Well, my problem is not with burning... mine is really weird. I have .99 firmware and my drive seems to burn everything perfectly... both DVD movies and DVD Data discs as well. They are viewed both on my Home DVD system (a old sony player) and my other desktop PC... no problems...
However, I could not play them back on the Inspiron 8500 at all... I tried one after rebooting and then it worked. It is hit or miss on the SDVD6004 but it does burn properly it seems.
I spent 3 hours on the phone last night with Dell tech (gree as a tomato) but eventually she sent a new drive... I am now waiting for it.
I did an BIOS upgrade and that may have allowed the drive t now read its own discs again. But I have not had 100% success. I am hoping the new drive will read the discs.
The girl I got did not even listen to what I would say at times... if I told her something, she would simply respond with hold on one second sir... try this sir... hold on sir... try this sir... I even had to strip off the keyboard cover, remove the battery, burn a bootable CD-ROM, etc. etc. They will try everything except the actual problem. At one point she asked me to burn a disc and then promptly asked me if it worked... apparently she does not realize DVD burning can be time consuming :-)
Let's hope the replacement drive is better... looks to me from the threads here, 99% satisfaction from the new drive replacements. Does anyone know if the serial numbers mean anything when checking the drives?
In a seemingly new twist, I received my new DVD Drive today after requesting a replacement. Never mind Philips, this one is NEC :-) !!!!!!!!!!
Time to go play around with this thing and see what it does.
Also, I have noticed that with the troublesome philips, if I simply let the DVD just created cool down, it works perfectly fine back on the Philips drive... all types of movie, data, etc. Just not working when it finishes a session.
I forgot to mention that my replacement DVD+RW drive is not just NEC as opposed to Philips... but it is 4X to boot :-)
I hear that they are now selling this as an option for other Laptops in the lineup. am I just lucky? I am definitely sticking with the NEC if it works fine...
A few days ago I've got my new Inspiron 5150 with a Philips SDVD6004.
The first thing I did with it was to create a bootable DVD+R recovery disk for the entire software in the computer. I've used Norton Ghost 2003 good known from my another desktop computer ( with NEC ND-1100A DVD+RW). The backup went very smooth with no error message but when I tried to check the disk later under Windows, it was not possible to read it, eider in Norton ghost check utility. I tried to read the DVD on my another computer and it succeeded. Then I've decided to make a DVD+R copy of the new created disk using ND-1100A. It was not possible to reed it on the Inspiron. Then I made a copy on a DVD+RW media and I didn't believe in my eyes when it was no problem to read it on Inspiron and I could recover the system back. The media I used vas Verbatim, known as quality branch. I never had problems with this media on my old ND-1100A but I decided to buy new branch. I've tried Memorex, Sony, MMore and No name, both DVD+R and DVD+RW with the same result: Success only on DVD+RW. The DVD+R are simply not readable on the Philips SDVD6004.
I ran some tests, described in Internet. The test with bootable Win98 diskette (I had to borrow a USB floppy from a friend) ended with:
CDR101: Not ready reading drive D.
Then I ran the test under BIOS (F12 when boot, then Diagnostics). It finished with:
Error Code: 0F00: 131B MSG: Block 0: Flaw in medium or an error in the recorded data... on the Confidencial Test
Error Code: 0F00: 021B MSG: Block 1974327 Flaw in ... on the Read Test.
I called the technical support and after a little discussion about the problem I have, the guy said that I have to wait someone to call me from the selling division.
That's the way support works in Norway. I hope that it's not the same in another countries and I hope that someone will really call me and exchange the DVD burner.
I have no doubt that the problem is in the drive, not in the firmware since I have version 1.03.
Its possible that some of these drives had issues for some reason, and the 1.3 firmware was created to address those issues.
Same thing has been happening for years, bugs in the CPU with workarounds in the firmware, Initial Via KT133 southbridge issue with SB5.1 patched with firmware upgrade etc etc..
Its quite possible that the new firmware has more tolerance for misaligned heads and stuff.
Having said all of that, is there any way to copy the firmware that is already on the drive so I can give it to others? (I have the 1.3).
I still maintain that it is not a Problem with FIrmware, but rather a problem with a certain batch of DVD+R drives.
I have a new drive, after my initial one wouldn't work at all - my new drive is 0.99 and it works perfectly. That is, there has never been an error due to anything else except me cancelling the job, or selecting the wrong format to burn a video DVD onto.
It works - just as I would expect. 100%.
Get your drive replaced - don't bother with the tech stuff - just replace it, and it'll work fine.
as I just purchased my 8500 1 week ago, hoping to start backing up my dvd collection, i was quite pleased that i could so with dvd +rw discs but would have been too expensive to keep doing so. As this drive writes dvd+r, i got myself a couple of disc, to my suprise and without reading these forums before, coasters followed 1 after the other.
