Upgraded Sony DRU-500UL to firmware 2.0G and now not working

[jrmcintosh]

I just upgraded my external Sony DVD drive to firmware 2.0G and now I'm getting some strange behavior. It's reading DVDs on and off, it's not reading my blanks, and not allowing me to write.

I don't know much about ASPI drivers but I tried to update them as well.

I have burned over 100 movies on this thing and now it won't work due to a firmware upgrade.

Could use some assistance.

Thanks,
Jason

[SaSi]

Have you tried to obtain the original f/w version it had and "downgrade" f/w to that version?

I have an internal drive and I can't remember reading any discussions on upgrading external drives.

As the external drive is actually the internal drive put in a proper housing with USB/FW interface, what I would do is to remove the drive from the housing and connect it to the IDE bus using the normal upgrade utility to upgrade or downgrade the f/w.

Good luck

[ebenton]

Did you uninstall any packet-writing software (DLA, DirectCD, B's CLiP,etc.), unistall The Intel® Application Accelerator (Intel Ultra ATA Storage Driver), and disable DMA, like it says in the instructions?

If not, you might want to do those things and try again.

[Biodroid]

seems to be that your burner crash. but you can change the inside unit for a newerone like the 8X 530u. Or if you have the warranty alive take care of that

[jrmcintosh]

I was able to go back and get the original 1.0f firmware that came with the writer but still it is not reading and dvds correctly. I don't have any of the mentioned software to uninstall. I guess I'll have to do battle with Sony support.

[ebenton]

Once again, if you did not uninstall any packet-writing software (DLA, DirectCD, B's CLiP,etc.), uninstall The Intel® Application Accelerator (Intel Ultra ATA Storage Driver), and disable DMA, like it says in the instructions, when you went back to the original firmware, you might want to do those things and try again.
If you did follow the instructions, pardon me for being repetitive.

[jrmcintosh]

Still stuck,

I don't have any of the software you recommended to uninstall. I don't have an Intel Ultra ATA Storage driver to install.

I've battled with Sony Support all week. They are no help. I ran the drive check yesterday and got write errors. Then I emailed them the results.

I called them again today and all they could tell me is to not use memorex or generic media. This is of course the media that I've been using for a year without any problems.

Any other things I can try. It is no longer reading commercally manufactured Region 1 DVDs.

I don't know how to get through to Sony support that I need to send it in to get fixed or they need to send me a new one because I'm under warranty.

Jason

[Brainiac]

Hi

I had similar problems: My internal DRU-500A would not read/write DVD+-RWs after a while of working properly. I chatted with Sony via the Livechat and they had me check a few settings. The settings were:

1. Changing from DMA to PIO mode for both burners connected to secondary IDE channel.

2. Disable CD recording on the drive.

3. Udpate driver for the IDE ATA/ATA Controllers (in Device Manager)
from Intel Ultra ATA Controller to Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE
Controller.

None of that worked so they issued an RMA and I sent the drive in today. It was still under warranty.

Brainiac

[jrmcintosh]

How do you change from DMA to IPO?

Thanks,
Jason

[jrmcintosh]

Never mind I am in PIO mode.

Thanks looks like I'll give them another call tonight and ask that they create a work number for me to send it in.

Jason

[Brainiac]

Hi

Right click on My Computer, choose Properties, click Device Manager button, Double click on IDE ATAPI controllers, double click Primary OR Secondary IDE channel (whichever channel drive is connected to), click advanced settings. Under Device 0 OR 1 (whichever device is your burner), change transfer mode to PIO only.

Brainiac

[boden11]

do you really have to change to pio mode from dma? i've upgraded my burner several times (purchased in nov '02--dru 500a) and generally i just closed all apps and then ran the software and it upgraded it fine. i heard setting it to pio was more a precaution than a necessity....

[Brainiac]

Hi

The PIO mode change was suggested by the tech rep.

Brainiac

[NYPlayer]

jrmcintosh,

I had the same problem with firmware 2G. I flashed back to 1G and have no problems.