Data CD cannot be fully read

Question

I have an Inspiron 1720 notebook running Vista Home Premium. The CD drive has trouble reading data CDs: most of the contents can be read, then the drive just whirs and the program I'm using seizes up. Windows closes the program, the whirring eventually dies down, and once it stops only then can I remove the CD from the drive. The CDs were written using my previous computer, a Dimension desktop running XP SP2 with the Roxio program that came with it. I've tried several data CDs with the Inspiron with the same result. Roxio can't read them fully and gives me an error message; Windows Explorer and ThumbsPlus choke. Does this sound like a drive problem, or am I having incredibly bad luck with my CDs? Thanks very much!

Skybird · Answer

It would be helpful if you posted the brand and model of the drive and what the error messages you are receiving are.  How were the discs created on the other computer (Drag-to-Disk, DLA, etc.)?

SuePG · Answer

I'm sorry. According to Device Manager it's an HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GSA-T11N ATA Device. Files to the data CDs were either done in Windows Explorer by drag and drop, or using drag and drop within Roxio's project program. I hope this helps.

Message Edited by SuePG on 12-18-2007 07:54 PM

Skybird · Answer

What are the error messages you are receiving? Message Edited by Skybird on 12-18-2007 07:09 PM

SuePG · Answer

The error message from Roxio says that the data can't be read, to clean the CD and try again. I did, same result.

I noticed this problem when creating thumbnails for my photos in ThumbsPlus. The CD can be read for a while, then the drive gives up. The sound isn't really a whirring as I stated above; it's more of a squeak followed by a couple of short sounds, like a digital donkey braying. This has happened on four different CDs. All four have been cleaned, same result.

Message Edited by SuePG on 12-19-2007 11:23 AM

Skybird · Answer

This is confusing:

You have files in ThumbsPlus that you are moving to Roxio so as to burn onto a CD?

Or are you having problems with ThumbsPlus creating photos?

It sounds like you are having problems with ThumbPlus then you continue trying to burn
the troublesome files, through Roxio, to a disc. Is this correct? If so, the problem
is ThumbsPlus and not Roxio or the drive.

SuePG · Answer

I discovered the problem while in ThumbsPlus. After it froze up and closed, I assumed it was a ThumbsPlus problem, so I opened Windows Explorer to see if all the files could be seen on the CD. Explorer also froze, after being able to see only the same files as ThumbsPlus. When I realized neither Windows nor ThumbsPlus could see the entire contents of the disk, I was very worried I'd lost several photo files. So I opened Roxio to see if it could copy the entire disk so I could burn a new one. Roxio could read most of the files, but also stopped near the end, generating the error message. I was able to duplicate this behaviour using four different CDs.

SuePG · Answer

Thank you for all your help. It's worrisome about the disks, but at least it's not the drive at fault.

Skybird · Answer

If the files were bad when you wrote to the disc, all the discs will be the same.There may be something wrong with those files in ThumbsPlus.  You will need todetermine if that is the case.

Skybird · Answer

Part of the disc has become currupted.  How was the disc created?  Was itcreated with packet writing software (DLA or Drag-to-Disk)?

SuePG · Answer

I think it was done within Windows Explorer in XP, just copied and pasted. What are the odds that four CDs have all become corrupted?

Storage, Drives & Media

Data CD cannot be fully read

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