Pioneer DVR-A03 Problem

[Dublin]

I recently installed a DVR-A03 DVD writer. For some reason, Windows XP does not recognize it as a DVD drive. When I open "My computer" it keeps saying it is a CD Drive. Also when I try to read different types of media, (data CD, audio CD, DVD, etc.), nothing shows up. I expected that XP would have generic driver files that would be installed once the new hardware was recognized. However, I compared the driver files on my CD-ROM to the DVD drive and they are identical.

I've tried uninstalling the device and letting XP refind it. I've tried different combinations of the Master/Slave settings between the CD-ROM and DVD drive. I've been looking around on the XP support site and I've found several items that seem to be similar to my problem, but none that are really the same.

Strangely, if I check the properties of the drive in "My computer", some of the tabs show the fact that the drive is a DVD drive. Nero doesn't seem to help either. It doesn't see the drive as a DVD either.

I'm really lost on this one. Any help at all would be appreciated. Thanks.

[lordsmurf]

Sounds like a bad drive, or one that has lost its firmware. You may want to look around www.firmware-flash.com

[ClayBuster]

OOPS. I re-read your post

[Dublin]

I tried to update the firmware as well, however, since the drive isn't recognized as a DVD drive, the firmware update cannot proceed. When I attempt to run the firmward update patch, I get an error message that says "no device found" or something to that affect.

Any other ideas?

[Dublin]

After doing a bit more research, I believe my firmware may be corrupt. Is there a way to reload, reinstall, or reset the firmware for the drive?

Again, thanks for your help.

[disturbed1]

You can update the firmware from DOS.

There should be instructions how to do this with the firmware files that you downloaded.