e:drive defective. What to do please?

Hi Ticolico,

Please bear with a poor old soul here, not had my morning coffee. I am slightly confused, trying to jump between your previous thread and this one and I made the mistake of assuming too much. I assumed the E drive to be a Dell factory installed internal drive. Since you stated the PC was new, we have seen a number of issues related to a loose IDE cable, so we like to check this first. To answer your question about opening the PC case, no this will not void your warranty on the system.

I missed a few things in your first post as well, my bad...
"My Computer" will not show any information on a blank CD or DVD, if you click on it, you will/may more than likely see D or E drive not accessible, Incorrect Function, this is normal for a blank disc, there is nothing to see. Your burning program should recognize a blank disc when you start the process of creating a disc.
However "My Computer" should see a data disc you created or I should say the files on the disc.

Lets start fresh and stay in this one thread, maybe John, Mike, Dave or Jim will jump in here as well. I may be doing the "can`t see the forest for the trees" thing.
Just some basic information:
What Dell system do you have?
Operating System is Windows XP SP2, correct?
What CD/DVD drives do you have, name/model?
Which drive is giving you problems, is this one internal or external?
Burning software is Roxio/Sonic LE, correct?



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

 

Good morning Jeff. I have had my cofee and will try to be clearer - sorry for confusion. I'll try and explain it better...

I assumed the E drive to be a Dell factory installed internal drive.

- it is. It is a "Device with Removable Storage". I have added nothing (except I tested the pc with an external drive - see below)

we have seen a number of issues related to a loose IDE cable, so we like to check this first. To answer your question about opening the PC case, no this will not void your warranty on the system.
- Jeff - personal question: are you actually part of the Dell team (as you say "we" ) ?

- I totally agree with you that a loose cable seems the first thing to check

I missed a few things in your first post as well, my bad...
"My Computer" will not show any information on a blank CD or DVD, if you click on it, you will/may more than likely see D or E drive not accessible, Incorrect Function, this is normal for a blank disc, there is nothing to see.

- agree/ understand. Normally My Computer under "Devices with removable storage" when empty I have:

DVD-RW Drive (E: )            CD Drive

- when I put a blank cd in it would normally show as:

CD Drive (E: )                      CD Drive             700mb

to at least let me know that "it" knows there is a blank cd in there. It does not (occasionally it does - as I mentioned, it is an intermittent problem - it is more often that is does not recognise any blank cds)

 

Your burning program should recognize a blank disc when you start the process of creating a disc.
- exactly. I think that the burner program cannot "see" the disk because "My Computer" cannot see the disk. i.e. as much as the pc tells me that it believes that the e:drive is functioning correctly, the system of communication between the pc and the e:drive is not functioning correctly (excuse my pigeon-IT talk). Hence, I'm convinced that the burner program itself works correctly - I tested it with the external f:drive burner I attached and the program worked fine (and recognised the blank cd in the f:drive).

However "My Computer" should see a data disc you created or I should say the files on the disc.

- agree. But if I put a blank cd-r or a cd-r with data on (tried various makes/ speeds of cd - I usually use Sony 700mb) "My Computer" does not see it (see above comment re. intermittent)

What Dell system do you have?
- Dimension 5150

Operating System is Windows XP SP2, correct?

- correct - Media Edition

What CD/DVD drives do you have, name/model?
- two internal hard disk drives (C and D)

- one external Device with removable storage e:drive

(Please note: to test the Roxio burner program (and to ensure I had some backups! ) I attached an external F:drive (cd burner) - this is a Lacie drive, but really independent of the problem)

Which drive is giving you problems, is this one internal or external?
- the problem is the e:drive - it is "in" the pc - it's the drive that I can access to put cds/ dvds in

Burning software is Roxio/Sonic LE, correct?

- yep - it's called "Roxio Creator LE - Dell Edition"

I hope that clarifies things. Thank you for all your efforts on this - I appreciate having an "angel" out there! ticolico

Message Edited by ticolico on 06-18-200601:25 PM

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" ...my new laptop..."

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New laptop???

Hi Ticolico,

Some background; no I am not a Dell employee. I have though been around the forum almost since its beginning back in 1998. The "we' I use is for the great guys that help work this conference with me, John, Mike, Jim, Dave to name just a few. It is my way of showing them respect, without them I could not do it, would not want to. As for the Dell Team, there are somethings I cannot say or allowed to say, so that I must leave that for now. As for the warranty issue on opening the case, my statement is true, over the years this has come up many times, been confirmed by a Moderator as well but please give Dell a call and confirm this if you still have your doubts; that is always an excellent idea.
Intermittant problems are the hardest to deal with, about like taking a car to the garage, always works fine there.
I still would like you to check the connections, just basic stuff.
Then if this is not the problem, "we" start looking at drivers, have Windows re-install fresh one, Clear the NVRAM, etc...

