unable to write HL-DT-ST-DVDRRW GWA-4166B

Harriet

My pc a compaq pesario (which is one month out of warrenty) came with a combo dvd/cd burner HL-DT-ST-DVDRRW GWA 4166B. I am not able to burn DVD's - the burner does not recongize any blank dvd media. I have tried several types of media including + and - . I have spent several days with on-line chats with the folks at HP and have also updated the firmware. What is strange is that I can burn CD's and even play DVD's - but I can not write. The software that came with the PC is Module Name: Sonic DigitalMedia Plus v7
Build: 2.3.1a
Serial Number: SC-613B37D
Copyright: Sonic Solutions 2005
What is even stranger - is that when the PC was fairly new - I did burn the recovery disc's to DVD's and also I was able to burn backup data to DVD's. Some of the things that the HP tech had me do was to uninstall and reinstall the Secondary IDE controllers, run PC doctor, and Firmware update from the link provided below. This should resolve the issue. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/s...1127352&os=228
Nothing has worked. At one point in the several chats with HP, they suggested that this may be a hardware problem - that the opitcs/lens may be bad due to excessive use. However, I have only burn a total of 4 DVD's - I wouldn't exactly call they excessive use. This is driving me crazy and help or suggestions is appreciated. I am running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. If you need any other informtion, please let me know.

Thanks.

Cressida

Welcome @cdfreaks

This may not be what you would like to hear, but the laser in optical drives can die prematurely. With the low cost of dvd-burners these days, I would just replace it with a new one. You could test the old drive in another PC first, if you prefer. There's also chance that you have a software problem preventing XP from recognizing the blank discs (in which case it may be time to make use of those recovery discs - try copying them to your hard disk first to make sure they are fully readable before wiping out your Windows installation! - a repair install won't do, you'll need a full/clean installation). If you have any "virtual" (software) drives installed, removing the program(s) they came with might help also. Good luck!

samlar

go to this site download the filter driver load order and run it. you should be able to go to the drive you are having the problem and look at the filter drivers. at the bottom is a button for clipboard click on it. you can then come back here and post the results by right clicking and pasting it in the block. as I did below.
This will give us your upper and lower filters for the drive something could have added a filter that is causing the problem.

http://www.bustrace.com/downloads/free_utilities.htm


----------------------------------------------------
Filter Driver Load Order http://www.bustrace.com
----------------------------------------------------

Upper Class Filter: pwd_2k
Upper Class Filter: Cdralw2k
Upper Device Filter: redbook
Device Object: PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-109
Lower Class Filter: CDR4_XP
Lower Class Filter: PFC
Lower Class Filter: AFS2K
Lower Class Filter: ElbyCDFL
Lower Class Filter: ElbyDelay
Lower Class Filter: AnyDVD
Lower Device Filter: imapi

Driver Name: pwd_2k.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: Win2000 Framework for Packet Write Driver
File Version: 7.0.0.162 [7.0.0.162]
Product Name: Drag-to-Disc
Product Version: 7.0.0.162 [7.0.0.162]
Company Name: Roxio

Driver Name: cdralw2k.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: CDRAL for Windows 2000 Kernel Driver
File Version: 7.0.0.162 [7.0.0.162]
Product Name: Drag-to-Disc
Product Version: 7.0.0.162 [7.0.0.162]
Company Name: Roxio

Driver Name: redbook.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: Redbook Audio Filter Driver
File Version: 5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) [5.1.2600.2180]
Product Name: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Product Version: 5.1.2600.2180 [5.1.2600.2180]
Company Name: Microsoft Corporation

Driver Name: cdr4_xp.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: CDR4 CD and DVD Burning Helper Driver
File Version: 7.0.0.162 [7.0.0.162]
Product Name: Drag-to-Disc
Product Version: 7.0.0.162 [7.0.0.162]
Company Name: Roxio

Driver Name: pfc.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: Padus(R) ASPI Shell
File Version: 2, 5, 0, 205 [2.5.0.205]
Product Name: Padus(R) ASPI Shell
Product Version: 2, 5, 0, 205 [2.5.0.205]
Company Name: Padus, Inc.

Driver Name: afs2k.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: Audio File System
File Version: 3.1.17.981 [3.1.17.0]
Product Name: AFS
Product Version: 3.1.17.14(981) [3.1.17.0]
Company Name: Oak Technology Inc.

Driver Name: elbycdfl.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: ElbyCDIO Filter Driver
File Version: 5, 2, 1, 2 [5.2.1.2]
Product Name: CloneCD
Product Version: 5, 2, 1, 2 [5.2.1.2]
Company Name: SlySoft, Inc.

Driver Name: elbydelay.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: Elby Delay Lower Filter Driver
File Version: 5, 1, 0, 0 [5.1.0.0]
Product Name: CDRTools
Product Version: 5, 1, 0, 0 [5.1.0.0]
Company Name: Elaborate Bytes AG

Driver Name: anydvd.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: AnyDVD Filter Driver
File Version: 6.0.5.1 [6.0.5.1]
Product Name: AnyDVD
Product Version: 6.0.5.1 [6.0.5.1]
Company Name: SlySoft, Inc.

