.

It might be one of several things.

You might need a firmware update for your drive. The dscs might be bad.

[ddowden1]

There is no firmware update for my drive anywhere. It is a Matshita UJ-831Da that is made by Panasonic. I have searched everywhere and can find nothing. I burned 5 movies using this same stack of discs without a problem and then all of a sudden it won't recognize any of them. Plus, I have tried 2 other brands to no avail.

[Dv8ted2]

You could try resetting autoplay back to defaults. I know it is a goofy thought, but I have seen it work.

Barring that, it may be time to replace the drive.

[redwudz]

Just a guess here, but writing takes quite a bit more power than reading. It could still be a laser issue.

But if I had a laptop, I would probably try a external burner, as that would place a lot less strain on the laptop system.

[ddowden1]

You very possibly be right about the laser, I'm not sure, but I thought if it could read, it could also write. I am really starting to lean towards an external if I can't get this figured out.

Also, I tried setting the autoplay back to default, but to no avail. Something has got to work and I'm afraid that when I do figure it out its gonna be so simple that I'll wanna slap myself....LOL!

[MOVIEGEEK]

What is the error you get when you try to write?
Use ImgBurn and post the log.

[ddowden1]

Here is what the ImgBurn log says with a blank DVD-R in the drive.

I 22:58:20 ImgBurn Version 2.4.2.0 started!
I 22:58:20 Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600 : Service Pack 3)
I 22:58:20 Total Physical Memory: 514,480 KB - Available: 111,920 KB
W 22:58:20 Drive F:\ (FAT32) does not support single files > 4 GB in size.
I 22:58:21 Initialising SPTI...
I 22:58:21 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices...
I 22:58:41 Found 1 DVD±RW!

It also says " Device not ready(incompatible medium installed)" in the program box.

[fritzi93]

I successfully burned about 5 DVD's with COPYtoDVD and then after messing with a few other burner programs, my drive quit reading blank DVD-R's. It still reads CD-R's perfectly fine.

It's possible there is a filter driver conflict. This happens when you install software that interferes with existing drivers, or a buggered uninstall corrupts the drivers. (Like when installing "a few other burning programs". Nero is often the culprit, especially the InCD component.)

But you should exhaust the other possibilities first, as fixing a filter conflict involves editing the registry and re-installing burning software. (There is a Microsoft Knowledge Base article available to guide you, if it comes down to that.)

[fritzi93]

Just got a PM asking for clarification. :P Assuming the member making the request will post as to whether it worked or not, here goes:

Same scenario, "installed a few programs, including *NERO*", now the drive doesn't recognize blank DVDs.

1) Use the General Clean Tool to PROPERLY uninstall Nero. Here:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Nero_General_Clean_Tool_d5860.html

This works for Nero 8, if the version to be rooted out is 6 or 7, do a search for another version of the tool.

2) Follow the directions here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060/EN-US/

The symptoms may not be the same, but the fix is. There's a KB article that gives the same instructions for a malfunctioning drive after doing an upgrade install to Vista. And KBs for other scenarios, such as not recognizing blanks.

3) Test remaining burning programs to see if they work, if not, re-install them. And the fewer you have, the better, it should go without saying.

Good luck.