DvD drive stopped recognising any media

I'm looking for help on this one, I've been trying to fix it for the last 2
days to no effect.
If I insert any disc into into my Asus 1612BL dvd drive it green lights
chunters for a minute or two and then goes dead, right clicking on the drive
to explore or open elicits the message (when it eventually responds) "insert
a disc".

So far I have tried rolling back to a previous update, installing new
drivers from Asus, uninstalling the drive thru device manager, disconnect the
cables rebooting then reconnecting the cables and booting again. I have
tried using an old dvd drive from an other PC and the problem carries over
onto that one too.

Nothing seems to be fixing the issue and I'm getting to the end of my tether
on this, I'd appreciate any help and assistance.

My system spec is Advent store bought build
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 4300 @ 1.80 GHz
1023 MB RAM
Vista Premium 32 bit

Dougie,

The following Microsoft publication describes how to troubleshoot problems
such as you have. It applies to WinXP, but these steps are the same of
similar in Vista:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321641/

Let us know what happens.
--
freddy


"Dougie G" wrote:

> I'm looking for help on this one, I've been trying to fix it for the last 2
> days to no effect.
> If I insert any disc into into my Asus 1612BL dvd drive it green lights
> chunters for a minute or two and then goes dead, right clicking on the drive
> to explore or open elicits the message (when it eventually responds) "insert
> a disc".
>
> So far I have tried rolling back to a previous update, installing new
> drivers from Asus, uninstalling the drive thru device manager, disconnect the
> cables rebooting then reconnecting the cables and booting again. I have
> tried using an old dvd drive from an other PC and the problem carries over
> onto that one too.
>
> Nothing seems to be fixing the issue and I'm getting to the end of my tether
> on this, I'd appreciate any help and assistance.
>
> My system spec is Advent store bought build
> Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 4300 @ 1.80 GHz
> 1023 MB RAM
> Vista Premium 32 bit

Dougie,

Here is another one, but it applies to the CD-ROM drive hardware:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314096/
--
freddy


"Dougie G" wrote:

> I'm looking for help on this one, I've been trying to fix it for the last 2
> days to no effect.
> If I insert any disc into into my Asus 1612BL dvd drive it green lights
> chunters for a minute or two and then goes dead, right clicking on the drive
> to explore or open elicits the message (when it eventually responds) "insert
> a disc".
>
> So far I have tried rolling back to a previous update, installing new
> drivers from Asus, uninstalling the drive thru device manager, disconnect the
> cables rebooting then reconnecting the cables and booting again. I have
> tried using an old dvd drive from an other PC and the problem carries over
> onto that one too.
>
> Nothing seems to be fixing the issue and I'm getting to the end of my tether
> on this, I'd appreciate any help and assistance.
>
> My system spec is Advent store bought build
> Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 4300 @ 1.80 GHz
> 1023 MB RAM
> Vista Premium 32 bit

Try this: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/320553

--
I Bleed Blue and Gold
GO BEARS!


"Dougie G" <Dougie G@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:870DCD18-0F04-4474-8E6E-7655DD4BA8D2@microsoft.com...
> I'm looking for help on this one, I've been trying to fix it for the last 2
> days to no effect.
> If I insert any disc into into my Asus 1612BL dvd drive it green lights
> chunters for a minute or two and then goes dead, right clicking on the drive
> to explore or open elicits the message (when it eventually responds) "insert
> a disc".
>
> So far I have tried rolling back to a previous update, installing new
> drivers from Asus, uninstalling the drive thru device manager, disconnect the
> cables rebooting then reconnecting the cables and booting again. I have
> tried using an old dvd drive from an other PC and the problem carries over
> onto that one too.
>
> Nothing seems to be fixing the issue and I'm getting to the end of my tether
> on this, I'd appreciate any help and assistance.
>
> My system spec is Advent store bought build
> Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 4300 @ 1.80 GHz
> 1023 MB RAM
> Vista Premium 32 bit

Thanks for the suggestions on this one, unfortunately I've tried them all so
far to no avail. Still looking for a solution before I take a hammer to the
damn thing

"Cal Bear '66" wrote:

> Try this: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/320553
>
> --
> I Bleed Blue and Gold
> GO BEARS!
>

Dougie I checked your dvd drive and found a Firmware update related to
vista on the ASUS support website.

Firmware Date: 2007/03/03
Update Description ASUS DRW-1612BL Firmware version 1.10

Improve compatibility in Microsoft Vista.
Improve dual-disc readability.
Fix unbalance DVD-5 read speed to 12x.
Improve DVD+R SL/DL write and read capability.
Improve DVD-R SL/DL write and read capability.
Improve DVD-RAM write and read capability.
Add LightScribe discs support.
File Size 1.29 (MBytes)


This can be found and downloaded from 'ASUSTeK Computer Inc.-Support-'
(http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx)

Give the firmware a try and see if it fixes your vista probelms... or
have a picnic...


