Alright, I have had this problem for a little while and sort of let it slip because I had read from a few other forum posts either on these forums or elsewhere that the problem might lie in a recent Windows Update in the past few months. However, at the moment I don't have the benefit of time. The Problem: Right now the DVD player is hanging when I put in a blank DVD. I have tried different brands to make sure it just wasn't one brand problem - this isn't the case. I can put a blank CD, or a written CD product into the drive with no problem. In fact, I can even write CDs just fine. The problem is with DVDs. About a year ago I took a Digital Video class and had to burn a few DVDs off (around 5 DVDs at least) so I know the drive has worked at least a few times before then, but since then I haven't had much need for a storage disc of the DVD size nor have I needed to burn any movies. So now when I stick the blank DVD into the drive it makes the whirring noise and doesn't stop. Its as if the drive is trying to recognize what the disc is and can't. During this time my computer will hang until I press the eject key again then it will return to normal with no problems. My system is in peak condition and kept in nominal shape (I am very computer-ept so this problem is driving me nuts). The Hardware: Memorex Dual Layer 16x DVD/CD combo drive (writes both CDs and DVDs). The DVD drive itself is set to master on device 1 as I have a SATA drive on device 0 so the drive is all by itself on the IDE cables. Help: Has anyone even heard of a problem like this or know anything about what I can do to fix it? I've read quite a few posts including one that recommended to remove InCD from your computer as packet writing software can cause problems. I have the Nero Suite and Win XP Pro, I checked my programs under add/remove and there is no InCD listed to remove. If you have any insight to my problem I would REALLY appreciate the help. I am trying to currently burn an audition reel for a movie tryout and am under a timed schedule. Thanks in advance! -Kana
Some memorex drives are having problems with 16x dvd media. Memorex is very slow about introducing new firmware to recognize and write these discs. What model drive do you have and what is the brand and media code of your blank dvd's? As you might already know, memorex doesn't actually make any dvdrw drives they are rebadges of other makes.
Just another sugestion. Just making sure that this isnt the problem because iv seen some have this problem and didnt realize they where using the wrong format of DVD. It seems your well knowledged in computers and might already know this. Does your DVD combo burn DVD-R and DVD+R? If not are using using the correct format on whatever format your drive reads.
Thanks for the replies everyone. Memorex DVD+/-DLRWL1 F16 - this is the string used to identify it by Memorex, there has not been one firmware update for this model ever by Memorex (which it seems is not saying anything different than usual for Memorex). Tonight I have tried TDK DVD+R 4x discs as well as the Memorex DVD-R 16x discs. It does not matter, each one will not load on the computer. I never get to the point where the computer can identify either of the two discs, instead all I hear is a constant speeding up/halting/repeating of the drive as it sounds like it is spinning the disc and trying to identify what it is. While it is doing this if I click on the disc drive the computer will halt/not respond until I eject the disc manually from the drive, then everything returns to normal. The region setting has not been tampered with whatsoever, the DVD player has all the most recent drivers that I can find. That being said I still have no idea why the drive is acting the way it is and its quite exhausting and irritating at the same time. Any more help is appreciated. -Kanaa
Looks like there has been 1 f/w update. The latest is BWSE http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?download_id=1925 Make sure this is what you have. Your drive is a rebadged lite-on SOHW-1633S. I would consider crossflashing it with firmware for the lite-on. Also I would try some better media. TDK is well known for buying their +r media from cmc magnetics which is complete garbage. Memorex media is known for using cmc mag made media as well although there has been some reports of the 16x media being made by ritek and ricohjpn which aren't too bad. DL dvd identifier http://dvd.identifier.cdfreaks.com/ and tell us the manufacturer name and ID of your media.
My drive is already BWSE, has never been flashed - it was that version off the shelf (it is still rather recent). I cannot use the DVD Identifier program if the DVD never loads/is recognized in my computer to begin with. I have 4 computers currently in this house and every single DVD drive is doing something very 'strange.' (Not all computers are normally on this network, so not a virii/worm/anything like that). Two of the computers have this exact same drive. The other two are laptops that use the same drives for themselves. The problems we are having are not the same between the two brands, but identical between the same brands. (if that makes sense to you). Right now I have a blank DVD in the drive (the 16x memorex) and the drive is chirping here/there, but I cannot and will not ever get anything on my computer to recognize that there is a disc in the drive. -Kanaa
This is actully a Lite-On drive and the pages I have been to says there was a firmware update for it. The sites I have been to are below http://cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.php?reviewid=241&page=Features http://www.cdr-info.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=10518
Try some 8x verbatim, sony mij, or maxell mij media. Mij = made in Japan. If different/better media solves the problem I would still consider crossflashing your memorex drives with lite-on f/w so they can recognize the 16x media. Others here have done it with success.
