NEC ND-3500AG DVD RW DL burner doesn't recognize blank DVD's

[renegade431]

NEC ND-3500AG DVD RW DL

Windows XP SP2 Pentium 4 CPU 3Ghz, 3 GB of ram.
This problem started out of the blue. Everything was working fine. Then I put in a blank DVD and the computer recognized it as a CD. The autoplay wanted to burn audio on it. It's suppose to ask what program I want to burn a movie with. Well, that changed. It also says the CD (being a DVD) has 0 bytes used, and 0 bytes free. I have firmware 2.58 on it. I use to have firmware 2.18 or 2.19, so I can burn 16x. This worked great for a long time, then, after this problem cropped up, I flashed 2.58, this didn't help. The DVD's are fine. I can play DVD's, I just can't burn them, or use blank DVD's. I've tried almost everything, looked everywhere, but no help. I have removed a few junk programs that involed DVD authorizing, but can't remember which ones. So many. I think it's possible, I may have lost a needed file in one of those programs. I have reupdated all drivers, no help. I can't reinstall windows XP, because it is outdated, compared to what I have on the computer. Device Manager says everything is OK, no problem there. Help!!! This is driving me crazy!!!!!!!!

[wabjxo]

Might try updating XP with SP3?

[budz]

Might try updating XP with SP3?

I doubt that would solve the OP problem. Buy a new 80 wire ide cable for your drive and see if the problem still exists. Check that your drive is in UDMA MODE 2 or 4 and not in PIO MODE. Use the links below:

http://www.cdrlabs.com/forums/how-enable-dma-windows-with-pictures-t7625.html

http://www.cdrlabs.com/forums/problems-enabling-dma-windows-t6645.html

This thread should be moved to the DVD REWRITERS section.

[johns0]

Time to buy a new dvd burner,had the same problem with a liteon,also try the burner in another computer to make sure,having a new burner will also tell if its a computer problem or bad drive,they only cost $30 now adays.

[renegade431]

I'm going to replace the burner as a last resort, will try budz advice soon. I just have this feeling something got removed from my computer, or maybe the burner just burned out. Don't use it that much. I guess I must really be out of the loop, I didn't know SP3 was out, or just didn't worry about that, I don't know. Sorry I put this thread in the wrong forum, thought I was close enough. Thanks guys.

[bevills1]

Try uninstalling the drive in Device Manager and reboot to have Windows reinstall the drive.

[renegade431]

Question about enable DMA. In my device manager, pull down IDE ATA/ATAPI, I have duplicates. 2 ultra ATAstorage controllers, 2 primary IDE channels and 2 secondary IDE channels. No VIA busmaster IDE controller. Is this a problem? Also when I check both Primary IDE Channel Properties, one has Ultra DMA mode 5 in transfer mode and the other has not applicable in the transfer mode. My DVD is primary, and I only have one DVD, plus 3 hard drives. I don't usually deal with this part of the device manager, so I know how stupid this makes me seem. Would it be OK to get rid of one of those Primary IDE Channel ?, or is this OK? Thanks for your help.

[renegade431]

I have already done the uninstall reinstall device manager, didn't work.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Try reinstalling the IDE drivers:
http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=420&OSID=36&CatID=3170

If that doesn't help try ForceASPI

[budz]

Question about enable DMA. In my device manager, pull down IDE ATA/ATAPI, I have duplicates. 2 ultra ATAstorage controllers, 2 primary IDE channels and 2 secondary IDE channels. No VIA busmaster IDE controller. Is this a problem? Also when I check both Primary IDE Channel Properties, one has Ultra DMA mode 5 in transfer mode and the other has not applicable in the transfer mode. My DVD is primary, and I only have one DVD, plus 3 hard drives. I don't usually deal with this part of the device manager, so I know how stupid this makes me seem. Would it be OK to get rid of one of those Primary IDE Channel ?, or is this OK? Thanks for your help.

UDMA MODE 5 is the hard drives. Did you see UDMA 2 or 4 in there? Did you look at the links I provided you with? Before you buy a new dvd burner buy a new 80 wire ide cable. Remove the one that is on the drive now and install a new one. 80 wire ide cables can fail like any other piece of hardware. SP3 has nothing to do with the problem you have.

moviegeek: I'm not sure the OP has any VIA CHIPSET drivers on his motherboard.

[renegade431]

I have mode 5 in one of the primary IDE channels device 0, and mode 2 in one of the secondary devices device 0. The other primary and secondary IDE channel propertied say not applicable. I did follow the link exactly, and I have a different situation. In other words, most of the current transfer modes say not applicable for under DMA if applicable. I am thinking about uninstalling the IDE channels that say not applicable in the transfer mode. Don't know if that would cause any problems.

[renegade431]

That must be telling me that my DVD burner is secondary, even though, I found out the DVD was the master drive somewhere else. REal confusing.