Driver Name: imapi.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: IMAPI Kernel Driver
File Version: 5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) [5.1.2600.2180]
Product Name: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Product Version: 5.1.2600.2180 [5.1.2600.2180]
Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
samlar is online now Reply With Quote

Harriet

Here is the driver information - again I appreciate any help


----------------------------------------------------
Filter Driver Load Order http://www.bustrace.com
----------------------------------------------------

Upper Class Filter: GEARAspiWDM
Upper Device Filter: redbook
Device Object: HL-DT-ST DVDRRW GWA-4166B
Lower Class Filter: drvmcdb
Lower Class Filter: sscdbhk5
Lower Class Filter: Pfc
Lower Class Filter: Afc
Lower Class Filter: PxHelp20
Lower Device Filter: imapi

Driver Name: gearaspiwdm.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: CD/DVD Class Filter Driver
File Version: 2.0.6.1 [2.0.6.1]
Product Name: GEAR.wrks
Product Version: 8.xx [2.0.6.1]
Company Name: GEAR Software Inc.

Driver Name: redbook.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: Redbook Audio Filter Driver
File Version: 5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) [5.1.2600.2180]
Product Name: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Product Version: 5.1.2600.2180 [5.1.2600.2180]
Company Name: Microsoft Corporation

Driver Name: drvmcdb.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: Device Driver
File Version: 3.21.66a [3.21.66.0]
Product Name:
Product Version: [1.0.0.1]
Company Name: Sonic Solutions

Driver Name: sscdbhk5.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: Shared Driver Component
File Version: 1.10.81a [1.10.81.0]
Product Name:
Product Version: [1.0.0.1]
Company Name: Sonic Solutions

Driver Name: pfc.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: Padus(R) ASPI Shell
File Version: 2, 5, 0, 204 [2.5.0.204]
Product Name: Padus(R) ASPI Shell
Product Version: 2, 5, 0, 204 [2.5.0.204]
Company Name: Padus, Inc.

Driver Name: afc.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: Arcsoft(R) ASPI Shell
File Version: 1, 0, 0, 2 [1.0.0.2]
Product Name: Arcsoft(R) ASPI Shell
Product Version: 1, 0, 0, 2 [1.0.0.2]
Company Name: Arcsoft, Inc.

Driver Name: pxhelp20.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: Px Engine Device Driver for Windows 2000/XP
File Version: 3.00.33a [3.0.33.0]
Product Name: PxHelp20
Product Version: [2.0.0.0]
Company Name: Sonic Solutions

Driver Name: imapi.sys
File Location: c:\windows\system32\drivers
File Description: IMAPI Kernel Driver
File Version: 5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) [5.1.2600.2180]
Product Name: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Product Version: 5.1.2600.2180 [5.1.2600.2180]
Company Name: Microsoft Corporation

samlar

You have a few things that I would be concerned about go to google and search each one of them here is a post that might just help

http://www.cdr-zone.com/forum/about5891.html

Harriet

I am not sure what I should be searching google for. I read the post fro the link provided and the only similar thing that I see is the reference to to the Px help. Also it was stated in that link that before uninstalling any filters to uninstall any cd wrting software, does that mean to unistall programs like media player, itunes, musicmatch and proshow gold in addition to Sonic. Sonic came preinstalled on the PC when I purchased it.

Cressida

Yes, it could help to uninstall anything that can burn and which you've added after Sonic. There's 3 ASPI's listed (GEAR, Padus & Arcsoft) which I wouldn't want to have on my system. Still this burner model can act really weird from what I read here. I've had one myself for a couple of days and in between all my efforts to get it to work on a spanking clean system, it made one perfect burn, but wouldn't recognize any discs properly the rest of the time.

Harriet

How can I tell what software is associated with GEAR, Padus & Arcsoft?

Cressida

That's a good question. Through experience, I've become rather minimalist when it comes to software and I couldn't tell you. Some of these may even belong to programs you've already uninstalled. Everything you've used leaves traces on your PC. That's where the Upper/Lower Filter cleaning comes in. I've never done (had to do) this either (being minimalist, remember). My approach to remedy this would to be a clean XP install, especially if you've been running this installation for a couple of years already. If that scares you, test the burner in another PC. It's the quickest way to find out if the problem is with the drive or with your Windows installation.

Harriet

This burner is factory installed with the PC, which is just 13 months old. I am beginning to suspect that the problem may lie with Musicmatch. Ever since Yahoo took over Musicmatch, I have had nothing but problems. Everytime I turn on my Epson printer, Musicmatch opens. I am also experiencing problems with my microsoft optical mouse - I keep losing the usb connection. I think I will first uninstall Musicmatch and see what happens. Will report back later