DVD drive not working and I SHOULD know better

[TygerTyger]

It doesn't look good for a Vaio-Master to ask for help but nevermind I'm getting worried. :smileygrin:

My DVD/CD-RW drive has just sort of stopped working, when I put in a CD or DVD (both give the same result) the reading light flashes, the drive grinds away with a clockwork rhythm like it's reading the drive......and that's it. It's been doing that for 15 minutes but it can't seem to read anything on any disk I put in. I'm sure it's not a dirty lens because one day it worked perfectly then the next day nothing. And it's not just a dodgy laser cos CD's and DVD's use different lasers.

And another question I should know the answer to, where do I get the driver to try a reinstallation? I can't run it off a disk obviously, it's not on Vaio link and it's missing off Panasonic's site cos it's OEM provided.

[jammold]

And another question I should know the answer to, where do I get the driver to try a reinstallation? I can't run it off a disk obviously, it's not on Vaio link and it's missing off Panasonic's site cos it's OEM provided.

Sometimes Tyger it is best to swallow your pride and post anyway! You will probably find that like my system which uses a QSI CDRW/DVD SBW242U disk drive that the privers required are built into the operating system. In fact I am 97% sure of this.

The driver files are these:

Directory Listing VAIO
C:\Windows\System32\Drivers

STORPROP.DLL Windows XP Disk Installer
ATAPI.SYS ATAPI IDE Controller Driver
IMAPI.SYS Windows XP Roxio Integrated CD Burner
PXHELP20.SYS Sony SonicStage CD Driver
REDBOOK.SYS Windows XP CD-Audio Driver
CDROM.SYS Windows XP CD-Data Driver

You may or may not have all of these - in my experience a firmware update just reinstalled all my drivers - so you could try that first but your drive sounds like it uses Windows XP Drivers.

Sorry I can't offer more help mate.:smileywink:

[TygerTyger]

You're absolutely right, I uninstalled the drive and XP picked it up and reinstalled it straightaway. Made no difference at all.

I thought of a firmware update, there isn't one. Not that it would have made a difference I suppose. Thanks anyway thought James.

[robpaxton]

The driver for your CD/DVD drive is embedded in XP so you won't find it for download anywhere.

Second thing to try is to restore the system back to a time when the drive was working OK.

Also clean the lens - remember that the lasers use the same lens assembly on most drives.

[TygerTyger]

Okay update............Rob thanks for your suggestoin you got me halfway there. A system restore didn't help, by doing a system restore THEN undoing the system restore worked. Go figure.

Anyway now the drive reads CD's but it's somewhat erratic to say the least on DVD's. It won't recognise any of my pre-recorded Futurama discs, or any of my re-writable disks, but it does recognise a free music DVD and the Vaio Recovery disk. And when I try to write to a DVD it gives me a calibration error and tells me that my drive doesn't support the meda.

Am I right in saying that it sounds like the DVD half of my drive has gone kaput?

[robpaxton]

It's looking as though your drive may be on the way out It could be that the lens is a little dirty or out of calibration. I think all you can try now is the cleaner.

[kee-lo_]

You haven't installed an ASPI layer lately Tyger?

[TygerTyger]

Nope Kee-Lo, I haven't done anything to it, which is also why I suspect it's just plain broken. I cleaned the lens with a lint-free cloth to no effect Rob.

Just for posterity in case it actually has changed somehow, how would I go about setting the ASPI layer back to what it was when the drive worked?

Failing hard drive and now no DVD-RW to back it up with. I love you Sony. :smileylove:.

[robpaxton]

If you are using Nero then a full uninstall and reinstall often helps. This will reinstall Neros ASPI layer.

Try using a lint free cloth or brush with a tiny amount of spectacle cleaner (the type suitable for plastic lenses)

[kee-lo_]

Bart has a lot on ASPI
http://www.nu2.nu/aspi/