CDR/RW Will Play, But Won't Burn CD

[jondoh]

I have a SAMSUNG CD-R/RW SW-240B 40x/12x/40x drive I've used for only 7 months that has suddenly stopped burning CDs. I've used XP burning only for this drive, but when I tried Nero it also told me that it couldn't burn.

I'm not aware of any problems with my PC that might have caused this. I show no yellow marks in Device Manager, and everything is reported as "working." I attempted updating the driver (nothing newer), and uninstalled the device so that Windows could do a new setup on boot. I've not checked anything inside the case.

I can use the CDs I've burned prior to the occurrence of the problem as usual; I just can't burn. I'm using from the same supply of blanks I used to burn 50 CDs before the drive failed. I've tried using a cleaning disk -- no help.

If it's hardware problems, I have a new DVD +/- R/RW drive I can install, but if there are drive configuration problems I'd like to get them solved before I attempt to install a new drive.

I don't mean to ask two questions at a time, but if it means anything, I also have problems with my floppy drive. It suddenly lost it's ability to see disks even though they were from the same box of blanks. It also can't see the disks it just reformatted and copied to just minutes before the problem occurred. Windows wants to format new, already-formatted disks, but fails when it attempts to.

It's not as simple as replacing a $15 floppy drive. My eMachines CPU face plate requires the exact floppy design that came on the computer. It's not easy to find; I can't come up with the manufacturer. I'm also not in a good position to do without my computer for a month while eMachines replaces the drive.

Anybody had these problems?

Windows XP Home Ver 5.01.2600 SP1
Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1
eMachines T2042
2GHz Intel Celeron Processor
512MB RAM
40GB Hard Drive
Intel 3D AGP Graphics
10/100Mbps Ethernet
CD-RW 40x Write
DVD 16x Play

 

[scarecrow]

Any chance of having installed recently Intel Application Accelerator and/or Windows Media Player 9?

 

[LTR12101B]

I'll take the second question then:
Wile CD-ROM cleaners are often hazardous, the first step I'd try with a reluctant floppy drive is a cleaning disk - well, actually the first thing is to gently vacuum the front, and hold the slot open as well, before using a cleaning disk.

Checking cable seating is also a good idea.


Normally though, the fancy front panel is part of the case, and sitting behind it is either a standard floppy with front panel still attached, or a drive with no front panel (and if that style is required, you can probably remove the panel from a normal floppy to make it fit).

 

[jondoh]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Any chance of having installed recently Intel Application Accelerator and/or Windows Media Player 9?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've never installed the Intel software, but I upgraded WMP 9 at some time in the last few months -- it might possibly have been prior to my discovery of the CD-R problem.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll take the second question then:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, I'll try these things and let you know. Thanks a lot.

 

[LTR12101B]

Well, I looked at the parts page, and if it's the one with the OVAL button and no front, you have a problem!

If it's the rectangular button and no front, then you may well be able to get away with stripping the front from an ordinary floppy drive.

And the keyword with the vac is GENTLY, and it's not to clean the DRIVE as such, but just to avoid getting all that GROT on the cleaning floppy (most of them are wet/dry cycle, with part of the disk damped with the supplied fluid) - depends how much it's been used, and under what conditions - on a more standard machine, replacement may be the better choice.

Cleaning floppies are RELATIVELY safe, but 3 1/2" drives don'r respond to it as well as the old 5 1/4" drives did.

PS. I used to like to aid the cleaning with a seek test program, so that sideways motion was applied - it was a little DOS utility, actually a set of them for various floppy tests and tuning. I wonder if I can still find it?

 

[jondoh]

Thanks, everybody.

I found two free drives I could test on the machine and they both worked, so I'll now install my new DVD-R and take a chance on the old floppy. It still sounds strange to me, though, that two practically new drives on the same computer could go out so close together. Ah, well, time will tell all. . .

Btw, what kinds of problems are the Intel Application Accelerator and Windows Media Player causing? I also downloaded the Windows Digital Rights client. . gulp. .