DVD multi drive malfunctioning.

[Guest]

I have a Gateway 901 Media Center Computer.

Here’s the issue: Sometimes the DVD Multi drive will not spin-up a DVD disk.
It just blinks and clicks. Sometimes during this “Locked†period it will read
Audio CD’s, and CD-ROMS. When I launch any of the 3 DVD applications and look
at the disk drive they all report there is no disk or that it can not be
read. Same results trying to access the disk using Explorer. The drive just
will not “Spin-up†Eventually all disk reading ability is lost.

Here’s what I’ve tried:

1. Through drive properties made sure autoplay was set to launch my DVD
application when DVD content was loaded in the drive. Results - No Change.
2. Opened Hardware Device Manager and removed the drive and then restarted
the computer. It found the “new hardware†and installed the software. Results
- No Change.
3. Decided to try loading another 3rd party DVD encoder (NVIDIA) Results -
No Change.
4. Gave up and decided to contact Gateway Tech Support Chat. This is where
it gets interesting. I always manually connect my Dial-up through network
connections before launching IE. Once the connection was made I click IE and
nothing. Just an hour glass that disappeared after a few seconds. Clicked
again. Same thing. While waiting installed an Audio CD to see if it would
play. It did spin but no application launched to play it. After a few mins.
ejected the CD and there was a funny pause after the spin-down. Suddenly
everything came back. IE launched for each click (2 windows) and the Drive
will now play all media types.

This is the second time this has happened. Once when I first got the
computer and decided to connect to chat with Tech Support. Same exact thing
Click on IE. no IE. Installed a disk and no reading. Ejected the disk and
funny pause and everything “unlocksâ€

Any of you and a clue about how I can keep this from happening

System info:

Gateway 910 HSN Media Center 2004 with Windows XP and Service pack 2

901 Motherboard with Integrated Audio R0

Motherboard chip set Intel 865G Chipset, consisting of: Intel 82865G GMCH /
Intel 82801EB ICH5 / 4-Mb FWH

DVD Drive HLDS (Hitachi-LG Data Storage) GSA-4040B

Thanks for your time.

 

[Guest]

Hi Sam,
Do you use dial up to access a network, such as at work? That is very
antiquated technology. You should be running directly to the network via
ethernet if you can.
Seems to me that you have a software issue or the drive itself is bad. My
son has a new HP that did the same thing. Run Dr. Watson if you can and let
it work. Will tell what is wrong so you can fix it. Dump dialup! Its slow
annoying and useless. You can get DSL for a little more than the high priced
dialup.
good luck

 

[Guest]

Dila up is only used for internet connection. I'm CHEAP!

Dr. Watson? I'll do a google search for that one.

 

[Guest]

Well Sam, I tried to help you but sarcasm gets you no where fast. Dr. Watson
comes in the programs thats installed in your system if Gateway used it. Not
a bad diagnostic program. Good luck,
"Doc"

 

[Guest]

Doc,

I'm sorry if I offended you. I was not trying to be sarcastic. I did not
know about the Dr. Watson program and I was just letting you know I would
find out about it without taking any more of you time. I appreciate you
willingness to help and you have. I now know I can run drwtsn32 and it sould
help me find out what is going on. I will do that tonight and will post the
results here.

Thanks again and I appologize for coming across sacrcastic, that was not my
intention.

 

[Guest]

Hey Sam!
Thats ok bud....no offense taken! Hope you make out well with your system!
Doc

 

[Guest]

dr watson gives no errors??

I really have no idea what's going on with this thing.

 

[Lil' Dave]

For as I know, a DVD will read audio and cd data CDs, just like a CDROM
natively. Even in msdos. No unusual driver or software is needed. And, it
appears its hinting there's a software problem. Maybe introduced by 3rd
party software.
Am using dialup for internet myself. Was using cable for internet when I
lived in a high population area. But now, there's only two viable
alternatives in my current location, dialup or satellite. The latter of
which is too expensive, even by cable pricing standards. DSL simply is not
available in the area.
<Sam Harris - Greenville>; "NC"