Cannot burn onto a blank cd anymore

  • Thread starter Thread starter hdenandy
  • Start date Start date
H

hdenandy

Can anyone help.
I can burn a dvd no problem.
My E drive will also play dvd's and cd's no problem.
However, it will no longer burn audio cd's.
I've tried many different blank cd's, and tried burning using Real Player,
Roxio, WMP and Cheetah, but they all say 'install a blank cd' even though
there is already one in the drive.
The drive model is HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GWA4164B.

Everything says the device is working properly.

Many thanks
Andy
 
Sounds like the drive has gone bad and needs to be replaced.

: Can anyone help.
: I can burn a dvd no problem.
: My E drive will also play dvd's and cd's no problem.
: However, it will no longer burn audio cd's.
: I've tried many different blank cd's, and tried burning using Real Player,
: Roxio, WMP and Cheetah, but they all say 'install a blank cd' even though
: there is already one in the drive.
: The drive model is HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GWA4164B.
:
: Everything says the device is working properly.
:
: Many thanks
: Andy
 
Suggest you contact the maker's tech support and ask their opinion. Or, try
googling on the model number--that drive looks like it has had a fair amount
of problems.

--
Regards

Ron Badour
MS MVP
Windows Desktop Experience
 
All dvd,cdrom,rw,dvdrw,etc have firmware updates from the hardware
mfg,go to the web site & install..Also,once updated,maybe open device
mgr,locate the drive,R.click on it,select "uninstall",close out device
mgr,shut
down pc.Connect the drive to another IDE or USB connection,start pc,xp
will reinstall it on restart...Also,you should'nt be installing multiple
3rd party
software trying to all do the same,it only causes compatability problems.
 
Many thanks for your replies.
As I said, what I can't understand is how the drive can read dvd's and cd's
and also burn dvd's perfectly OK, but doesn't recognise a blank cd.
I've checked for updates for the drive, but can't find any.
Would it say specifically if a 'firmware' update was available ?
Thanks
 
Hi.
Yes, everything is apparently working fine and as it should be.
What other settings should I check ?
 
The drive is shot, try another one. These drives use different lasers
for DVD and CD burning. It isn't unusual to have one laser fail while
the other one keeps on working without problems.

John
 
Thanks for your reply.
The trouble is, it is a built in drive, is it possible to change or would I
have to connect an external drive ?
Cheers
 
hdenandy said:
Thanks for your reply.
The trouble is, it is a built in drive, is it possible to change or would I
have to connect an external drive ?
Cheers
Click to expand...

Power down the computer. Use a screwdriver to open the case. Take the side
panels or cover off. Disconnect the wires from the drive. There are probably
four small screws that hold the drive to the chassis, remove those and save
them. The drive should now slide out the front of the case. Buy a new drive
with the same type of connections (SATA or IDE). Reverse the order of
disassembly to reassemble.

The new drive should work immediately with XP's built in drivers (no new
ones to install). Begin use. Enjoy.
 
Can anyone help.
I can burn a dvd no problem.
My E drive will also play dvd's and cd's no problem.
However, it will no longer burn audio cd's.
I've tried many different blank cd's, and tried burning using Real Player,
Roxio, WMP and Cheetah, but they all say 'install a blank cd' even though
there is already one in the drive.
The drive model is HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GWA4164B.

Everything says the device is working properly.

Many thanks
Andy
Click to expand...

I tried 4 different CD/DVD burning programs (Roxio, Nero, ImgBurn,
WMP) with no media installed and could not get a message that says:

"install a blank cd"

I got things like: insert media, no media present, you must insert
blank media, etc. You know - messages like that.

What program are you using that generates this message?

If that is not the message, then if you can provide the exact/message
(s), research will be easier.

What kind of audio are you trying to burn? Is it something the might
be copyrighted?

Has it ever worked before?

Can you burn a data CD?

Since you have "other" burning software (which is fine), has any of
that changed/updated since the last time you burned audio? Anything
new?

Here is a popular and safe suggestion when CD drives go awry:

http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;314060&x=12&y=13#

Read the article, delete the two registry values, they will be
recreated on reboot.
 
| Many thanks for your replies.
| As I said, what I can't understand is how the drive can read dvd's and cd's
| and also burn dvd's perfectly OK, but doesn't recognise a blank cd.
| I've checked for updates for the drive, but can't find any.
| Would it say specifically if a 'firmware' update was available ?
| Thanks

DVD and CD burning drives use a separate laser for the burn and for the read functions.
The burning laser has to be much stronger than the read laser.
This is why you can still read, but not burn.
Since there is not practial way to repair this problem, you will need to buy a new drive.



|
|
|
| "Andrew E." wrote:
|
| > All dvd,cdrom,rw,dvdrw,etc have firmware updates from the hardware
| > mfg,go to the web site & install..Also,once updated,maybe open device
| > mgr,locate the drive,R.click on it,select "uninstall",close out device
| > mgr,shut
| > down pc.Connect the drive to another IDE or USB connection,start pc,xp
| > will reinstall it on restart...Also,you should'nt be installing multiple
| > 3rd party
| > software trying to all do the same,it only causes compatability problems.
| >
| > "hdenandy" wrote:
| >
| > > Can anyone help.
| > > I can burn a dvd no problem.
| > > My E drive will also play dvd's and cd's no problem.
| > > However, it will no longer burn audio cd's.
| > > I've tried many different blank cd's, and tried burning using Real Player,
| > > Roxio, WMP and Cheetah, but they all say 'install a blank cd' even though
| > > there is already one in the drive.
| > > The drive model is HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GWA4164B.
| > >
| > > Everything says the device is working properly.
| > >
| > > Many thanks
| > > Andy
 
Hi.
I mainly use Real Player to burn audio cd's.
The message says something along the lines of 'please insert a blank cd to
begin'.
It is similar when I try Cheetah or Roxio.
It is the same when I try burning a data cd also.
The audio is downloaded, and I could burn cd's no problem until just recently.
I think it must be the drive, as it just doesn't seem to recognise that
there is a cd in there - the green light just keeps flashing !

As I say, to burn a dvd isn't a problem, whether its data or video.

I have tried the registry values without success.

But many thanks for your reply and suggestion.
Regards
Andy
 
hdenandy said:
Hi.
I mainly use Real Player to burn audio cd's.
The message says something along the lines of 'please insert a blank cd to
begin'.
It is similar when I try Cheetah or Roxio.
It is the same when I try burning a data cd also.
The audio is downloaded, and I could burn cd's no problem until just
recently.
I think it must be the drive, as it just doesn't seem to recognise that
there is a cd in there - the green light just keeps flashing !

As I say, to burn a dvd isn't a problem, whether its data or video.

I have tried the registry values without success.

But many thanks for your reply and suggestion.
Regards
Andy
Click to expand...

Andy
I had virtually the same issue a while ago. I was advised on another forum
to just buy another DVD rewriter. I bought a cheap one (£20) as I only use
it for burning and reading. No problems since. Don't know how true it is but
the bloke who advised me said that the laser generally only lasts a minimum
of a year (but I suppose that depends on how much you use it).
Regards
Andrew Wilson
 
Many thanks for your reply.
I have used the drive quite alot, and have had the computer over 4 years, so
I suppose I haven't done too bad.
Will have a look for a new one - just hope I get one that is compatible !
 
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