faulty dvd rw sony dwu18a

[oo-]

the problem:
i'm using a sony dvd rw DWU18A (oem) and i can't write cds or dvds. if i use
nero (6 ultra) i get to 23% before the system freezes and i have to reboot.
if i use roxio (5.3.5.10) i get to a similar plateau before frezing the
system. If i try to make a cd/dvd through windows explorer i get right to
the finalizing beofre the cd is rejected and i'm told the cd couldn't write
and that the cd may not be reusable.

i don't want to rush into upgrading to roxio 7 (spending £50) if that isn't
going to solve it. From what i gather reading on the net, this drive is
notorious for not working. and if it doesn't write in windows explorer or
nero 6 then why would it work in roxio 7.

any clues? besides taking back my dvd drive and getting a refund?

systems stats:
asus pundit
p4 2.8Ghz
1Ghz RAM (PC2700)
Western Digital 160 GB HDD
sony dvd rw DWU18A


Phil

 

[oo-]

the problem:
i'm using a sony dvd rw DWU18A (oem) and i can't write cds or dvds. if i use
nero (6 ultra) i get to 23% before the system freezes and i have to reboot.
if i use roxio (5.3.5.10) i get to a similar plateau before frezing the
system. If i try to make a cd/dvd through windows explorer i get right to
the finalizing beofre the cd is rejected and i'm told the cd couldn't write
and that the cd may not be reusable.

i don't want to rush into upgrading to roxio 7 (spending £50) if that isn't
going to solve it. From what i gather reading on the net, this drive is
notorious for not working. and if it doesn't write in windows explorer or
nero 6 then why would it work in roxio 7.

any clues? besides taking back my dvd drive and getting a refund?

systems stats:
asus pundit
p4 2.8Ghz
1Ghz RAM (PC2700)
Western Digital 160 GB HDD
sony dvd rw DWU18A


Phil

okay so i've removed the dvd rw drive and put my old cd rw drive back in and
i casn write cds again. this would appear to be a problem with drive from
that experiment howver i have a feeling its to do with xp or roxio or nero
not supporting this drive very well.

 

[Grinder]

the problem:
i'm using a sony dvd rw DWU18A (oem) and i can't write cds or dvds. if i use
nero (6 ultra) i get to 23% before the system freezes and i have to reboot.
if i use roxio (5.3.5.10) i get to a similar plateau before frezing the
system. If i try to make a cd/dvd through windows explorer i get right to
the finalizing beofre the cd is rejected and i'm told the cd couldn't write
and that the cd may not be reusable.

i don't want to rush into upgrading to roxio 7 (spending £50) if that isn't
going to solve it. From what i gather reading on the net, this drive is
notorious for not working. and if it doesn't write in windows explorer or
nero 6 then why would it work in roxio 7.

any clues? besides taking back my dvd drive and getting a refund?

systems stats:
asus pundit
p4 2.8Ghz
1Ghz RAM (PC2700)
Western Digital 160 GB HDD
sony dvd rw DWU18A

I went looking for a firmware update for that drive -- I had a similar
problem with a Sony DRU-530A recently -- but could not find support
information for that drive. Although I see that model number reference by
hardware resellers, I don't see it at here:

http://sony.storagesupport.com/dvdrw/

 

[oo-]

I went looking for a firmware update for that drive -- I had a similar
problem with a Sony DRU-530A recently -- but could not find support
information for that drive. Although I see that model number reference by
hardware resellers, I don't see it at here:

http://sony.storagesupport.com/dvdrw/

apparently its somethign to do with sony's OEM drives and they don't offer
any support for them whatsoever - which to me seems madness to not offere
updated drivers/firmaware on their website.

anyway i fixed the problem, don't know how. but uninstalling and
reinstalling the drive, uninstalling and reinstalling roxio and nero and
finally just installing nero 6 and the drive is working again.

 

[kony]

apparently its somethign to do with sony's OEM drives and they don't offer
any support for them whatsoever - which to me seems madness to not offere
updated drivers/firmaware on their website.

anyway i fixed the problem, don't know how. but uninstalling and
reinstalling the drive, uninstalling and reinstalling roxio and nero and
finally just installing nero 6 and the drive is working again.

Apparently the firmware isn't a problem then.
Did Sony make the drive or rebadge it like they've done in the
past? For example, I have a few Sony CDRW drives that I flash
upgraded to 52X from 48X with the Liteon firmware they would've
used had Liteon sold 'em. There was some hack to the firmware to
change the drive ID number, necessary to get flasher to accept
that it was correct firmware for the drive, which might still
apply to your drive if it's a liteon, or maybe even for other
makes, I don't know but the potential is there, you might
investigate that if you ever again feel the need to update the
firmware and find none from Sony.

 

[Mr Bio Hazard]

I had the mysterious problem of no DVD writer available

Nero 6.3.1.17 now can find it.