my pioneer 105 can't burn a thing!

[geo_s_mart]

HEEEEELP!!!! I've been trying for about 2 weeks now to find out what the heck is going on with my pioneer 105 as it can't burn a single CD or DVD. I own it for about 5-6 months and at the beginning it worked perfectly(I burned a couple of CDs and DVDs) but lately,when I insert a blank CD or DVD it just won't read it. In NERO,for example,the writing speed (2X,4X) box is empty and the "write" button is deactivated as if I have not inserted any disk(I've also tried other burning programs that didn't work). The drive goes "vzzing" and "vzzing" just like when it reads a disk with the difference that it doesn't stop that and goes on and on...leading the PC to stall. I've also tried different disks (philips,sony,skc,sentinel) but none is working. I would really apreciate any help as I'm kinda desperate here... thanx

[lordsmurf]

Clean the laser lens.

[geo_s_mart]

Already done that. I forgot to mention that it can read normally DVD movies and games. It just won't do the same with blank disks. Any more ideas...? Does it have anything to do with aspi drivers or software issues?

[gf]

Hi geo_s_mart,
Could I ask what make and model of motherboard do you have and what ide ports do you have it connected to.

[geo_s_mart]

Hi gf.
The drive's connected as secondary slave and I think my mobo is "chaintech CT-9BIA". I'm saying "think" cause I'm not so good at hardware issues(actually neither on software issues too!). If I'm wrong, could you tell me how to figure what is my mobo model? However, I want to remind you that the drive used to work fine for a while and since then I haven't istalled any hardware(I haven't opened the PC box at all) so I don't know if mobo-drive compatibility is the issue here.
If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be more than happy to listen to them. Thank you.

[gf]

I had similar problems with mine, but I had a problem with the chipset in my unit. I have a motherboard with a Via 686B southbridge, and it would not let me write a dvd no way no how. What fixed my problems was to install a Promise Ultra100 TX2 controller board and bypass the via controller not it works great. Now for your problem, did you install any software lately, make any hardware changes, ect... In nero if you click "recorder" then "choose recorder" does the pioneer show up?
In "start", "settings", "control panel","system","hardware" show your drive? a yellow exclamation mark through it? When you boot up does it display your drive? I know I am jumping around but these are a few things in finding where windows forgot your hardware.

[handyguy]

Try taking it out of system menu then restarting the computer to redetect it.

[geo_s_mart]

Wow guys, you are pretty fast(and I thank you for that). So, I'm beginning with gf: As I said I didn't make any hardware changes since then and I've installed/uninstalled countless geames,utilities,programs since then but none of them had to do with any system tweaking.
Handyguy: Tried it, thanx, but it won't work.
I said that it can read normally DVD movies and games (it works perfectly fine there) but when I enter a blank CD or DVD disk it "behaves" as if there's no disk inserted and the system stalls(doesn't crash-just stalls until I take the disk out and terminate the program that was using the drive, i.e. NERO via ctrl+alt+del).
....could the problem has to do with any drivers....?
waitting for reply....

[gf]

Hi geo_s_mart,


In nero if you click "recorder" then "choose recorder" does the pioneer show up?
In "start", "settings", "control panel","system","hardware" show your drive? a yellow exclamation mark through it? If they look O.K. then try removing Nero and then reinstall it.

[p0rnLiME]

Try to connect the burner as secondary master!

[geo_s_mart]

gf:It shows up in both NERO and system settings(no yellow exclamation mark) and already tried unistalling NERO(plus, I also have other burning programs that don't work).
pornlime:how is this going to help? I'm not rejecting your suggestion, I just wanna be sure before I open my PC and try every possible solution before going to that step...

HEY EVERYONE OUT THERE!!! HASN'T ANYONE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM???ANY SUGGESTIONS........???? pleaseeeeee.........

[lordsmurf]

I'm betting motherboard or OS glitch.

[mixman380]

The same thing was happening to my friends drive untill he installed
Force ASPI 4.60, If that does not work then switch your DVD drive to master or place it on it the secondary IDE by itself.

