DVD drive acting strangely

cyberdave03 · Joined: Oct 14, 2006 Posts: 17

Whenever I boot my computer WITHOUT a dvd or cd in the drive, Windows XP sees the drive in My computer and Explorer, but will not display any data or play a dvd and sees all media as blanks, almost as if the drivers aren't loading (although Device manager says the drive is working). This remains true if I use a different dvd drive. However, if I boot the computer WITH a dvd or cd in the drive, Windows will then properly read and display the data or play a dvd, including any media I swap out. Any ideas on fix? Thanks.

micker377 · Joined: May 27, 2005 Posts: 994

Question: WITHOUT a CD or DVD, does the computer boot up normally?

cyberdave03 · Joined: Oct 14, 2006 Posts: 17

Yes, the computer works normally otherwise.

mommabear · Joined: Feb 20, 2003 Posts: 6319

Sometimes booting with the CD or DVD in the drive is the only way I've been able to read some bad media disks. And even then it doesn't work 100%.

Or does that mean the drive is starting to go bad and will have to be replaced eventually.? That could be it too. I know you said it's the same thing on a different drive, but I guess it could be possible that both drives are going bad at the same time.

cyberdave03 · Joined: Oct 14, 2006 Posts: 17

Neither is the case. Both drives are new, and I've tried numerous different media, all with the same result. It must be something to do with the way Windows is interacting with the drives. If I don't boot with a non-blank disc in the drive and then try to run a media disc, it's read as blank and the drive icon changes from dvd to cd.

falliston

Try going into Start-Run-msconfig and turning off all the startup apps and non-MS services, then reboot. If it's something to do with a background app this will tell you right away.

If it works, go into msconfig and turn on things, say, 5 at a time to find out what is doing it. Some of these apps, especially security apps like Norton and Mcafee are so huge now, and have so many fingers in so many pies that there's very little that they don't have some effect on.

Also I've seen some success in removing DLA software in Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel. No-one uses DLA anymore (do they?) and I've seen it conflict with apps from the PCCillin firewall to AOL browser apps.

cyberdave03 · Joined: Oct 14, 2006 Posts: 17

Good thought. Tried it . Didn't work.

mommabear · Joined: Feb 20, 2003 Posts: 6319

Are your primary and secondary IDE settings in DMA transfer mode? After x-amount of errors, Windows will automatically switch them to PIO transfer mode.

Device Manager, Properties, Advanced Settings.

Here's a good tutorial on it.
http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=101616

Sometimes though, manually changing to DMA doesn't seem to stick. This registry entry will force it to reset. If you don't know how to make your own registry file, it's easy. Go into folder options-view tab first and untick hide extensions for known file types. Then copy and paste the information below into a notepad file. Name it with whateveryouwant.reg and save it. Now all you have to do is click it to merge it into your registry.

(Don't forget to go back into your folder options and re-tick hide extensions... etc.)

cyberdave03 · Joined: Oct 14, 2006 Posts: 17

Well, you were right about the PIO mode, and I ran the registry hack, which corrected the transfer mode. Unfortunately, that didn't correct this damnable problem of media being recognized as blank cds.

goretsky

Hello,

Have you tried starting the Device Manager (filename: DEVMGMT.MSC), removing the DVD-ROM disc drive and ATAPI controller and then rebooting to let the computer redetect the hardware? If so, did this make any difference?

Regards

Aryeh Goretsky

cyberdave03 · Joined: Oct 14, 2006 Posts: 17

I had uninstalled the drive for redetection, but I hadn't tried that with the ide controller. Alas, doing that was unsuccessful. I'm growing ever more suspicious that the problem lies in the registry.

goretsky

Hello,

Does the problem occur if you log in with different credentials?

Have you tried replacing the drive cable and verified the jumpering on the the optical disc drive(s)?

Regards

Aryeh Goretsky

cyberdave03 · Joined: Oct 14, 2006 Posts: 17

My Windows is configured for only one user. However, I have a full back up on hard disk that I booted to and the drive works ok with that, so something has changed with my current Windows configuration. I have tried different cables and the jumper is set correctly. I did a repair reinstall and that didn't change anything, either.

goretsky

Hello,

If you create a new user and log in using that account, does the problem occur under it as well?

Regards

Aryeh Goretsky

cyberdave03 · Joined: Oct 14, 2006 Posts: 17

I created a new temporary account with the same characteristics as my main account. When I log into this, it behaves the same way: no used media in the drive upon "boot", subsequent media are all read as blank.

goretsky

Hello,

Just to verify, you have drives jumpered as master and slave and are not using cable select?

Are any of the pins bent on the ATA connector on the motherboard?

Regards

Aryeh Goretsky

cyberdave03 · Joined: Oct 14, 2006 Posts: 17

I only use one drive, but I have another back up, which I swapped out, with the same result. They are both set for master. I've tried both ide channels - same result. I initially checked for bent pins - none. As I noted in one of the above replies, if I boot from my backup hard drive, the problem isn't there, so it has to be the way my current windows configuration is interacting with the drive.

goretsky

Hello,

If you can access the optical disc drive when you boot to your backup then, yes, it does sound like something which may be related to the current operating system's environment.

Out of curiosity, have you checked the computer for malicious software?

Regards

Aryeh Goretsky

cyberdave03 · Joined: Oct 14, 2006 Posts: 17

Yes, I scan it often with Antivir and Adware.

TranceWarp · Joined: Oct 03, 2003 Posts: 30

Are you running Nero 7 on your PC? I had problems with my drives after it put in new drive filters into the registry. Mad

I went back to Nero 6, since Nero 7 required the new filters to run well. Rolling Eyes