Please Help: Sony DVD/RW burner (Sony DW-G120A / DRU-120C)

Konichiwa Banjin!. I have a problem, or had, and still have a little bit to solve and i need help with. i own a sony DW-G120A dvd burner, ( my PC operating system is Windows XP SP2), which was working perfectly. it suddenly stopped burning into DVD/R Discs and only read discs i burnt files into in the past and other application discs. i "kind of" solved the problem by going into Control panel->Administrative Tools->Services-> IMAPI CD-Burning COM service and set the Startup type to "Manual". Now i can burn using nero (this is also a temporary solution for those who have thesame problem, which from my observation is LOAD-O-people). the problem here is, once nero burns my files, my pc or "DVD/RW drive" can't/Woun't read the files. it turns out blank. but when i try the CD on my laptop with Vista, it displays all my burnt files like a normal DVD rom.
Another thing is that the drive shows as DVD-RAM Drive when there is no CD in it, but when i place a blank DVD rom in it it shows as "CD-Rom Drive", am pretty certain it should be DVD something. any way, if any one has a solution for this problem, please let me know, cause i would like to burn backups of my files into a blank DVD and Read them on thesame pc, not just my laptop . Thank you

Welcome to CD Freaks! This is normal.

Are you doing multisession discs?

Just as a suggestion, I'd try to follow this guide, and report back on what happens: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060

This could be the result of a device filter. I have attached a small utility that you can use to check. Click "Scan Registry" and note which filters for device type "CDROM" are shown.

This is normal behavior in Windows XP.

superhero

tanx guys, although its a bit late, al try it now, and try to get back to you as soon as possible

OK here is what i found,
Device type - CDROM
FilterType - Upper
Filter Name - GEARAspiWDM
Device Name - DVD/CDROM drives

Device type - CDROM
FilterType - Lower
Filter Name - PxHelp0
Device Name - DVD/CDROM drives

this is a reply to superhero, i have yet to complete your task albert, i will get back to you as soon as possible ^^

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Last edited by Heng; 11-07-2008 at 04:21. Reason: incomplete

Try uninstalling the drive in Device Manager and restart the PC to allow Windows to reinstall the drive to see if that may help.

Tried that Bevills1, sadly it did'nt work :S. Tanx for the reply ^^

Heng, You can safely remove both listed filters, and then reboot. Usually the PxHelp20 doesn't cause problems but it is not needed either.

Hope this helps.

Instead of IMAPI as manual, disalbe it.

deleted those files, also disabled IMAPI.. , but it still shows as "CD Drive" when my DVD disc is in =/.

With a blank disc or a pre-recorded disc? As said, a blank disc will show that.

And do you still have the issue reading discs you've just recorded?

well, it has changed a little. now when i try to burn through windows, i can actually put the files in without saying it encountered an error. but, when i try to write the files its says "there is no disc in the drive". its as if it is no longer reading as a DVD/RW drive but as a CD/RW drive. any who, i still can't read discs i have just burnt, thank you for the reply albert . (this is with IMAPI disabled, when enabled its just like before).

I am going to assume that you are trying to use Windows Explorer in Windows XP to burn to a DVD. This will not work.

If you can, please get Nero CD-DVD Speed [a free download; found on www.cdspeed2000.com], place a disc you've already written in your Sony, open up CD-DVD Speed, click the Disc Info tab, and post a screenshot.

Also, do you have any other CD/DVD related programs installed?

i loaded up Nero Dispspeed, and put in a DVD disk i recently burnt with nero, the start button is blacked out. but when i use a DVD disk i burnt when it was fully working, it is not blacked out.

Try reflashing current firmware or update firmware.

Tried that, didnt work (sorry for the late reply, i was at my brothers house).
erm.. my DVD/R is even worse than before now, it wount even burn with nero any more. something about "power calibration error". this, is reaaaaaaaaally getting annoying, and i think i should just open up my pc, take it out and get a hammer. that might scare it and make it work =/