Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

CD burner won't. . .

Feb 16, 2004 10:30AM PST

Win XP Home, 528 Meg RAM, AMD 2400+ processor, Sony DVD-ROM, Sony burner that won't work.

My Sony 52-24-52 CD burner (Purchased in November) was working. I could use XP burning utility or NTI CD burner, both worked. Last Monday it quit. It was recognized in Device Manager and Explorer. It would not read or write. I swapped controller plugs, no help. Installed an older HP drive and it worked. Called Sony last Monday, explained the problem. They sent me a new 52-32-52 drive, got it today.

Powered up after install, Windows installed new device, rebooted. Now the new drive will read, but not write. Recognized all over the system, but no write with either XP or NTI. NTI says "Unknown error", XP says the process failed. Tried different burning speeds, and tried both CDRW and CDR media. The same media used before the first drive failed. Swapped controller plugs (DVD to CDRW and back), no joy. Changed from CS to master/slave, no joy.

I cannot believe both drives have failed. Is there something in XP that would prevent burning?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Re:CD burner won't. . .
Feb 16, 2004 10:47AM PST

Try installing and running AdAware from www.lavasoftusa.com and see if that may help. Sometimes you find people have installed something that conflicts with existing software, removing the newly installed software, or cleaning up with the system with something like AdAware can fix it.

If that doesn't work you can try rolling back the system with the system restore utility found in Accessories/System tools, you would have to roll back to when it worked, but that may fix it if removing software and running adaware doesn't do it.

- Collapse -
Hey Jef. . .
Feb 16, 2004 11:13AM PST

AdAware and other spyware removal software is already running. No intrusions.

The only thing I did was install some photo software that came with my new Sony digital camera, but I didn't like it so I uninstalled it. As I reflect, the drive stopped working after it was installed/uninstalled.

I've hesitated to run restore, but I guess that's my next move. I did run sfc /scannow and that didn't help.

I'll see what happens.

- Collapse -
You can do the KNOPPIX test.
Feb 16, 2004 11:43AM PST

Since you have the DVD drive, make the KNOPPIX CD noted at http://tips.oncomputers.info/archives2004/0401/2004-Jan-11.htm to boot up KNOPPIX from the DVD drive and use K3b to test burn some CDRW disk.

This is my secret weapon to see if it's the chips or the salsa.

Be very aware that XP may know nothing about a new CDRW drive and how to talk to it to write. Same story about WHAT? CDRW software you have.

Bob

- Collapse -
Re:You can do the KNOPPIX test.
Feb 16, 2004 6:01PM PST

Didn't think about Knoppix, I have the CD. But the restore fixed it.

Ok, o' wise one, where was the problem? I checked everything and couldn't find where the burn function was disabled.

- Collapse -
Re:Re:You can do the KNOPPIX test.
Feb 16, 2004 10:05PM PST

The change vanished with the System Restore.

If you want to find it, here's the procedure.

1. Export the registry (most likely area where the issue is.)
2. Break it or unbreak with System Restore.
3. Export the registry again to another file.
4. Fix the machine.

Now pour over the registry for what's different. Some of us will have "diff" tools on some linux box to help with this step.

Loads of fun. Much like a room of Microsoft programmers.

Bob

- Collapse -
Re:CD burner won't. . .
Feb 22, 2004 1:23PM PST

Go to windows updates to see if there is a patch for your problem. Dave