--
dmex

If it balks at both DVDs and CDs and you have made no changes to the
software in your PC, then it is probably the laser(s) have gone.

This is the same issue if it recognizes a CD but not a DVD, they use a
different laser. Thankfully DVD burners are very cheap to replace these
days and uninstallation of the old drive and installation of the new one
should take no more than 4 minutes at most. New ones also come with
guarantees.

It is uneconomical to spend more than a couple of hours on this problem. If
you have a standard CD cleaning kit, then try with that. Otherwise, drive
to your local PC store.
--
Cari (MS-MVP)
Windows Technologies - Printing & Imaging
http://www.coribright.com/windows

"Dougie G" <Dougie G@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:870DCD18-0F04-4474-8E6E-7655DD4BA8D2@microsoft.com...
> I'm looking for help on this one, I've been trying to fix it for the last
> 2
> days to no effect.
> If I insert any disc into into my Asus 1612BL dvd drive it green lights
> chunters for a minute or two and then goes dead, right clicking on the
> drive
> to explore or open elicits the message (when it eventually responds)
> "insert
> a disc".
>
> So far I have tried rolling back to a previous update, installing new
> drivers from Asus, uninstalling the drive thru device manager, disconnect
> the
> cables rebooting then reconnecting the cables and booting again. I have
> tried using an old dvd drive from an other PC and the problem carries over
> onto that one too.
>
> Nothing seems to be fixing the issue and I'm getting to the end of my
> tether
> on this, I'd appreciate any help and assistance.
>
> My system spec is Advent store bought build
> Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 4300 @ 1.80 GHz
> 1023 MB RAM
> Vista Premium 32 bit

Dougie, If the firmware update for your dvd drive doesnt work Try
another operating system, It will give you a 100% idea if its a hardware
or software issue. A Linux Distribution like knoppix will boot and run
completely from your DVD drive and it will allow you to know if its just
related to windows or a hardware problem.


Cari, Most manufacturers dont make very many cd/dvd players with two
lazers...maybe on blueray and HD drives because of the differences but
cd/dvd drives have used one lazer for a long time since it does the
work...

I also ask how economical is it to buy a new one instead of fixing it
for free? I found two fairely new GA-N65P motherboards with E6320 CPUs
chucked out on the street last week because the memory was bad, just for
the one MB and CPU it costs around $700AU...

You can never just tell someone to chuck it out then buy a new one just
because its not working for them when they want it or the problem is
never solved it just stays there untill somone else finds it and gets
stuck trying to fix it and you will never learn anything that might help
you in the future. After servicing computers for the last 8 years you
realise how to get poeple to learn something for themself instead of
getting them to race to the closest tech guy when they have problems,
its just a waste of time and money to get others todo your learning.


--
dmex

A new DVD burner is about US $30 with dual layer and lightscribe capability.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136118
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827151145

Getting the older one fixed can be upwards of $200. I don't know what your
hourly rate is but mine is upwards of $75. I don't usually bother going out
if I'm going to get less than $250, it's not worth my time. So if the OP
finds a tech, the fee is going to be roughly the same per hour or part
thereof. Seems $30 is a lot less than $75... particularly if the tech takes
longer than one hour. Why waste money?
--
Cari (MS-MVP)
Windows Technologies - Printing & Imaging
http://www.coribright.com/windows

"dmex" <dmex.2rp1wd@no-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:dmex.2rp1wd@no-mx.forums.net...

>
>
> Cari, Most manufacturers dont make very many cd/dvd players with two
> lazers...maybe on blueray and HD drives because of the differences but
> cd/dvd drives have used one lazer for a long time since it does the
> work...
>
> I also ask how economical is it to buy a new one instead of fixing it
> for free? I found two fairely new GA-N65P motherboards with E6320 CPUs
> chucked out on the street last week because the memory was bad, just for
> the one MB and CPU it costs around $700AU...
>
> You can never just tell someone to chuck it out then buy a new one just
> because its not working for them when they want it or the problem is
> never solved it just stays there untill somone else finds it and gets
> stuck trying to fix it and you will never learn anything that might help
> you in the future. After servicing computers for the last 8 years you
> realise how to get poeple to learn something for themself instead of
> getting them to race to the closest tech guy when they have problems,
> its just a waste of time and money to get others todo your learning.
>
>
> --
> dmex

"dmex" wrote:

>
> This can be found and downloaded from 'ASUSTeK Computer Inc.-Support-'
> (http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx)
>
> Give the firmware a try and see if it fixes your vista probelms... or
> have a picnic...
>
>
> --
> dmex
>

Thanks for the suggestion, tried the firmware download, no joy I'm afraid.
Next port of call I think might be a bios upgrade if I can work out how to do
that without destroying my machine.