WinXP-Pro not recognizing blank CDs; can't write

[Kris Krieger]

Hello,

My problem:
I can't write anything to CD (I haven't yet tried DVD). I've had trouble
from the get-go with the drives - it took a lot of work just to get
WinXPPro to even "see" the CD-RW, and more finagling to get XP to actually
be able to read from CD. I can't write to CD, tho'.

I'd successfully played a DVD once, haven't tried again tho'. It turned
out that the DVD unit is (contrary to what I'd requested) a dual drive that
deals with both DVDs and CDs. It also cannot write to CD - it reads CDs
but does not "see" a blank CD, can't write to it.

When I put a blank CD into the CD-RW drive, and click on the drive in
Explorer, I get an error message - which I also get when I try XP's "copy
file to CD" procedure. The drive does read CDs with existing data.

When I try using the DVD/CD combo drive, again, existing files are read,
but when I try to write files to the CD, it asks for a blank CD and does
not recognize that one is already in the drive.

Additionally, I am using older disks (I'd bought a 100-pack 2 yrs ago fo
multi-speed (up tp 52X) CDs) - so I'm starting to wonder whether I need to
ditch them all and get some sort of special CDs for WinXP-Pro...


I looked all over the Sony website BTW but did not see any software/drivers
(or any information at all) on my specific CD model; I wrote to their
Support, to no avail. Therre is nothing for the models I have and support
did not see fit to answer my questions.

I am considering buying new ones, something like a Lite-On since they seem
to be reliable, and/or some decent CD/DVD writing software, but figured I'd
try here as a last-dirch effort before spending the $$.

((BTW the problem is with all disks, and brands thereof, that I've
tried...))

I don't know whether there are some files from XP that didn't get
installed; whether it's a Services problem; whether I have to totally
eliminate my sound card (see bleow), whetehr I need a dedicated disk-
writing program, or what. This is costing me a great deal of time (since I
do need to be able to send info to people on CD)...

My system:
Purchased over the internet in mid-October 2005.
The system is an AMD64X2-4800 system, ASUS SLI Premium MB, 4 sticks of
Kingston 1MB RAM, 2 Western Digital SATA hard drives set up as "C" and "D",
a Sound Blaster Audigy 4 Pro (I had to eliminate the
EAX and Neo-something and THX files to get the system to at all recognize
the existence of the CD-RW and DVD-RW).

The OS (not a dual-boot system) is WinXP-Pro SP2 (OEM disk, original
install - not an upgrade)

THe CD-RW is model CRX230EE, Manufactured Date April/2005 - jumper (set by
the builder) is set to Master.

THe DVD unit is DW-Q30A (DVD/CD R-W-RW) Manufactured Date September/2005
B2BA Also with jumper set to Master.

The XP Device Manager indicates that there are no problems with the units;
there appear to be no drivers specific to the units. Troubleshooter has
not been at all useful in this situation.


I've also tried reinstalling WinXP. Didn't work. Just created unnecessary
multiple copies of stuff in the Documents'n'settings directory.


Many thanks in advance for all suggestions/tips/info

 

[Guest]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03september16.mspx
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpcd.php
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;321641
Cut and paste your exact info as pertains to your system and drives..
Use the Nero Infotool, see link below..
http://www.nero.com/en/Info_Tool.html
Review the upper links as well..
Is there a OEM support site for your computer model, can you provide it..?
I assume both burners are set as masters on separate channels, with power
and data cables secure..
Did you get any burning software included with the purchase of your system
installed or supplied as packaged software..?
You should get Nero, or Roxio third party burning software if you want to
burn DVD's.. The XP inbuilt CD Wiz can conflict with third party burning apps
and will not burn to DVD..
j;-j

 

[Kris Krieger]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03septemb
er16.mspx http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpcd.php
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;321641

I'll look on the MS database for Sony problems. THe above don't really
help with the general weirdness of the units. Esp. since I tried a system
restore last night, and now it's not seeing the CD-RW OR the DVD-RW at all,
so now it's not just a matter of recording.

