CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

[andrewdann]

Hi,

I have a Sony VAIO with a DW-D56A which has recently stopped working.

I can see the drive in explorer, but when a disc is inserted it doesn't "spin up" and I can't read ANY discs.

If I look at the properties for the drive, it shows disc not inserted.
Everything else shows that the CD drive is functioning correctly and there are no error codes.

I have tried to re-flash the firmware (PFS3) with no luck - However at the end of the flash process it does a disc "Inquiry" and then I can read the disc that I left in the drive. If I eject the disc and re-insert or restart the PC I'm back to square one!

Any help would be greatly appreciated - Seems strange that I can read it just after the firmware flash process????

Thanks Andy

[zina]

Club-Zina.Sony-Europe.com

[browno]

hi everyone,
joined club to find out more about my DW-D56A drive problems. original drive replaced when laptop was only 2 weeks old but new one no better. my drive cannt read original copies of software . i have to make a copy disc using my desktop pc in order to load any new software onto my laptop. when i put a disc into my laptop, the drive just seems to scan all the time but does not open up the disc. I thought i was alone with my problem.
Has anyone had a different drive fitted as an alternative by Sony.
thanks,
browno

[kee-lo_]

Begs the question doesn't it? WHY CONTINUE FITTING A CRAP DRIVE WHEN THEY KNOW THEY'RE DODGY?

[jamz]

I've decided to join the D56A club ... my problem isn't as bad as some of the ones below, but if anyone can tell me ... why can't I burn DVD-R & DVD+R discs on this DVD burner. I can burn DVD+RW so at least I can copy videos, but the burner just spits out the other formats. It doesn't appear to be a software problem. I've got the latest version of Nero and have run lots of diagnostic tests using a friend's Dell and the same copy of the software and there are no problems burning the same material to DVD-R. Maybe I'll just have to live with it.

[jamz]

I've decided to join the distressed D56A club too ... my problem isn't as bad as the ones below as I can burn pretty good DVDs onto DVD+RW format, but I can't burn onto DVD-R & DVD+R. I've run a long diagnostic test on my software (latest version Nero) using both my Vaio A217M and a friend's Dell, and guess what, his burner works perfectly; knocking off DVD+R/RW & DVD-R/RW with no trouble at all. Do you think reinstalling the driver would make any difference? Or is it not worth going there?

[dark4ngel]

Hello,

Here is a new member for the DW D56a-Club from Germany ;o).
It still reads and burns cd's and reads DVDs. But from one day to next day it burns no DVD

[Blencogo]

There seems to be another epidemic of DVD writing problems with no apparent solution but replacement of the drive.

This is no longer cutting-edge technology and seems avoidable. Kee-Lo asks the obvious question - 'Why replace with the same rubbish?'

Does anyone else subscribe to the Conspiracy Theory that Sony may have contributed to this problem with their obsession about DVD copyrighting. Have they tinkered with the drivers or the hardware in an attempt to prevent copying of protected discs and accidentally destabalised these drives?

[Sebby]

Another one to join the club here.

My Sony DW-56A was painfully bad for a while, but I dealt with it as I didn't want to be without my VAIO. However, a couple of weeks ago, I had to send it off for repair.

I received it back today fitted with a Matshita UJ-831Da. I started a thread here about it as I don't know whether to be disappointed with the Matshita...

[PHOTOSHOPKID]

My A317 is fitted with one of these drives, it seems to work ok.
sometimes it has trouble reading home made dvds ( makes strange clunking noises) it only seems to like Verbatum Dvds

Having read about all the problems with this drive don`t we as consumers have a case against Sony? I mean it`s not just the odd one one that fails it seems to be all of them

It would seem likely my drive will fail (more than likely when the guarantee has expired) 3months left!

Would it be easy to fit a new drive? when mine expires, has anyone done this?

[Blkadda2005]

....Same model CD/DVD drive.... Same problem.... Warranty recently expired.....
Upgrading laptop soon.... Goodbye Sony