Sony DW-Q58A drive problem

I have a Sony VGN-BX540B Laptop with the following:

2GHz Intel Pentium M Processor 760 w/Centrino Mobile Technology, 1GB RAM, 100GB hard drive, DVD±RW(+R double layer), 10/100/1000 Ethernet, WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, 56Kbps/V.90, Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional, 14.1" XGA display.

The DVD+R Double Layer DVD+-RW Drive Bay Unit is marked #Sony Model VGP-DRWBX1 and is listed in the hardware devices as a #Sony DW-Q58A. It will play and burn DVD's but will not recognize any CD's[blank disk,software,musicor boot disks], it used to. Sony had me update the firmware to UFS4-2 but that did not help. I have tried to update the drivers to no avail and uninstalled the device and rebooted and it reinstalled but that did not help either. When I put a CD in the tray it acts like it wants to start and then whirls and stops over and over again-I have to use a pin in the eject hole to ope the tray as the eject will not work when it is trying to start. A DVD works OK and ejects fine.

It is about 4 months old and Sony has had me do several things,update firmware,set BIOS to default,ect but has not helped and they advise I do a complete reinstall of my system or send the computer in to them, which I do not want to do. Any ideas?

quickshot

 

Hello quickshot,

I'll put forward some theories

I am not certain if the DVD read heads are separate from the CD read heads. The read heads for the CD may be dirty (on some laptop drives I have seen the heads are incorporated into the disk tray). A CD lens cleaner, see what you can get from these:
http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?p=862758
http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=135109#post1573735

Back up your data, it looks like you will need to follow Sony's instructions if the drive is Psssst and you need to replace it, otherwise the cure could be worse than than cause.

Look up (Google search), for "ASPI layer" and "ASPI Adaptec ". I have a feeling that your ASPI drivers may be corrupt. Look at reinstalling the Adaptec drivers, those are the ones that Windows use as "standard" (cryptic, I know, but I have not faced your problem before).

Matt

 

I ran the ASPICHK tool an have attached the information garnered. What is the next step on installing the new adaptec drivers? I ran the system file checker but there was no problem there. Running XP pro. Thanks for the reply.

quickshot

 

I have used several methods. The last time I used ForceASPI. Read here if you did not read it before:
http://au.wrs.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9FJqh...5i/EXP=1168331468/**http://aspi.radified.com/

Here is the download info:
http://radified.com/ASPI/forceaspi.htm

When I used it I thought it had not worked. I uninstalled the drive in Device Manager and when it was reinstalled at reboot, it ran fine.

_____________________________________________________________
If the ASPI seems to be the problem, be careful with CD burning programs that you use or install, they modify the ASPI layer.

Matt

 

Great suggestion Matt.
I haven't had to run ForceASPI for a few years but this is an excellent analysis and recommendation - heck, I'd almost forgotten about its existance and potential value.

 

Hi Rockster, all those N/A readouts would seem to suggest it would. I might still be a little sceptical.

Another area I might look at if there was no positive result would be the drive's upper and lower filters. QuickShot, if you are still stuck, look at deleting the upper and lower filters:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060/en-us

Matt

 

Thanks to everyone for your replies, I am still reading and will look at all of the site links,I do not want to ***** something up as everything works well except the DVD-CD drive. I have had a few heart set backs and have not felt like doing much,especially getting aggravated,Ha. I will let you know how things turn out. I have ordered another drive from Sony as I would like to have one in my docking station also.

quickshot