I've read elsewhere that these Sony units did not and do not function
smoothly with WindowsXP. XP uses some sort of generic driver because Sony
evidently can't be bothered with providing any. I'm trying to reinstall
the "drivers" but I keep getting a emssage requesting specific drivers.
Which evidently do not exist.

I'm thinking of trying to take my HP unit out of my old computer and
installing it, and seeing whether it works with the system. I wanted to
avoid that but at this point, I'm running out of hair to pull out.

Cut and paste your exact info as pertains to your system and drives..
Use the Nero Infotool, see link below..
http://www.nero.com/en/Info_Tool.html

Well, my machine is not connected to the internet, so I'd have to DL the
fiels to this machine, burn to CD, and then bring the CD to my machine.
Since it's not seeing the CDRW unit, um....

I'm also not clear on what the above cut'n'pasting (into this Nero program
I guess...?) is supposed to do...

Review the upper links as well..
Is there a OEM support site for your computer model, can you provide
it..?

No. It's not a model - I bought it over the internet - it was a custom
assembly. All the parts are standard, there is nothing prorietary, no odd
"tweaks" to anything. It ought to all function is a completely
straightforward manner. That's what's so aggravating...

I assume both burners are set as masters on separate channels,
with power and data cables secure..

The cables are tight. I don't understand "separate channels". They're
plugged into separate plugs on the MB....

Did you get any burning software included with the purchase of your
system installed or supplied as packaged software..?

Just some thing called "power DVD".

You should get Nero, or Roxio third party burning software if you want
to burn DVD's.. The XP inbuilt CD Wiz can conflict with third party
burning apps and will not burn to DVD..
j;-j

I'll look at those, thanks. For now, time to do some CDRW-unit switching.

Thanks,

- K.

 

[Guest]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320553/EN-US/
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;314060
The above may apply or use as future reference, in case..

http://kgiii.info/windows/XP/general/missing_CD-DVD_drives.html
The above link should help you to restore the drives to the My Computer
window...

http://freepctech.com/pc/001/installing_ide_devices.shtml
The above link should basically inform you as to the IDE channels term..

Usually with a new system OEM or home built you would need to go online to
update system drivers, BIOS, chipset drivers, etc.. This really can help to
avoid those weird and mysterious instabilities.. Updates can contain last
minute fixes or patches to drivers that might not have been available at the
time the computer was built or a hardware part was installed out of the box,
retail..
Good luck..
j;-j

 

[Kris Krieger]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320553/EN-US/
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;314060
The above may apply or use as future reference, in case..

http://kgiii.info/windows/XP/general/missing_CD-DVD_drives.html
The above link should help you to restore the drives to the My
Computer window...

http://freepctech.com/pc/001/installing_ide_devices.shtml
The above link should basically inform you as to the IDE channels
term..

Ah, OK, thanks - that "upper filters" part looks *very* familiar. I'll
have to digest the other links.

I saved your msgs so I can take a closer look. But I did want to say that
I appreciate the info

Usually with a new system OEM or home built you would need to go
online to update system drivers, BIOS, chipset drivers, etc.. This
really can help to avoid those weird and mysterious instabilities..

True. The thing is that we got the one machine set up cor cable modem, and
got cable phone - and what they want to simply patch a second computer into
the cable modem is highway robbery...and I can't use a dial-up account with
the cable phone....Not very pretty =:-o and admittedly puts a crimp in
things...

I might be able to set up a network but for now, trying to get the CDRW up
and running again is already taxing my poor graphics-arts-oriented brain

Updates can contain last minute fixes or patches to drivers that might
not have been available at the time the computer was built or a
hardware part was installed out of the box, retail..
Good luck..
j;-j

I'll double-check whether there are any at the MS site. They usually have
an option for people to DL for installation later or elsewhere.

THanks for the links and suggestions ! Between all that info, I'm sure
something will work.

- K.

 

[Guest]

Thanks..
If you need further assistance don't hesitate to post back to the newsgroup..
Hope the info will help..
j;-j