The firmware was .99
I started reading the forums EXPECIALLY the dell forum advise was given that 1.03 is out but no one can seem to find it. Out of luck i have only released 3 days ago.. from dell
The new firmware may not fix all the problems. My new 5150 came with 1.3 firmware on the Philips and I can't read any DVD+Rs that I write on it. I call'd tech support and I have a new drive on the way. I'll let you know the out come.
But, has anyone noticed that they shipped me a replacement drive, but it was no longer a 2x Philips but a totally different 4x NEC drive. This new drive not only works perfectly, I got upgraded to 4x for free/by accident :-)
Welcome to the club. I had my i8600 for whole 24 hours and managed to create 7 coasters! This was with the Philips SDVD6004 and new 1.03 firmware. DVDs wouldn't read even in the drive they were created with! Previously I hadn't had any problems with burning DVDs using my Sony burner.
Spent 2 days e-mailing back and fourth withe Dell support, debugging to no success. Finally I called them up and within 10 minutes or so very kind person on the other side agreed to send me a new drive. I insisted on other than Philips brand and he said he'd try. I thought if I don't get NEC I'd just return mu laptop and order a new one without DVD burner (as Philips drives are useless). Today I got my new NEC drive in mail :) Burnt DVD with no problems. I even tried reading it in my problematic Philips drive and it worked.
I think 6004s are having issues with burning but read everything else just fine. If you burn DVDs and they don't read properly just call them up and request NEC. That will fix your problems. Firmware upgrade will not fix it. It's a problem with the drive itself.
Dell support people were excellent in fixing this issue for me and I am very grateful - good on ya guys!
gonzalu
7 Posts
0
September 9th, 2003 15:00
Well, my problem is not with burning... mine is really weird. I have .99 firmware and my drive seems to burn everything perfectly... both DVD movies and DVD Data discs as well. They are viewed both on my Home DVD system (a old sony player) and my other desktop PC... no problems...
However, I could not play them back on the Inspiron 8500 at all... I tried one after rebooting and then it worked. It is hit or miss on the SDVD6004 but it does burn properly it seems.
I spent 3 hours on the phone last night with Dell tech (gree as a tomato) but eventually she sent a new drive... I am now waiting for it.
I did an BIOS upgrade and that may have allowed the drive t now read its own discs again. But I have not had 100% success. I am hoping the new drive will read the discs.
The girl I got did not even listen to what I would say at times... if I told her something, she would simply respond with hold on one second sir... try this sir... hold on sir... try this sir... I even had to strip off the keyboard cover, remove the battery, burn a bootable CD-ROM, etc. etc. They will try everything except the actual problem. At one point she asked me to burn a disc and then promptly asked me if it worked... apparently she does not realize DVD burning can be time consuming :-)
Let's hope the replacement drive is better... looks to me from the threads here, 99% satisfaction from the new drive replacements. Does anyone know if the serial numbers mean anything when checking the drives?
Thank you
Manny
Inspiron 8500
WUXGA, NVIDIA
1GB RAM, 40GB 7200 RPM Drive
gonzalu
7 Posts
0
September 9th, 2003 22:00
Okay, more about my experience in case it helps others...
My drive gets EXTREMELY HOT!!
Also, I have taken pictures of all the identifiable information on the case of the drive... here goes:
gonzalu
7 Posts
0
September 18th, 2003 05:00
In a seemingly new twist, I received my new DVD Drive today after requesting a replacement. Never mind Philips, this one is NEC :-) !!!!!!!!!!
Time to go play around with this thing and see what it does.
Also, I have noticed that with the troublesome philips, if I simply let the DVD just created cool down, it works perfectly fine back on the Philips drive... all types of movie, data, etc. Just not working when it finishes a session.
Manny
gonzalu
7 Posts
0
September 18th, 2003 05:00
I forgot to mention that my replacement DVD+RW drive is not just NEC as opposed to Philips... but it is 4X to boot :-)
I hear that they are now selling this as an option for other Laptops in the lineup. am I just lucky? I am definitely sticking with the NEC if it works fine...
Manny
gonzalu
7 Posts
0
September 18th, 2003 05:00
The old and New drive properties (from Roxio)
DVDBoost
5 Posts
0
October 6th, 2003 19:00
No, it is not the firmware which is the problem.
A few days ago I've got my new Inspiron 5150 with a Philips SDVD6004.
The first thing I did with it was to create a bootable DVD+R recovery disk for the entire software in the computer. I've used Norton Ghost 2003 good known from my another desktop computer ( with NEC ND-1100A DVD+RW). The backup went very smooth with no error message but when I tried to check the disk later under Windows, it was not possible to read it, eider in Norton ghost check utility. I tried to read the DVD on my another computer and it succeeded. Then I've decided to make a DVD+R copy of the new created disk using ND-1100A. It was not possible to reed it on the Inspiron. Then I made a copy on a DVD+RW media and I didn't believe in my eyes when it was no problem to read it on Inspiron and I could recover the system back. The media I used vas Verbatim, known as quality branch. I never had problems with this media on my old ND-1100A but I decided to buy new branch. I've tried Memorex, Sony, MMore and No name, both DVD+R and DVD+RW with the same result: Success only on DVD+RW. The DVD+R are simply not readable on the Philips SDVD6004.