[budz]

That must be telling me that my DVD burner is secondary, even though, I found out the DVD was the master drive somewhere else. REal confusing.

Your hard drive is primary ide channel and you don't want to unistall that. If you saw UDMA 2 MODE then that's your dvd burner which would be secondary. Since it does say UDMA 2 MODE then your ide channels are fine.

Next step is to buy a new 80 wire ide cable. Even if you don't wanna buy a new 80 wire ide cable for your drive and you purchase a new dvd burner you could still have problems. Why.....Because if that current 80 wire ide cable that you have is defective your new dvd burner will not work correctly anyway. 80 wire ide cables are cheap under $5.00 from any local computer store/shop or order one online.

[renegade431]

I'll be looking for one this week.

[bevills1]

The DVD drive may be master on secondary IDE channel. Both primary and secondary IDE channels may have master and slave drives connected. If the IDE channels say not applicable in the transfer mode, this may indicate DMA is not enabled in BIOS. Check BIOS settings and enable DMA if not enabled there.

[budz]

It wouldn't hurt to check his BIOS but as you can see he posted the UDMA 2 MODE showed in device manager.

[bevills1]

OP states he has 1 DVD and 3 hard drives with DVD connected as primary. This seems to indicate his boot drive is connected as secondary or he has PCI adapter that shows primary channel for its controller. Another possibility is OP may be confusing the terms primary and secondary with master and slave. If his DVD drive is actually the master drive on the secondary IDE channel and showing DMA not applicable for that channel, then DMA for the secondary channel may not be enabled in BIOS.

[budz]

OP states he has 1 DVD and 3 hard drives with DVD connected as primary. This seems to indicate his boot drive is connected as secondary or he has PCI adapter that shows primary channel for its controller. Another possibility is OP may be confusing the terms primary and secondary with master and slave. If his DVD drive is actually the master drive on the secondary IDE channel and showing DMA not applicable for that channel, then DMA for the secondary channel may not be enabled in BIOS.

He already shows UDMA MODE 2 which is the dvd burner. Hard drives are UDMA 5 MODE. Hopefully the OP will post whether or not his problem is resolved.

[johns0]

Newer dvdr are udma mode 5.

[budz]

Newer dvdr are udma mode 5.

Hmm.......I've yet to see any newer dvd burner with UDMA 5 MODE. Most dvd burners are either UDMA 2 or 4. Would you share the brand and model # that will show UDMA 5? Thanks.

[johns0]

Lg gh20ls10,

[budz]

Thanks for the pic. That's interesting that it shows UDMA MODE 5. Is your LG drive hooked up directly to the mobo or to a SATA PCI CONTROLLER CARD? Just curious because that's the first time I ever seen UDMA 5 MODE.

[johns0]

Its hooked up directly to the sata controller on the MB,thing is its slower to read than my older 20x liteon.

[budz]

Yah, I read it has slow reading capabilities at the LG Forum at Cdfreaks.com. Other than that is it a decent drive? I have the first generation SATA LGH62LI which is a good drive. The only reason why I haven't bought another LG drive is they don't upgrade their firmwares on their drives, instead they just create a new model. Go figure huh!

[johns0]

Hasnt failed a burn yet with any dvdr including dual layer and got one bios update,only thing i dont like about it is it always seeks when booting up with no disc in it and reads a disc a second time after opening imageburn,first time it reads a disc when inserted and reads it again when imageburn is opened.

Liteon is much quicker cause it doesnt need to read all the time..

[[_chef_]]

Newer dvdr are udma mode 5.

This info is not always true, the properties showing fals info some time.

[RabidDog]

With these sort of technical problems, its best not to read the shazzbatt the person posts as normally its a load of spurious nonsense, just scan it to get a general feel for the problem.
(Flame on)
I actually happen to have exactly the same drive and it sometimes displays this behaviour..However this does not affect its burning performance in anyway whatsoever..Nero or imageburn will write to any blank dvd in the correct way.

Failing this, uninstall nero and daemon & Reboot and see if that helps.

Install linux (or linuxlive CD) and try burning from that

[johns0]

]

Newer dvdr are udma mode 5.

This info is not always true, the properties showing fals info some time.

This info is true,i fix computers for a living.

[renegade431]

As a reminder, if this helps, I did say, this just happened out of the blue. My DVD burner has never given me any problems, for several years. I did add a 500 gb hard drive, externel, and 2 more gb's of ram. I think the problem started after I added the ram. When adding the ram. I did have a tight spot with the 80 wire IDE cable. I went back to make sure all areas were tight. I haven't had the chance to get the cable, yet, and I have tried all the advises here, and nothing. Hopefully, the cable will do the trick. Thanks.

[renegade431]

I replaced the 80 wire IDE cable, with NO success. I've done all I can think of. I'll do my last resort and buy another DVD burner.