Hope that helps

[jeremyp969]

This might have nothing to do with it, but I've had a somewhat similar problem with my CD-burner. I have an HP 9100i burner and when I first got it worked fine, but now if I have Roxio open and I put a blank CD in Roxio freezes. The only way I can burn cd's with roxio is to open the drive, keep it open, setup the burn, hit the burn button, then close the drive with the cd in it, then hit record.

I have no idea if this helps at all but just something that happens with mine.

[ktton]

reinstall your burning software.

[geo_s_mart]

Hi guys!
Thank you all for the advices(mixman, jeremy/ ktton, next time try to read other replies ->gf). I'm gonna try these and I'll tell you what happens in a couple of days. Thanx again!
PS:lordsmurf, I'm afraid you might be right...

[geo_s_mart]

Oh, I forgot to mention sth that might be important. I use Windows 98 SE and my PC: Intel P4, 384 MB ram, 20 + 40 GB hard disk, GeForce 4Ti 128 MB, Sound Blaster Extigy. I know that some of these may seem irrelevant, but just in case...

[gf]

geo_s_mart

next time try to read other replies ->gf). [/quote]

What is the problem, what replies?

[geo_s_mart]

Hi gf!
I wasn't refering to you but to your reply(reinstalling NERO : which was exactly what ktton sugested(sth needless obviously)). There's no problem man...
Except for the one with my drive which still exists....I 1)installed Force aspi drivers, but it didn't work... 2) set my burner as master, but it didn't work... 3) set it as secondary IDE by itself, but it didn't work... 4) I reinstalled NERO(for 4th time in 2 days), but it didn't work, 5) tried jeremyp969's suggestion, but....guess what...IT DIDN'T WORK!
I'm starting to think of getting it fixed at a hardware store...but that means defeat...and I'm not giving up that soon!!! So, once again: if there are any more suggestions(anything, I don't care) share it with us.

PS1: Lordsmurf said sth about OS(as I said I use Windows 98 SE). Are there any ideas on that? I'm thinking of reinstalling Windows, but I don't know how to do that without formatting my hard drive(I don't mean installing Windows over Windows).

PS2: TOTALLY IRRELEVANT: Does the cat at the side appear? cause I can't see it-I've uploaded an funny image with a cat but I can't see it.

[geo_s_mart]

[geo_s_mart]

Drunken cat(1).jpg

[Gazorgan]

Don't overlook the obvious:

Its Dead, Jim.

It simply may be fried, it happens ya know. Reads DVDs but won't burn them.

Have you pulled it and stuck it in a friends amchine to verify it actually works?

[geo_s_mart]

Ignore those last 3 replies(just experimenting!)

[geo_s_mart]

I know Gazorga...that might be possible. But first, I want to try every possible thing before getting it fixed, cause sometimes..u never know! Even if I finally fail to fix the problem, interacting with you guys who know more than I do may help me learn some things and, why not, prevent similar issues in the future.
(PS: Who's Jim?)

[mixman380]

Geo did you install any other burning software or change anything on your pc exp...add new hardware/software.?

Did you try to upgrade the firmware?

Just wondering.

[geo_s_mart]

Hi mixman.
As I mentioned before, I didn't add or remove any hardware but I installed+uninstalled numerous programs such as games, utilities but nothing that had to do with any kind of system tweaking. NERO is the only writting software I use,so I didn't install any other burning software(only some rip/convert/edit/burn svcd programs such as Power Producer and DVD Rip n' Burn which also didn't work). However, I don't see what the above have to do with my problem.
Do you have anything in mind?

[geo_s_mart]

Oh, I forgot: I didn't upgrade the firmware.

[Dr. Swirl]

Geo, I gotta give it to Gazorgan, take the player out and try it on another system. It'll save you hours of wasted time trying to diagnose burner problems, considering how quickly a burner can be removed and installed.[/quote]

[mixman380]

Geo I would try what Swirl said. If you got another pc try it in there if it starts burning then you know its your setup on your pc. If it can't burn then it's the burner. After that I would go with a firmware update and if that dosen't seem to work chuck it out the window. Hello to the new burner

[geo_s_mart]

Hi guys. It's kinda difficult to find someone and put my drive to his PC(since I don't have a second of my own) but since there's nothing else to do I'll try to give it a shot. I'll inform you in a few days of what happens.