http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/lgerrata.php3
Excerpts:
A problem has been discovered with certain LG-based CD-ROM drives and Mandrake Linux 9.2. The kernel that comes shipped with Mandrake Linux 9.2 and early updates would send a FLUSH_CACHE command to the drive which would make drive inoperable by overwriting its firmware. Unfortunately, many Dell computers (possibly others) come with these CD-ROM drives. Currently, it is not believed to affect DVD-ROM/R/RW drives and some CD-RW drives; but this all depends entirely upon the firmware on the device.
The addected drives were popular in DELL and some IBM and Compaq systems
Problem Drives
GRC-8521B
CRD-8522B
CRD-8521B
CRD-8520B
CRD-8483B
CRD-8480C
CRD-8480B
CRD-8400C
CRD-8400B
CRD-8322B
CRD-8320B
CRD-8240B
CRD-8241B
CRD-8160B
CRD-8161B
CRN-8240E
GCD-R580B
GCD-R560B
GCD-R542B
GCD-R540C
GCD-R540B
GCD-R520B
GCD-R420B
GCD-R400B
GCD-R320B
GCD-R300B 4
GCD-R200B