DVD drive may be Ker-Poot : (

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dan Merkel
  • Start date Start date
D

Dan Merkel

Well, after way too much trouble, I've finally gotten to the point where I
found some software that would allow me to reload a Movie Maker file and try
to burn my first DVD. The message comes up & says "Media not Recognized."

Now, I've had my PC for over three years and have burned many CDs, but never
had the occasion to burn a DVD. Yes, it is a DVD - CD combo burner... or at
least it says it is. So, that's not an issue.

I tried to burn a data DVD in another program and got a similar message, so
I'm thinking that it might very well be the drive that is going bonkers.
The Geek Squad guy told me that they use two different lasers, so it could
still function fine while burning CDs but not do anything at all with DVDs.

So....................... since I don't really want to tear apart my tower
to install a new drive, I'm considering an external one. Has anyone had any
experience with them? Good: Bad? Otherwise?

This whole project is getting kind of ridiculous... I bought a DV camera
because I supposedly had everything else I needed on my PC (my Dell came
pre-configured with software, a firewire & the DVD burner). Since then,
I've had to buy software, a firewire cable and now it looks like maybe a new
drive. : (

One other question... is there any diagnostic software out there in
cyberspace that might tell me if my drive is indeed bad?

Thanks in advance.

dlm
 
Dan said:
Well, after way too much trouble, I've finally gotten to the point
where I found some software that would allow me to reload a Movie
Maker file and try to burn my first DVD. The message comes up & says
"Media not Recognized."
Now, I've had my PC for over three years and have burned many CDs,
but never had the occasion to burn a DVD. Yes, it is a DVD - CD
combo burner... or at least it says it is. So, that's not an issue.

I tried to burn a data DVD in another program and got a similar
message, so I'm thinking that it might very well be the drive that is
going bonkers. The Geek Squad guy told me that they use two different
lasers, so it could still function fine while burning CDs but not do
anything at all with DVDs.
So....................... since I don't really want to tear apart my
tower to install a new drive, I'm considering an external one. Has
anyone had any experience with them? Good: Bad? Otherwise?

This whole project is getting kind of ridiculous... I bought a DV
camera because I supposedly had everything else I needed on my PC (my
Dell came pre-configured with software, a firewire & the DVD burner).
Since then, I've had to buy software, a firewire cable and now it
looks like maybe a new drive. : (

One other question... is there any diagnostic software out there in
cyberspace that might tell me if my drive is indeed bad?

Thanks in advance.

dlm
Click to expand...
========================
Could it be a drive that Burns
CDs but only Reads DVDs?

It would be a CD-RW - DVD-ROM
Drive. That makes it a Combo drive.


Here's an example:
Sony CRX320AE/U CD-RW/
DVD-ROM Combo Drive
http://tinyurl.com/yss4c3


--

John Inzer
MS Picture It! -
Digital Image MVP

Digital Image
Highlights and FAQs
http://tinyurl.com/aczzp

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk
 
John Inzer said:
========================
Could it be a drive that Burns
CDs but only Reads DVDs?

It would be a CD-RW - DVD-ROM
Drive. That makes it a Combo drive.


Here's an example:
Sony CRX320AE/U CD-RW/
DVD-ROM Combo Drive
http://tinyurl.com/yss4c3


--

John Inzer
MS Picture It! -
Digital Image MVP
Click to expand...

No, I can't remember the exact designation since it is at home and I'm at
the office right now, but it was something like NEC DVD-RW 1100A. There was
some kind of update available on the Dell support site and I reFlashed it,
but it still doesn't recognize the DVD-R disc that I'm using in it.

While I have burned many CDs, I never had the occasion to burn a DVD; now
the machine is long out of warranty. I guess the good news is that the
external drives aren't all that much.

dlm
 
Dan said:
No, I can't remember the exact designation since it is at home and
I'm at the office right now, but it was something like NEC DVD-RW
1100A. There was some kind of update available on the Dell support
site and I reFlashed it, but it still doesn't recognize the DVD-R
disc that I'm using in it.
While I have burned many CDs, I never had the occasion to burn a DVD;
now the machine is long out of warranty. I guess the good news is
that the external drives aren't all that much.

dlm
Click to expand...
=================================
If it says DVD-RW it's a DVD burner.

--

John Inzer
MS Picture It! -
Digital Image MVP

Digital Image
Highlights and FAQs
http://tinyurl.com/aczzp

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk
 
John Inzer said:
=================================
If it says DVD-RW it's a DVD burner.

--

John Inzer
MS Picture It! -
Digital Image MVP
Click to expand...


I'm hoping that it "might" just be a media issue... I'm gong to try a
different DVD in it tonight.

dlm
 
Dan Merkel said:
I'm hoping that it "might" just be a media issue... I'm gong to try a
different DVD in it tonight.

dlm
Click to expand...

The NEC 1100a does NOT support DVD-R this is why you are having a problem.
That drive is a lower end drive and only supports DVD+R and DVD+RW unless
you download and install the firmware upgrade.
You can download the firmware here:
http://etna.rpc1.org/nec/index.html

Beware firmware installations CAN damage the drive. Make sure you DO NOT
have a disk in the drive when performing the upgrade if you choose to do so.

If you don't want to install the upgrade then you need to purchase DVD+R
media instead of DVD-R.
 
Wojo said:
The NEC 1100a does NOT support DVD-R this is why you are having a problem.
That drive is a lower end drive and only supports DVD+R and DVD+RW unless
you download and install the firmware upgrade.
You can download the firmware here:
http://etna.rpc1.org/nec/index.html

Beware firmware installations CAN damage the drive. Make sure you DO NOT
have a disk in the drive when performing the upgrade if you choose to do
so.

If you don't want to install the upgrade then you need to purchase DVD+R
media instead of DVD-R.
--
-Wojo
MVP - Digital Media
Wojo's Web:
http://www.wojos-web.co.nr/
Click to expand...

Yes, after some extensive research, I found that drive does only accept DVD+
discs. So, I bought a small number of them and SUCCESSFULLY burned my first
DVD!

As to the firmware,I don't know what I want to do about that. I've read
that it "can" damage the drive and I've also read that it isn't all that
successful either. Some have good results & some don't.

But for right now, I'm good to go and it did play well on my DVD player;
that's my first priority.

Thanks to all who commented.

dlm
 
Wojo said:
The NEC 1100a does NOT support DVD-R this is why you are having a problem.
That drive is a lower end drive and only supports DVD+R and DVD+RW unless
you download and install the firmware upgrade.
You can download the firmware here:
http://etna.rpc1.org/nec/index.html

Beware firmware installations CAN damage the drive. Make sure you DO NOT
have a disk in the drive when performing the upgrade if you choose to do
so.

If you don't want to install the upgrade then you need to purchase DVD+R
media instead of DVD-R.
--
-Wojo
MVP - Digital Media
Wojo's Web:
http://www.wojos-web.co.nr/
Click to expand...


Based on the info on the web link you sent me, I think I'll leave well
enough alone for now. It works in my DVD player and it does a good job
burning CDs as well. Besides, if it gets to be a problem, External ones
aren't all that expensive.

Thanks again!

dlm
 
Dan Merkel said:
Based on the info on the web link you sent me, I think I'll leave well
enough alone for now. It works in my DVD player and it does a good job
burning CDs as well. Besides, if it gets to be a problem, External ones
aren't all that expensive.

Thanks again!

dlm
Click to expand...

I think that's what I would do as well.
DVD+R vs DVD-R doesn't much matter as long as the +R disks work in your DVD
Player.

-Wojo
 
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