I will be leaving today, 5 hour trip one way for about a 4 hour training meeting on new software Monday. If my new laptop`s wireless card will work, I will check back in later.

Also, the name/model of the drives might help, Dell may have firmware updates available. Go to Device Manager, click the "+" next to DVD/CD-ROM devices and list them here.

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

Hi Jim,

I should have wrote it as "new" meaning using the term loosely. Do not get me wrong, not bad, but it is a ThinkPad T43.

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2285

Company going to all IBM, there goes my free/easy access to Dell`s PC.
I got the 1.73GHz; 1GB RAM, 15" screen; Combo drive ~ DVD/CD/RW Matshita UJDA765, they did provide Decoding software but no Mastering software, just XP`s built-in program. Wireless card, the internal is Gigabit Ethernet as well.

Due to my design position I get both a desktop and laptop. The desktop is scheduled for August. This one is "suppose" to be new, their "Top of the Line", I am not holding my breath. I was told though, I was getting a DVD+/-RW and the two 19" flat panels were being upgraded to two 21" Flat panels, so I figured asking for the one 42" Plasma screen would be over the top ..lol

Jim, take a look at Tic`s posts in both threads, see if I am missing something, at times I try to fix issues that may or may not be there or over look something simple.

Take care,
Jeff

I don't think you have missed anything. As I read it he is unable to burn to that drive as the drive doesn't recognize the media. But the problem is intermittent making it more difficult to follow…

He is going to have to work with Dell on this or take it to someone who is computer savvy.

Well I guess that leaves me out...

 

You chaps are so special out there!

"He" is a "she" by the way = Lynda. In Switzerland.

Ok - here is what I have done today:

• Dell confirmed ok to open pc
• Went in and checked both power and communications cables (took them out/ put them back in)
• Dell also told me to remove a program called Roxio DLA - they said it was only a "safety program" (not needed) and had caused some cd-r communication problems
• At restart everything worked perfectly (ie. My Computer" recognised data and blank cds) until...
• Upon opening Roxio burner it all resorted to original problem (ie. blank and data cds not recognised)
• Dell chap thinks the Roxio program Dell offer free is not that good/ sound and he believes that this is causing the problems
• I now plan to remove Roxio and install a different (EasyCreator) burner program

Hopefully the above will work. If you have any comment then appreciated...

I'll give you feedback so you don't "lose" me...

Many thanks, L

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@ticolico wrote:

"He" is a "she" by the way = Lynda. In Switzerland.

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Thank you for clearing that up!

Well I like Roxio but what version of Easy Creator are you referring to? If it is V5 or earlier, don't waste your time.

V6, 7, 7.5 or 8 are the ones to use.

Still I doubt that this is necessary. A quick test, using CD-RW media, would be to use XP Burning. If XP Burning won't burn, no software is going to work. If you haven’t used XP Burning, open Help and type that in.

 

Good morning (and thanks) Jim.

I tried XP Burn this morning which didn't work - pc still asks me to insert a blank disk (when there's one already in there!).

Yours noted on EasyCreator versions - will try to install it (just for the sake of it) although I noted that you think it won't do any good...

Am now starting to worry as I appear to be going round in circles.

Dell tell me the problem is my burner software. Other indications lead back to the e:drive.

I had a look on this forum and I see multiple entries with this same sort of problem - somewhere, the pc cannot recognise blank or data cd-r disks. Is there something "bigger" going on here and are Dell aware of it? Unfortunately, the Help Desk here is not really a "Help" Desk and they are helping only in my circularity...

Am bit lost right now where to go next - it seems this problem is not unique. What thoughts o wise one?

Regards, Lynda

Don't know about being the "o wise one"…

You are correct that this is a fairly common problem but tracking it down and fixing it can be an interesting pastime.

If the Device Manager shows no errors and XP Burning produces the same error, I would be suspicious of the drive.

I do believe that you would want to continue to pursue this with Dell. Working on the phone is a lot faster than trying to work through in this forum.

Thanks. Not sure about "Working on the phone is a lot faster than trying to work through in this forum. " - spent a "pleasant" 3 hours with Dell yesterday...

Bottom line: they still don't know if it's the e:drive or the base program!

They are coming to take my machine away; replace drive; reformat/ reinstall everything.

Hence, in a weeks time I'll have to set the whole thing up again (I had 4 weeks of teething problems with Norton, etc. last time and spent a "pleasant" period on the forum with all that)!

Am I a satisified customer? I wish Dell cared...

On a positive note - thank goodness for the Forum - you guys have been a calming influence. It's a shame that Dell rely on you as their HelpDesk, but I guess that's what one pays for!

So, thanks to you and Jeff for your guidance along the way. Regards, Lynda

Hi Lynda,

If you get the chance, please let us know the out come of the service work. If and what finally resolved the issue.


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.

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CD/RW Link