DVD RW cannot recognize a blank CD

Question

Hello, When trying to create a CD my system refuses to admit that I have a blank CD in the drive.  I have tried various burning software inculding Sonic, Mediaplayer, Nero, and the XP buit in drag and drop.  They all say that there is no CD in the drive.  The drive will read both DVD and CDs that arent blank and it will recognize blank DVDs, just not blank CDs.  I have tried removing all burning software and reinstalling, multiple brands of CDs, and removing and reinstalling the physical drive itself. I have also tried removing Sonics DLA.  Im open to suggestions at this point. The drive model is HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GWA4164B.  Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.     Message Edited by SpasticMouse on 02-26-2006 10:45 PM

loydspeed · Answer

Same issue for me.  I have a Phillips DVD+-RW DVD8701 on a XPS 400.

SpasticMouse · Answer

Since the original post I have talked to Dell tech support. They recommended trying CD-RW instead of CD-R. When I tried CD-RW it initially didn't work, but after a few attempts with the same disc my system detected it. So I tried a few more times and sometimes it would work and sometimes it wouldn't. It never detected normal CD-Rs no matter how many times I tried. This leads me to think it is a physial drive failure. If it was software related I would think it would either always work or never work. Does that sound logical to everyone else, or is there something Im missing?

markojo · Answer

SpasticMouse, I have the same drive as you do, and I've had no trouble using Sonic with blank Verbatim CD-R disks. You  probably have a bad drive.

SpasticMouse · Answer

After talking with tech support again they wanted me to try a different brand of CD-RW. The first attempt was with imation then i treid sony. Both had the same result of sometimes it would work and other times not. Tech support still says they think it is a software issue but they agreed to send out a new drive so we will see in a few days.

ellotynit · Answer

I have the same one you do. I have no problems with CDs, my problem is DVDs. It keeps prompting me to put a blank DVD9 in the drive and then won't eject the blank one I have in. I keep trying, but I haven't found the problem yet.

SpasticMouse · Answer

Dell sent me the new drive which only took 2 days to arrive.  It took about 5 minutes tops to swap the drives and the new one works fine as far as I can tell.  The new drive is a NEC brand and the old one was Hitachi.  Overall Im pretty happy with Dells responce to my problem. I was really glad they didn't try to make me do a system wipe before they would send the replacement.

Kastanjeboom · Answer

Hello   I also have a HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GWA4164B dvd-burner and it also don't read any dvd's. There are no problems with reading/burning cd's but when it comes to dvd's then the problem's begin. And it did worked at first but know after one month it suddenly stopped. And I have no idea why. The problem is also that there appears to be no firmware for this dvd burner. Then how are we supposed to get this fixed? It really makes me mad because my computer is just 3 months old! Is there anybody who can help?

zbestwun2001 · Answer

I have the NEC 350A DVD burner, and the HL DVD-Rom.

If your player/burner reads normal retail discs then wouldn't you think that it isn't the device but the blanks you are using. Especially after checking ror firmware updates.

This has happened to me before with different blanks.

I have had no problems with TDK CD-R's, Memorex CD-RW's, and Maxell DVD+R's.

Kastanjeboom · Answer

Mij burner doesn't even recognises dvd's full or blanc ones. He just asks for a another disc. Which I don't understand cause there's allready one in it. And it doesn't mather from which brand the disc is, if it is a dvd then he just doesn't read it. A cd on the other hand is no problem. Reading burning etc. is no problem.   Well any-one??:smileymad: I'm getting reallu tired of this.

callalilies · Answer

I am at the end of my rope...I am also using HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GWA4164B..I have tried burning a Memorex CD-R with MusicMatch Jukebox..I get a pop up message that there is no disc in my drive. Please insert a blank disc before starting the burn.  With Sonic DigitalMedia LE, I get a pop up message 'Please insert a blank or rewritable CD in the HL-DT-ST DVDRW 9 (E:) drive. When I try to burn the same brand of CD with Windows Media Player, I get a pop up message ' Windows Media Player cannot burn the files to the CD. Verify that the disc in clean and not damaged. If necessary, select a slower recording speed or try a different brand of blank discs. Thinking that our dvd burner drive was defective, Dell has sent us a replacement, same thing happens.

markojo · Answer

callalilies, On this board and elsewhere I've seen many people say that Memorex (and also Sony) media are of poor quality. I have the same burner that you do and I've had absolutely no trouble with Verbatim CD-R and DVD-R media. It's probably worth trying a different brand of media. Verbatim works for me so I can recommend it.  Hope it resolves your problem.

zbestwun2001 · Answer

callalilies, Have you done the most current firmware updates?

Kastanjeboom · Answer

Firmware?? Which firmware?? There isn't any!

callalilies · Answer

Since my last message, I have bought Verbatim CD's and was able to burn music on it using MusicMatch Jukebox but have not been successfully able to burn a whole cd with Sonic..it burned 2 songs out of 12...there were the same songs as I used on MusicMatch Jukebox.

moinmoin · Answer

We were told that the diagnostics proved that the drive works.

Can write to the CD, but can't read from it after.

Cannot write to a CD-RW. Tech support told us it was the media. Tried two other brands (Sony and Memorex). Still a problem.

Now, a new problem. Tried to install software. Error sent to Microsoft and the KB came back: faulty drive or corrupted file. Copied the files to the hard disk. Terrible noise from CD drive. Installed the software from the copied files without the CD.

I have been a staunch supporter of Dell since at least 1998. Maybe my next PC will be a MAC.

Storage, Drives & Media

DVD RW cannot recognize a blank CD

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