I operate Windows platform with XPHome/SP2 and nothing out of the ordinary in most other respects. I have uninstalled much of the OEM supplied media software as the onboard burner almost never worked properly and even junked the onboard optical drive as my external optical drive is far superior and works all the time. My current issues might well be simply annoyances, but I'm finding Windows Properties for my external read-writer identifies the device as... HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-5160D USB Device Driver date 7/1/2001 " version 5.1.2535.0 ..and oddly when I have a blank DVD-R inserted into my external burner (note I've physically removed the internal burner), then my Windows "My Computer" folder lists the device "name" as "CD Drive (H" and also lists its "type" as "CD Drive". I'm fairly certain when a DVD disc is inserted, Windows should be listing the drive as a DVD drive name and type, no? Also the folder isn't listing the "total size" and "free space" as the columns are blank, regardless that I have a perfectly good DVD-R (type 5) disc inserted. Alternatively, when I place a pre-recorded DVD in the drive, the drive details are then seen as drive name being the DVD title and again the drive "type" lists as CD Drive while the "total size" and "free space" properly displays. Odder yet, when I open the external burner's cassette and close it, my Windows "My Computer" folder briefly lists the burner "name" as DVD-RAM Drive (H and "type" lists as CD Drive, but then the drive name changes to CD Drive. Since I've had a lot of issues with my overtly proprietary software burdened functionality (most DVD's refuse to play or even be recognized as present), and have never been able to resolve them, I 'junked' the internal burner entirely and still the Windows folder mentioned lists the burner as a CD Drive. It seems the OS is still fouled up to some degree as even though I can flawlessly and fully use my external burner, it seems that my "My Computer" should be listing my burner as DVD-RAM Drive (H and not CD Drive. And in addition to that, the burner's properties tab displays the blank DVD-R's as full instead of empty. If anyone else has run into these annoyances and has a fix for it, I'd sure appreciate knowing what it was. Maybe 'our' computers aren't really ours and the anomalies are unresolvable? Happy holidays
This seems to be a Windows issue rather than a multi-writer one (as the multi-writer has no updates), so are you saying my Windows firmware is out of date?
no.firmware of drive. go to manufacturer(of drive) website. most have a support link. find your drive in firmware section, and get latest one. it will come with instructions. follow them very carefully tho, as you can permanently wanker the drive. you would be surprised what new firmware can do...
Just looks like one of those strange windows things to me... xp is not exactly very good with unusual external usb standalone devices like burners. I think it's a generic thing to do with the xp usb drivers rather than anything you can actually solve. Try a formatted cd-rw and see if you get a free space indication with some packet writing software. What the hell.. if it works fine then is there really a problem? I googled around and didn't find any kind of firmware update for your standalone burner.. which probably wouldn't make any difference anyway. Just a FYI... lots of other OS will not report "free space" on blank cd/dvd media.. because it isn't formatted and therefore to the OS it simply exists as an empty hole.. the writing software takes care of size/sectors, disk type, speed and capacity etc, in some cases it assumes you know what kind of disk you are using and will give a cryptic "exit_status=error_1".. because you tried to burn a full d/l dvd iso on a cd.. :lol:.
Thanks for replies. Was pretty sure this was a Windows issue. As for LG 5160D multiwriters, LG suppt writes back saying no drivers for this drive (hence no firmware updates) as "the unit is a plug n play device and uses the generic drivers from the operating system". Aside from the kind explanation, not surprizingly, since MS has mucked it up, nobody has a fix to restore access for the omitted data.
Finally resolved the autoplay issues, even the USB burner being improperly drive 'named' in My Computer, ref. registry issues caused from Windows and even registrybooster fail to cleanup registry after removing OEM's onboard optical drive, plus I think added to that, I'd once disabled autoplay, tried to get it back, but had failed to note how I originally dsabled it. See those fixes (skip to my last posted string) at... http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/648624 As for why the USB 'burner' still list there as a drive "type" of CD Drive (even if a DVD-disk's playing) is still an unanswered question that amazingly nobody's yet answered (is it correct that windows "types" a DVD drive/DVD disk as "CD Drive", I think not).
most likely some program has botched up the registry, virtual drive/DVD-ROM emulating programs cause this occasionally.... HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ my brain isn't thinking correct right now.....its obvious the windows registry has botched up, or it could be a mis-path in the system32 files......wguru, like i told you via PM, send me a copy of your registry (if you trust me LOL) i'll sort through it and see if i can find/fix this drive bug you've been having......am sorry without a hive to peel through at hand i can't give a very specific reason to why your windows doesn;t register your drive as DVD-ROM, these issues tend to be specific..... btw: try booting into safe mode, uninstalling all usb controllers/universal and other then the root hubs, upon reboot they will be reinstalled....see if that helps best of luck! -tripplite
Thank you again for replying. You do realize I finally got the burner to "name" correctly no matter how I now boot up and/or how I now introduce the burner, right? That fix was as I posted. So I'm hoping your reply here pertains to the burner's always being listed as a drive "TYPE" (not "name") of CD Drive. So are we saying for sure that "CD Drive" as the drive "type" is wrong unless what, there's a CD inserted? Ref. as seen in the My Computer window's "type" column listing the drive "type" as "CD Drive" (not the "name" column where I finally got the drive to "name" read as DVD/CD-ROM). What's your "My Computer" window list for your burner's "type" list when no media is inserted, when a DVD disk is inserted and when a CD disk is inserted??? Have to ask that as, I've a feeling that with the old burner still mucking the registry, likely you suggestion might result in my fix-in's so far, maybe being undone to one degree or another.
