Can't burn since SP2

We have a Dell laptop with a LG GCC-4241N RW/DVD drive.

Since installing Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), it will no longer burn CDs.

We have tried:

- uninstalling and reinstalling the drive in Device Manager
- running a Flash update
- trying both 4x and 12x CD-RWs from both Memorex and Imation
- trying native Windows XP burning, Roxio's Easy CD 5 Creator and NTI's Back
Up Now!

I have also researched this on the Dell forum and tried over a dozen "solutions" from there. Also tried the Microsoft Knowledgebase and nothing from there worked.

I don't think its hardware because the drive worked fine just before the SP2 update.

Am really out of ideas. Any help appreciated.

Brooks

P.S. Incidentally, we have another Dell laptop with a slightly older LG GCC-4240N RW/DVD drive and it works just fine with SP2.

P.S.S. I heard there are some sharpies on this website, so am hoping for the best!

 

Could youtell us what happens when you try to burn a cd? Does the software respond at all? Do you get an error message? Does it complete any portion of the burn?

Have you tried a regular cd (not a re-writeable)?
Does the cd spin?

Johanna

 

Hello Brooks,

Ran into a different variation of this problem on a IBM Thinkpad, a DVD ROM stoped reading DVD's.

Never did get it fixed. Ended up doing a reformat install of XP and SP2, after which loaded all the application software, that solved the problem.

My quess is some conflict in the OS which a wipe solved.

There's also the possibility that something happened to the firmware of the writer.

Regards - Charles

 

Hi Johanna,

Thanks for the post. Sorry for the delay in responding.

The drive is still not working. Error messages are:
"Erase operating failed "
"CD writing error "
"There is no disk in the device "

It still won't work from either Windows Explorer drag & drop or the NTI Backup Now! Deluxe program.

I've tried CD-RWs from both Imation and Memorex.

I don't have a CD-R to try. I really need this to work with CD-RWs.

Reformating and reinstalling is an awful lot of work.

Aren't there any utilities out there specific to diagnose CD problems?

I tried Norton WinDoctor but it didn't help.

Thanks,

Brooks

P.S. Yes, the CD does spin. Sometimes, it will get 10% done with Backup Now! then give the CD writing error message.

 

a shot in the dark...

Here's something you can check... open MyComputer, then right-click on your CD drive, select 'Properties', then the 'Recording' tab. Make sure there is a check mark next to "Enable CD recording on this drive ".
Another thing you could try is... right-click on 'MyComputer', then 'Properties', then select the 'Hardware' tab, select 'DeviceManager'. Then locate your CD drive in the listing 'CD drives' then highlight your CD drive, then Delete it. Then reboot your computer. Windows will re-install your CD drive.
Hopefully one of these will work, if not post back and we'll try again.

B

 

Tony,

Good call, I missed the mention of Roxio5 (even after taking a second look).

B

 

Thanks for the post and ideas. CD recording WAS enabled. I deleted the CD drive in DM and rebooted. Same problems. Any other ideas?

 

Yup, good thought. I did it last month. Didn't help. This is one of the toughest problems I've seen and I started with an IBM PC in 1981. Admittedly, Windows is a lot more complicated than MS-DOS.

 

Brooks,

I know that the load of SP2 points to that being the culprit, but I think you really need to try another wriiter if possible. I recently had a couple of month old Benq DVD-RW simply stop working. I tried everything from power leads, IDE etc and I RMAd it in the end.

It may just be a co-incidence that the hardware failed when you loaded SP2.

I would try a new drive if possible and definately change the IDE cables and power leads.