Philips DVD8631 - Multiple Problems

Hi Scubafrogman,

Some standard steps to try:
Click on the CD/RW link in my post and scroll to Section 15, article 1; Section 20, article 3; Section 11, article 2.
Then Section 15, articles 14 & 17 to verify DMA is set correctly.
Also there is a update / patch for Sonic`s software in Dell`s Library, search through Product Support tab / Downloads.


Best Regards





God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway,
the good fortune to run into the ones I do
and the eyesight to tell the difference.

---

CD/RW Link

Message Edited by Predator on 01-16-2005 04:18 PM

Thanks Pred. for the quick response.  I'll have to look into it when I have more time.  Your site has a lot of information and is a little overwhelming.

Why would it open the DVD tray for no reason?

I have the SAME DVD drive.  It LOCKS the computer up when I have a disk in the drive if I reboot.  It refuses to load SIMS 2 game.  It causes a disk 5 missing ERROR on boot up sometimes.  I've had Dell replace it already STILL have the problem.   Also had Dell send me a refurbished computer to replace this NEW one and I have the SAME exact problem OUT OF THE BOX.  It also causes problems with my wireless keyboard.  I'm NOT happy with Dell.

I hate to be negitive about this but I think this particular drive has issues. Maybe Dell or Philips needs to declare this drive as a problem.

Hello scubafrogman.

I just had the same problem today, with the same Dell Dimension 8400 and the same Philips DVD+-RW 8631 Drive. The door stays open (or reopens when trying to close it) and the drive doesn't recognise any disk.

I sent an e-mail to the Tech Support - no response as of now. So if any of us has the solution he should let the other know about ! I will post any reponse I receive from the techs.

No greate fuss about replacing yourself the drive. Its easy (just open the beast, unscrew one screw and dislodge the front panel; that's it).

Stay tuned

meldbg,

 I think your right.  After reading this forum I see that there has been a lot of problems with this particular product.  Hopefully I can get Dell to send me another brand of DVD burner since my Dell 8400 is only a few months old.

jtappolet,

Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone. :)  I received a response from Dell but it was an automated message.  Here is what it says:

Drive Tray Opens Randomly or Will Not Stay Shut
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Update your virus software with the latest definitions from the manufacturer's site, and then perform a full virus scan of your system. Some common viruses cause this behavior as an attempt to keep you from using a program on a CD or DVD to remove them. You can always download free emergency anti-virus software and run it from your hard drive if this is the case. McAfee, Norton Anti-virus, F-Prot and other major vendors all have this service.

Some software can cause this virus-like behavior when it is running in the background. To determine whether this is the case, run Windows in diagnostic startup mode:

* Click [Start] | Run and type this in the Open box:

MSCONFIG [Enter]

* Click the option for Diagnostic Startup | [OK]
* Restart when prompted.

If the drive now behaves normally, try using Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel to uninstall applications that might be causing the problem.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't think this is the problem as I have the latest Norton update and have scanned for viruses and I talked to a co-worker today that says he had the same problem with a Philips DVD drive.

Message Edited by scubafrogman on 01-17-2005 04:20 PM

Good luck.  I've been fighting with Dell about this issue for a month.  I've contacted the attorney general because they are now ignoring me.  They gave me the same excuse at the beginning, said it was a virus or spyware.  I run a anti spyware/virus website, I know this is not the fact.  But good luck, I am fighting for my money back but they tell me because it's past 21 days I'm out of luck.  The problem didn't show up until later.  I told them that.

Scubafrogman,

The answer from Dell you posted is a mere joke !

As you said, this (virus - spyware) is not the problem !

From the second drive, I ran a CD-based version of Linux (Knoppix) : the faulty drive didn't change any of his weird behaviour. I even tried to start the computer on a floppy disk (yes it still exists...) with a DOS 6.3. Same bad reaction from the drive.

I'm therefore 100% sure that the problem lies with the drive itself and not with anything that is on the hard drive (Windows - virus - spyware ...).

I replaced myself the faulty Philips drive with a LiteOn replacement I had from an older computer. Everything is running fine except that the replacement drive - which is one year old - cannot write on double-layered disks.

Stay tuned.

I'm still waiting for a FULL refund from Dell. They refuse to admit there is a problem. You may be right about the Drive, but I can not change my drive because I am SURE Dell will come back with something like, "You VOID your warrenty if you do anything like that". I propose that Dell set up swapping the drive with a different brand to see what happens. But at this point they will no longer deal with me via e-mail. They tell me it's refered to another dept. and talk to them.

I got my new 8400 system last week and the Philips drive is a total tragedy. Even during installation of software good CDs showed up as empty yet other PC's could read all the disks without problems. Wouldn't burn anything on anything and wouldn't eject any disk that it had been writing to. DVD burners are cheap enough not to waste days testing and trying to resolve issues. I was opting to just toss the drive and install a decent burner on this otherwise great system. As a last resort I flashed the drive back in two flashes to a Benq DW1620 with firmware B7T9. And guess what, so far the drive is faultless. Hey the light on the front even turns red now when its burning it was always green. If it plays up again it's into the trash to be replaced with a real burner not a flakey toy.. Bottom line Dell or Philips your firmware is a feeble attempt.. FIX IT

Hear me now!!! The Philips DVD 8631 is garbage. GARBAGE I say!!!

I don't like being blunt like that and put down a manufactures product but in this case (my direct personal experience with the Philips DVD drive) I am and will!

I went through two of them within two weeks of receiving my new 8400 in December 2004. I had my entire PC replaced. The new 8400 came with an NEC ND-3450A 16X DVD-RW. I've burned about 15 DVD's and no problems experienced.

Still testing everything on my system BUT, I think the problem is fixed. An Update came out on Jan. 11, 2005 for the philips DVD8631. The driver update is CD21. Now I do not know weather this fixed it or the Driver update for the chipset fixed it. I recommend updating both. The Chipset update was released on Jan. 17,2005. It is 6.2.1.1001. Once again, I'm still testing to see if it is fixed and so far it seems to be. My computer mouse now seems to be running nicely, and my DVD movies don't seem to be freezing as often as they were. And when I have a disk in my second drive and I reboot it no longer seems to be freezing. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping it's fixed.

That is the only testing I have not done yet. But I can say, it seems to make speed the computer up a bit. Install it and see what happens. I'd be interested in seeing what you find. I have to say I am pretty happy right now after fighting with Dell for a month or more about this. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Still testing too.