HP DVD Writer 300n does not see DVD+R media

Can someone help me, please? According to my book on my CD/DVD writer drive(HP DVD Writer 300n), that came in my HP Pavilion pc, my writer should be able to use dvd+r as well as dvd+rw to copy dvds. It works fine with DVD+RW's but does not recognize the dvd+r discs.
The drive also works fine with CD-R and CD-RW discs. Atleast it does with Maxell CD-R's and Maxell DVD+RW and Sony CD-RW discs. But I just tried Fuji DVD+R and it does not recognize it. Is there any thing I can do to remedy this problem? Is there a place that I can find what brand dvd+r discs will work with my drive? I have Windows XP (Home) os. I'd like to use dvd+r instead of dvd+rw all the time? Expensive. The HP site doesn't have my drive 300n listed. Does any one know if it is the same as a 300e or 300i, etc?
Thank you!

 

Hi...thanks...I just tried it a while ago and it didn't do the trick. My drive shows the media as 0 used and 0 free space on the media. File system as RAW. When I put a disc that works in there, it shows the correct free and used space and RAW for the file system on a blank CD-R. So it sees the disc, but thinks it's full? The firmware update didn't change any of that. I've fought with this for 2 days. Would ASPI do any thing? Help.

 

I did the ASPI thing for Adaptec because that's what I have on board, but it's still no go. I've decided to try a different media. I guess my system just doesn't like Fuji DVD+R. I hope that's all the problem is. It recognizes Maxell DVD+RW, and CD-R's; Memorex CD-RW ; Verbatim CD-R's ; Sony CD-RW's; But I just realized that I had some old Fuji CD-RW's from my IBM and tried them. It won't see the free space, says the disc is full when it is not. AHA, it's a no like Fuji products problem. Maybe I'll see if Fuji has a patch for this? I'll let you know. Thanx. Meritline suggests BeAll DVD+RW's are a good bet and money back guarantee. I think I'll give that a try. I'm tired of this media hunt. Smile.

 

I also have the HP DVD Writer 300n and am experiencing the same problems. All I can successfully read and write to are Fujifilm DVD+RW media. I have ordered Khypermedia DVD-R disks but from what I read here they won't work. I tried the same brand DVD+R and they will not work either. Please let me know if anyone can use this drive successfully with anything but DVD+RW disks. They are way too expensive.

 

Hey ron61...

I tried further DVD+R media and came to the conclusion that the problem was either one of two things. The write speed on the new discs has to be 2.4x and not 4x or 1-4x. The DVD+RW Maxells worked so I tried the DVD+R Maxells and they did not work. I cannot install the firmware for the HP DVD writer 300n from the HP site that I downloaded because it puts up a warning screen saying that I must use the DVD300 installation disc to upload files for the Record Now software before installing the firmware 300_320exe. That firmware is supposed to help the older drives recognize the latest media/DVD's that write up to higher speeds. So I called HP and we walked through all this. The Tech said not to use the firmware as there are problems with it and that the DVD Writer should work without installing the firmware. He concluded that the HP DVD writer is bad since it won't recognize DVD+R discs, even though it recognizes all the other DVD and CD media discs. They are sending me a new DVD writer. Someone else had a simular problem before and they ended up having to do the same thing with HP. That fixed their problem and I suspect it will fix mine. Perhaps your drive is bad too! At any rate I am going to try one more DVD+R media disc that writes only in 2.4x speed. I should get it today or tomorrow. I will let you know if it works or not and after the new drive is installed, hopefully Friday, I'll let you and every one else know how that goes. The HP tech said that my drive, HP 300n, writes to the following media at these speeds:
DVD+RW 2.4x ; DVD+R 4X . THis drive does not write to the DVD-RW or DVD-R discs. It only writes to the + discs. The site and the instruction booklets I have say the same thing. So don't buy DVD-RW or DVD-R if you have this drive. HP Writer 300n. Hope this helps. Buying discs that don't work is aggrevating and too expensive! Smile.

 

Hi ron61
I have a HP DVD 300n since Christmas and have successfully burnt over 400 +R DVD on this drive. The majority of the discs I used were identified as RICOHJPN-R01. The identified discs were labelled Maxell, Memorex, Fuji and Arita. I have used other discs but these were the most consistant with no coasters
I hope this helps

 

Ron61 and chthomson....

I tried my last media, Ritek 2.4X, just now. It did not work. So the drive is the culprit. HP notified me that I should get the new drive today or tomorrow. They're sending a tech to my home to put it in. The drive was free as my pc is under warranty. I had to pay a small charge for the tech to come out to install the new drive. But this way my warranty is still covered and if there are any other reasons for this, I should find out more quickly. I'll let everyone know what I find out.
chthomson, have you tried Ritek discs yet? I'm interested in how many coasters I may end up with. The on line place that I ordered them from are 60 day, 100% money back guaranteed. Plus free shipping!
Have you tried beall dvd+r's either? You and I got our pc's at the end of the year 2003. You got lucky, looks like I got the rock. Smile.

