Samsung SATA Optical Drive Problem

[DaDD]

I installed a Samsung SH-S203B drive a couple months ago. Drive
worked great, as advertised, using Nero 8.
Just recently it Nero started to report buffer errors after the burn.
Some disc were ok, some were bad when played on stand alone units.
Tested the other two drives (PATA) in the system with Nero. No
problems. Also varied the media. Same results all the time on the
Samsung. Had the drive replaced. New one same problem.
Research seems indicate that there are some problems with optical's on
a SATA controller. Not sure what has caused this, but the only thing
that changed were some recent Windows updates. Drivers for the drives
seems to have changed version numbers after a update. Got this form
the Reliability monitor in Vista. Have since applied SP1 and no
change.
System is older Dell XPS Gen3. Controllers are using whatever Vista
installed (fresh install) Bios is set to Raid Autodetect/AHCI
(default) as it has been since purchased. Not using raid though.
3 SATA WD HD and 1 SATA optical installed on the controller
and 2 Optical on the PATA controller.
Any suggestion?

 

[On the Bridge!]

roll back the drivers to the version that worked


you can do that from the device manager and in the properties of the device

its called ROLL BACK DRIVERS see this guide
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/roll-back-troublesome-device-drivers-in-windows-vista/



--
50 Ways to leave your Vista....

CHORUS:

You just format the drive , Clive
Get a New Mac , Jack
Y'don't need that crap toy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Boot from a *nix, Jix
You don't need to discuss much
Install XP, Lee
And get yourself free

 

[On the Bridge!]

see this too

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/03/16/how-to-rollback-driver-update-in-windows-vista/


--
50 Ways to leave your Vista....

CHORUS:

You just format the drive , Clive
Get a New Mac , Jack
Y'don't need that crap toy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Boot from a *nix, Jix
You don't need to discuss much
Install XP, Lee
And get yourself free

 

[DaDD]

roll back the drivers to the version that worked


you can do that from the device manager and in the properties of the device

its called ROLL BACK DRIVERS see this guide
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/roll-back-troublesome-device-drivers-in-windows-vista/

First thing I thought of, but after the Vista SP1 install, the option
is not available. Rollback button is grayed out on all drivers. SP1
is seen as a new install. Even uninstalling SP1 would not help as the
problem started prior to that and would prevent updating to SP1.
Thanks anyway.....if you can think of another way?

 

[On the Bridge!]

try to track down the drivers that worked.. and see if you can find them
somehow by googling with the version number...

also send an email to Samsung and see if they have a knowledgebase or
support forum

if this is a common problem, you are not alone...

someone else will be searching for the same solutions as you.




--
50 Ways to leave your Vista....

CHORUS:

You just format the drive , Clive
Get a New Mac , Jack
Y'don't need that crap toy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Boot from a *nix, Jix
You don't need to discuss much
Install XP, Lee
And get yourself free

 

[the wharf rat]

I installed a Samsung SH-S203B drive a couple months ago. Drive
worked great, as advertised, using Nero 8.

FWIW I've had consistent problems with sata optical drives on
several operating systems. Not ready for prime time IMHO, toss it
and get an old ide one.

 

[PNutts]

I'm running a SATA SH-S183L on SP1 with no issues. Do you have the latest
firmware dated January 23rd, 2008 (version SB03)?

Link to download site:
http://www.samsung.com/us/support/download/supportDown.do?model_nm=SH-S203B&mType=FM&vType=L

 

[On the Bridge!]

be very careful with firm updates.. if something goes wrong during the
update and its abruptly terminated,
you may render the drive useless



--
50 Ways to leave your Vista....

CHORUS:

You just format the drive , Clive
Get a New Mac , Jack
Y'don't need that crap toy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Boot from a *nix, Jix
You don't need to discuss much
Install XP, Lee
And get yourself free

 

[DaDD]

try to track down the drivers that worked.. and see if you can find them
somehow by googling with the version number...

also send an email to Samsung and see if they have a knowledgebase or
support forum

if this is a common problem, you are not alone...

someone else will be searching for the same solutions as you.

I was thinking the original Vista drivers off the install dvd might
work as the problem started only recently, but I don't think I can
install them now that I went to SP1.

Samsung was no help, nothing similar in the support FAQ, no forums and
support just suggested replacing the drive.

 

[DaDD]

I'm running a SATA SH-S183L on SP1 with no issues. Do you have the latest
firmware dated January 23rd, 2008 (version SB03)?

Link to download site:
http://www.samsung.com/us/support/download/supportDown.do?model_nm=SH-S203B&mType=FM&vType=L

First thing I did with the first drive when it started. Flashed from
SB01 to SB03. no change.
Drive had no problems burining cd, dvd, all at max speed. numerous
burns. All of a sudden buffers errors, about half way throught the
burns, Superlink would kick in and the burn speed would drop way down,
and at the end Nero would report the number of buffer errors superlink
dealt with.
Looks like a Vista update 1/25/08 installed new drivers for the
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM Ultra ATA Storage Controllers - 266F
6.0.6000.16584
Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller 6.0.6000.16584
Thats right about when this started.

 

[On the Bridge!]

i dont know if this applies but when i installed "aspi" drivers that come
with some programs i had similar problems

--
50 Ways to leave your Vista....

CHORUS:

You just format the drive , Clive
Get a New Mac , Jack
Y'don't need that crap toy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Boot from a *nix, Jix
You don't need to discuss much
Install XP, Lee
And get yourself free

 

[DaDD]

i dont know if this applies but when i installed "aspi" drivers that come
with some programs i had similar problems

Only aspi drivers installed are Nero's. Been the same forever.
I was thinking of installing the Intel Matrix Storarge drivers for my
controller. I assume they would take over for the Vista installed
ones. See if that changes anything?

 

[DaDD]

Only aspi drivers installed are Nero's. Been the same forever.
I was thinking of installing the Intel Matrix Storarge drivers for my
controller. I assume they would take over for the Vista installed
ones. See if that changes anything?

Well I think I've tried everything. Tried the most recent Intel
Matrix drivers for my chipset. That got me a iastor error in event
viewer. Intel provided the solution for that. No change in the
buffer underrun Nero problem. I get one to two buffer errors per
burn. Burns appear to be ok. But the speed drops so low after it
occurs to make it overall slow. System boots faster with the Intel
drivers though over the Vista driver. From what I've read in various
forums, this is a no so common bug that has no common denominator
other than most are pointing to a controller cause.
I was thinking of putting in a pci sata controller card to see if that
gets me around it.

 

[On the Bridge!]

there are some cheap SATA to IDE converters.. these are small adaptor like
things that you can make a SATA device plug in to an IDE port.. at least you
will not need to buy a new burner