cd-rom caching problem

[mmcd79]

I have a real strange issue with my CD-Rom on my laptop. I think it's
windows related and not hardware.

Say for instance if I have a software install that uses more than one
disc. If I put the first disc in, start the install, all is well.
Then it will prompt for disc 2. I hit the eject button on my cd-rom
and swap discs. Once in, I press continue. I keep getting prompted
for disc 2.

I know the discs are good as I can install this on multiple machines.
Something is wrong. I open up windows explorer and even though I have
disc 2 in the drive, it still reads as disc 1!! I can open it.. and I
can even copy data off of it!!!! How is this possible?!

If I take disc 2 out and put in disc 3, same thing. Disc 1 contents
are displayed. No amount of refreshing my screen works, and the
Microsoft Autorun fix utility has no effect as it reports no errors.

The only way I can get the other disc to be recognized is to reboot my
system. This prevents me from installing applications. I found a
posting where someone suggested right clicking the drive in windows
explorer and go to properties and populate the volume, but this does
not work either. I found another post that suggested right clicking
the drive and choosing eject from within windows instead of hitting the
eject button on the drive. THIS WORKS!. So I have something to tie me
over until I find a fix.

I have done everything to try to fix this sans formatting my machine.
I even went as far as to purchase an external USB burner/rom combo not
only because of this eject problem, but because the laptop drive just
isn't fast enough. Well guess what. The drive is faster, but it has
the SAME EJECT PROBLEM!!! I give up. It has to be something on the
system but I have no clue what it could be.

I cannot find anyone with the same issue. I find a lot of posts where
people are having refresh problems from windows explorer pertaining to
the cd-rom (i.e. showing wrong disc name) but at least their contents
of the correct disc are there.

Can someone tell me how it's possible that my system is caching the
contents of an entire CD and making it available to copy/paste no
matter what CD is in the drive?! This is driving me nuts.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Guest]

Which version of XP are you using?

XP SP2 plus all of the updates?

Have you tried right-clicking on the drive under My Computer and trying the
alternative setting in Autoplay?

Eric,
PC Buyer Beware!
http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/

 

[mmcd79]

I'm using XP SP2 with all updates. It used to work fine. I can only
assume some install hosed it up. Also I'm not sure what you mean by
"the alternative setting in autoplay". My autoplay options are set for
each content type. Every type is set to "prompt me each tiem to choose
an action".

As an added piece of information.

With no disk in the drive, my drive's name is "DVD-RAM Drive (D".
When I put in the first disk after reboot, the name becomes the name of
that disk. If I hit the eject button on the cd-rom unit itself.. the
disc is ejected and the name of the drive returns to "DVD-RAM Drive".
Upon placing any disc in again the name of the drive (as well as it's
contents upon exploring the disc) reflect that of the previous disc.

Now if I use the OS to eject the disc, the disc drive is again "DVD-RAM
Drive" like it should be, but now when I insert another disc, the
contents are now correctly reflecting the contents of that disc instead
of the previous one, HOWEVER the name of the drive changes to "CD Drive
(D" and not the name of any of the previous discs!!!

Talk about loopy behavior. I'm absolutely befuddled.