Try a CD Disc lens cleaner and see if that helps. Dust, smoke and just plain dirt build up on the laser lens and that will stop it from reading a DVD before it stops "seeing" CDs.
Later on in the article he refers to the BWSE version being the most recent and best working - this is the version I already have. Something I have thought of is that it seems this drive is now exclusively working as a CD/CD-R drive and that any DVD put into it is unrecognizable to the drive making it go into an infinite spin-cycle until ejected. Is this possible? If so, is there any way to check if this is the case and what could possibly be the cause to make it act this way? Edit: @dolphin I have used compressed air several times today even to see if I could remove any dust. I do not think I have a disc lens cleaner set here with atm, but the compressed air didn't work.
Good info larry. Maybe that f/w vs will resolve the issues. Thats a good looking drive, would look good in my charcoal antec case. Too bad it's a memorex since their f/w support sucks.
Any DVD media will not load anymore. Burned, Blank, or professional (dvd movies) are not recognized, and make the drive keep spinning. I never get an error in Windows, just the drive goes into a nonstop spin.
Compressed air will not clean the lens. I had a similar problem and the lens cleaning disc solved it with one cleaning.
Will try in the morning I guess, thanks for all the replies guys. For now I'm dead tired, been working on this thing for the last 14 hours with no resolve and I'm just about at the stage to beat up my nice new box with a mean baseball bat. -Kanaa
I have a related issue and found this forum googling my problem. I work at a medical clinic and recently it has become necessary to copy DVDs of patients' ultrasounds. The machine with the DVD burner is Pentium 4 Emachine with a Lite-On SOHW 812S, which will play DVDs, burn CDs, but I have bought Verbatim blank paks in all formats (-RW,+RW,-/+RW) and no matter what kind of blank DVD I put in it to burn onto, it always gives the message "The disk in the drive is either full or is not a writeable disk." This is the 4th or 5th forum on the problem that I have visited. The previous few pointed to a firmware update, an "omnipatch," and a driver upgrade, ALL OF WHICH I installed, with exactly the same results as before. Now because of the firmware update, my burner shows up on DEVICE MGR as a SONY, not a LITE-ON... weird. Anyway, since the machine is still under warranty, I called Emachines support and spent almost two hours on the phone with the person (and on hold, as she kept having to ask supervisor questions), and they were really no help at all. First she had me uninstall the device... nothing. Then she had me do a system restore... nothing still. Then much later, she says that THIS device in particular has a known firmware issue with WRITING. After all of this, she said they would send out a NEW burner to me... THE EXACT SAME ONE WITH THE KNOWN FIRMWARE ISSUE! There is no reason for me to believe that a brand new one will work any better than this one. I am truly perplexed here. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
@Kanaa, It looks like that drive has seen better days, chances are that cleaning it won't help. You state that: Based on this statement, I would say the drive is defective and it's time to get a new one. I personally recommend a plextor drive as a replacement. @aliengoop, It sounds like your problem is a media and a possible firmware one. Your drive just didn't like/recognize the media you're putting in it. Once the new drive is installed make sure it's got the latest firmware installed version US0Q, you can get it here; http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?download_id=1792 Here are also some media recommendations for your drive: RECOMMENDED TAIYO YUDEN DVD MEDIA for your Lite-On SOHW-812S Taiyo Yuden DVD Media comes in both +/-R types, and features your choice of a blank silver or white inkjet printable top surface. NOW PRICED as low as 41¢ per disc... http://www.americal.com/ct/taiyo yuden dvd media.html RECOMMENDED VERBATIM DVD MEDIA for your Lite-On SOHW-812S Verbatim DVD Media also works well with your Lite-On SOHW-812S. Verbatim prides itself in making long-lived DVD media, which are extremely compatible with high performance DVD burners like yours. Verbatim makes one of the best inkjet printable surfaces available, if you intend to be printing on your discs with inkjet printers. Verbatim DVD+R/-R discs are now priced as low as 64¢ each... http://www.americal.com/ct/verbatim dvd media.html
@JOHNL123: <<This is the 4th or 5th forum on the problem that I have visited. The previous few pointed to a firmware update, an "omnipatch," and a driver upgrade, ALL OF WHICH I installed, with exactly the same results as before.>> Firmware upg was done yesterday, and it didn't solve the problem.
@aliengoop When a drive is having a problem with recognizing media, the first thing to do is to check for a firmware update and install it if available, if that doesn't do the trick, well then it's time to try another brand of media. I did some searching and the suggested brands mentioned above should be used in your drive, give them a shot and see if it does the trick. TAIYO YUDEN DVD MEDIA for your Lite-On SOHW-812S or VERBATIM DVD MEDIA for your Lite-On SOHW-812S Also, make sure you have the correct firmware version installed: version US0Q You can use this utility to check; http://flashman.rpc1.org/Firmware/DVD-CD_firmware_detect.exe