I ran some tests, described in Internet. The test with bootable Win98 diskette (I had to borrow a USB floppy from a friend) ended with:
CDR101: Not ready reading drive D.
Then I ran the test under BIOS (F12 when boot, then Diagnostics). It finished with:
Error Code: 0F00: 131B MSG: Block 0: Flaw in medium or an error in the recorded data... on the Confidencial Test
Error Code: 0F00: 021B MSG: Block 1974327 Flaw in ... on the Read Test.
I called the technical support and after a little discussion about the problem I have, the guy said that I have to wait someone to call me from the selling division.
That's the way support works in Norway. I hope that it's not the same in another countries and I hope that someone will really call me and exchange the DVD burner.
I have no doubt that the problem is in the drive, not in the firmware since I have version 1.03.
Frankieh
219 Posts
0
October 7th, 2003 13:00
Its possible that some of these drives had issues for some reason, and the 1.3 firmware was created to address those issues.
Same thing has been happening for years, bugs in the CPU with workarounds in the firmware, Initial Via KT133 southbridge issue with SB5.1 patched with firmware upgrade etc etc..
Its quite possible that the new firmware has more tolerance for misaligned heads and stuff.
Having said all of that, is there any way to copy the firmware that is already on the drive so I can give it to others? (I have the 1.3).
Or is it already out?
rgds
Franki
ChaRcoL2
11 Posts
0
October 7th, 2003 14:00
I still maintain that it is not a Problem with FIrmware, but rather a problem with a certain batch of DVD+R drives.
I have a new drive, after my initial one wouldn't work at all - my new drive is 0.99 and it works perfectly. That is, there has never been an error due to anything else except me cancelling the job, or selecting the wrong format to burn a video DVD onto.
It works - just as I would expect. 100%.
Get your drive replaced - don't bother with the tech stuff - just replace it, and it'll work fine.
Perlance
2 Posts
0
October 18th, 2003 07:00
Hello all,
as I just purchased my 8500 1 week ago, hoping to start backing up my dvd collection, i was quite pleased that i could so with dvd +rw discs but would have been too expensive to keep doing so. As this drive writes dvd+r, i got myself a couple of disc, to my suprise and without reading these forums before, coasters followed 1 after the other.
The firmware was .99
I started reading the forums EXPECIALLY the dell forum advise was given that 1.03 is out but no one can seem to find it. Out of luck i have only released 3 days ago.. from dell
Here it is
http://support.ap.dell.com/ap/en/filelib/download/index.asp?fileid=R67115&sid=&os=Windows_NT&searchtype=age
good luck to all u guys..i know you've felt the pain i hope we dont feel it again
Unfortunately all the shops are closed so I wont be able to try burning a dvd+r till monday :( to see if this will fix the mess up...
perlance
perlance@hotmail.com
rob983
20 Posts
0
October 18th, 2003 10:00
Nice job Perlance,
I know there's a lot of people waiting for this firmware update.
Even though my DVD+RW drive is working fine I am going to download the update anyway.
Thanks,
Robert
Master Yoda
35 Posts
0
October 19th, 2003 00:00
The new firmware may not fix all the problems. My new 5150 came with 1.3 firmware on the Philips and I can't read any DVD+Rs that I write on it. I call'd tech support and I have a new drive on the way. I'll let you know the out come.
Master Yoda
35 Posts
0
October 19th, 2003 00:00
umile
24 Posts
0
October 19th, 2003 07:00
gonzalu
7 Posts
0
October 20th, 2003 03:00
Good luck with your swap!
MG
Walter_SA
12 Posts
0
October 20th, 2003 04:00
Mate,
Welcome to the club. I had my i8600 for whole 24 hours and managed to create 7 coasters! This was with the Philips SDVD6004 and new 1.03 firmware. DVDs wouldn't read even in the drive they were created with! Previously I hadn't had any problems with burning DVDs using my Sony burner.
Spent 2 days e-mailing back and fourth withe Dell support, debugging to no success. Finally I called them up and within 10 minutes or so very kind person on the other side agreed to send me a new drive. I insisted on other than Philips brand and he said he'd try. I thought if I don't get NEC I'd just return mu laptop and order a new one without DVD burner (as Philips drives are useless). Today I got my new NEC drive in mail :) Burnt DVD with no problems. I even tried reading it in my problematic Philips drive and it worked.
I think 6004s are having issues with burning but read everything else just fine. If you burn DVDs and they don't read properly just call them up and request NEC. That will fix your problems. Firmware upgrade will not fix it. It's a problem with the drive itself.
Dell support people were excellent in fixing this issue for me and I am very grateful - good on ya guys!