 

Thanks for the info. As I said, I tried Khypermedia and the disks would not write. These are really cheap disks from Tiger Direct so I guesss I got what I paid for. I think I will try some of the other brands of DVD +R to see if my drive is bad too. I have until July until my warranty runs out.

 

Hey ron61...
No problem. Just trying to help save others from going through all the un-needed steps and cost of getting these pc's to work. Smile. I think the HP Pavilion a350n was having a bit of a problem year last year when I bought one. It came with bad speakers so I asked HP to send me replacement speakers. They sent me a new monitor instead! It was a mess getting that straightened out. Now it looks like Fed Ex is bringing me a whole new pc tower instead of the dvd drive. It will be delivered today and the HP tech is supposed to install the drive tomorrow! I called HP and they said that the tech can just take the dvd drive out of the new tower if that's what arrives. Too much. I don't want to take the new pc tower. I know about this one and I don't want to have to download all my info from my hard drive and reformat it! So wish me luck! I was an electronic tech and worked on computers for 12 years in the Air Force. It's so simple just to R2 a drive compared to all the trouble of doing all that work with the hard drive. What a way to run a business. Could you imagine ordering a carborator for you car and they send you a new car in it's place? Looks like that would get expensive in shipping alone. Smile.
I'll let you know how it goes after all is said and done. Don't waste to much $ on trying discs. I know Maxell should have worked. That was the last straw for me.And the Tech from HP confirmed it. July comes pretty soon. I'd call HP Tech Support 24/7 at this number if I were you and had a warranty: 1-800-474-6836 . That's their direct line.Good luck and let me know how it goes. Thanks!

 

Hi mlw52
Yes I have tried the Ritek +R discs identified as RITEK-RO2. I have had no problems with the first 50 discs I burnt. As I said earlier the majority of the discs I have used were identified as RICOHJPN-R01. I have burnt almost 300 of these discs with no problems. I have used the bit setting feature of the HP300n and have set the book type to DVD-Rom
I hope this helps

 

Here is the final fix info for this problem. Remove and replace the HP DVD WRITER 300N. Also a note to say that the "Record Now" software on the Windows XP does not like Fuji DVD+R discs. It doesn't see them, but ICOPYDVDS2 does see them. So software issues were compounding the already malfunctioning DVD Writer concerning it's inability to see DVD+R discs of any kind. Now all the DVD+R discs have worked that I have tried. Yes Ritek and Fuji work in combo with the new drive and DVD copy software I mentioned above. That copy software has it's own patin couffin by the way, so if you use dvd43 for the css, use the dvd431.exe application. I believe it is the 1.4 version update. That's the last one without a patin couffin included. It works for me.
Good luck ron61. Check out that drive while under warranty. The new one I got was made in 2003, that's a plus. It should last longer and a piece of cake to install.Do it yourself if you can or it takes longer to get someone out to do it. I finally gave up on them, they lost the drive that HP sent them, that's why I am so long in getting this done. I just had them send me another drive and I installed it myself.

Thank you chthomson and nephilim for all your help. I love your animation nephilim, from "chicken run". Can I get a copy of it?

 

Newbie is right. Just remove and let your computer find the drive and all is well. I am now writing successfully on all DVD +R disks.
My thanks to all for your help and support.

 

Congratulations ron61 ! Glad I could help, believe me it's good to have people who care to lend a hand from AfterDawn Forum. Thanks everyone!

 

Ok. I have a similar problem. My CD/DVD RW drive (HP 300n) can write to CDs, but when I plunk a DVD-RW in, it tells me 0 space used/0 space available.

I tried removing it and reinstalling it, but no dice.

Help?

 

hm. any recommendations? I just spent all I could afford on these DVD-RWs and I cant really go randomly trying out new ones until I find one that works. Plus, I can't really return these easily cuz I bought them from an online office supply place.

 

Hi...

If you have the DVD writer 300 that comes with HP, it only writes to DVD+RW's and DVD+R's. It does not write to the DVD-RW's or DVD-r's. So you need to try a DVD+RW or +R media. If it doesn't write to Maxell DVD+RW or DVD+R discs...you can pretty much guess it may be your drive is a bad one as I have seen that most of these HP DVD 300 writers have problems and need to be changed out for anew one. If your Writer is this type and your warranty with HP or whomever is still good, you'll need to get in touch with them and get a free replacement. I tried every thing and that was the answer, as it was for another person that belongs to this board. If you've tried DVD+R's or +RW's of a popular brand like Maxell as well as I see you have tried the -RW's. And your drive doesn't work. Don't use the updated firmware on these drives as it causes problems and an HP Tech told me not to use it just for that reason. It will not fix your problem. Good luck. I hope your problem is just that you aren't trying the DVD+ discs. That is the best and cheapest solution and hope in your case. As for the discs coming up free space and used, the HP Tech said that is normal until it is written to. So don't be concerned with that. It sounds like you just need the + discs. If that doesn't work...call HP and have them send you a new drive replacement. Good luck!