Writes but doesn't read???

[burner06]

Hi Folks,
Need some help with a Sony DRU-830A DVD Drive.
The drive writes like a dream but won't read anything put into it. It won't even read the disk it just got done authoring or even store purchased movies or music cds. I can see the drive in My Computer, but I can explore it when any thing is in it.
I've updated the firmware and checked all the connections.

I have a Xeon 2.4gHz 2gs of Ram.
Channel 1: Boot Drive (Master) Other Hard Drive (Slave)
Channel 2: Other Hard Drive (Master) DRU-830A (Slave)

By the way, this drive is brand new( Two days old).
My old NEC drive was setup the same way and worked perfectly for 2 years.
For some reason this new drive just wants to write and not read.
Any ideas?
Thanks,

[burner06]

Ok, I've got some new info.
I've just got off the phone with Sony Tech support and they asked me to do the following.
Update my ASPI something or another and change my Secondary IDE Channel (the one the drive is on) from DMA if available to PIO Only.

After this change my drive seems to work!

Question: What is this PIO Only mode and how does this effect my setup?
Since my DRU-830A is set to Slave and my other hard drive is set to Master, can I leave my hard drive on that same channel set to DMA if Available?
Will this PIO Only mode effect performance?
Thanks,

[Ian]

Will this PIO Only mode effect performance?

Heck yes. Setting it to PIO mode not only limits your transfer rate, it can cause higher CPU usage. This will not only effect your new DVD writer but the hard drive that is on that IDE chain.

[burner06]

I thought so. Any suggestions on what to do? My old burner(super slow and not DL) was able to work in DMA, why not this one?

[burner06]

By the way, all my drives are set to cable select, could changing them to Master and Slave by the pins on the back of the drives help?
Thanks,

[Ian]

It might be worth a try. Have you tried a different cable?

[burner06]

I purchased the cables from CompUSA last year. They are the round looking type. I'm sure they are good. After all, my last drive works fine in DMA if I drop it in. It's just this drive doesn't want to work in DMA on when set as a slave.

Any other suggestions?
Thanks,

[Justin42]

Is the cable specifically built to be a cable select cable? You need special cables to use that setting. If not, forcing one drive to master and one to slave may help.

It could still be the cable itself. Different drives have different tolerances, and if that cable is just on the edge of being within spec, it might cause a different drive to fail.

It would be a really good idea to change cables. The fact that the drive works in PIO mode indicates the drive is functional and you need to look into other options for this issue.

[burner06]

These are the cables I'm using:
Mad Dog Multimedia Dual Device ATA / IDE 133 Rounded Cable, Silver, 24 inch, 40 pin Female to 2x 40 pin Female
I purchased them last year.

I'll try forcing the drives to master and slave with the pin outs. I'll be back with the results.
Thanks,

[burner06]

Alright, heres whats going on.
I checked all my cable connections, they are OK.
I changed the pin out to make the HD Master and the DRU-830A the Slave, no more Cable Select.
I then change the mode to DMA.

I get the same results. I can write just fine, I just can't read.

Do you have any other suggestions?

I'm comptemplating getting an external version of this drive.

Question: I bought this drive to burn DVD+R DL. I'm not looking for speed, I just want solid writes. Is this the right drive for me? Should I just go external? I'm trying to burn Verbatim DVD+R DL 2.4x.

Thanks,

[Ian]

what happens when you try to read a CD? Are the files just not showing up? What if you refresh the contents (F5 key)?

[burner06]

The drive led light will just blink and nothing will appear in the open window.
Refresh, reboot,... nothing works.

[CowboySlim]

It's the cables, always the cables.

I'd try some of the 80 Wire flat cables, 18" in length.

24" round cables do not meet the IDE specification.
Mad Dog only makes it worse.
If you insist on 24" round cables, get Antec branded.

If that doesn't do it take the drive back.
Go to CompUSA and buy a Norwood model DW1650 DVD writer.

[burner06]

My case is huge and there is a lot of room between my board and my drives. I have to use long cables like 24". Can I use those cables you recommended in 24"?
Thanks,

[CowboySlim]

Allow me to admit to this, I had a very large case and I used some 24" long, flat, IDE cables without a issue.
Also, I am curently using 24" long, round cables without a problem.
However, when I made the switch, I knew that my optical drives were operating fine so I would know it immediately if the cable switch introduced the problem.

For a test, I would try moving the optical drive out of it's natural location to where it can be reached with an 18" flat cable.
Stick it outside, but along side the case.
Prop it up on a box or book.
In so doing you can eliminate the cable as the problem source.

[screed]

I'm having a very similar problem with a new Samsung SH-S182M burner - it reports that it burns successfully, but fails all over the place on reads. The "successful" burns are also barely readable in any other DVD player.

In addition it inconsistently reads other burned discs (DVD-R, DVD+R, and DVD-RW). CD Speed tests report Logical Timeout on Unit and Invalid Field in CDB errors...sometimes. It does read commercial (stamped) disks but it reads them slowly (approx 8x).

It's acting like the laser is underpowered. Someone in another forum said they fixed a similar problem by replacing their power supply. Is there any reason to believe that would work when the rest of the system seems to be fine? The drive is a week old and is installed in a Dell Dimension 4700 running XP Pro sp2. It is the only IDE drive set as Master in a system with 2 SATA HD's.

I'm going to install another new Memorex burner in the same spot this weekend. I'll certainly post the results. I would love any help because I'm not certain returning the drive will make a difference if the problem is my PC. Thanks.

[CowboySlim]

If you were marginal on your power supply and this drive is the straw of the camel's back, possible big trouble.

Many Dell's, the Dementias and other models, are know to have proprietary PSUs.
So just can't run down to Fry's and buy a size or two bigger.

[screed]

That's a good point. Is there an easy way to see if the PS is at (or near) it's limit? Would a lot of USB devices hanging off of the 4 ports contribute significantly? With only 2 SATA drives other than the burner, i thought i would be safe. But how to tell...???

[screed]

Uh, oh. It's a 305W PSU. Doesn't that seem dangerously underrated for a HT 3.0GHz processor with even a few drives/ accessories? I'm not happy if they threw me a garbage PSU on a machine with otherwise respectable components...

[dodecahedron]

maybe this will help:
http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp

[CowboySlim]

That's marginal.
I had an Antec 350w and kept adding stuff until it wasn't enough.
The Intel Active Monitor started giving my low voltage warnings on the 12v rail.
Opening it up to see it in the voltmeter view,
I could see the voltage wobbling between 10.325 and 11.825 volts,
or something like that.

A 480w PSU cured all that and read real steady at 12v.

[screed]

Well, I replaced the Samsung SH-s182M with a Memorex burner on the same cable, same power supply connection, etc. That burner burns both single and double-layer media just fine. It also reads everything I throw in it. It looks like I either got a bad drive or this drive was incompatible with my MB/Chipset. I will be returning it today.

[tawnos]

I have the same problem with this drive (Sony DRU-830A). It will write DVDs that other systems have no problem reading, but will not read them itself. There is also another thread with someone who has the same problem. What all did Sony tech support suggest that fixed the error? I have tried switching to PIO only but that has not worked for me.

[burner06]

Sony has done nothing. Their support is lack luster. I think I'm just going to go get another drive. Someone here suggested a Benq or Norwood DW1650.