Is this a hardware issue?

Computer Hardware
#1

I’ve had my optorite 04401 for i guess 3-4 years, and its served me well. It continues to burn and read DVD-roms like a champ, but it seems to have lost all ability to identify and rip/play commercial DVDs. DVD decryptor and ImgBurn both identify them as “incompatible Media.” Cyberlink PowerDVD and AVS media player both tell me that the drive is empty.

I was sure this was a software issue to do with DVD decoders, but a clean install of xp and reinstall of the dvd wares did not change a thing…re-flashing the drive also changed nothing. So now I’m just thinking that the laser’s getting old and tired. Anybody else seen anything similar? I had a stroke last year and I’m on disability, so finding a fix - if there is one - would be the ideal solution…

#2

[QUOTE=souldog;1942112]I’ve had my optorite 04401 for i guess 3-4 years, and its served me well. It continues to burn and read DVD-roms like a champ, but it seems to have lost all ability to identify and rip/play commercial DVDs. DVD decryptor and ImgBurn both identify them as “incompatible Media.” Cyberlink PowerDVD and AVS media player both tell me that the drive is empty.

I was sure this was a software issue to do with DVD decoders, but a clean install of xp and reinstall of the dvd wares did not change a thing…re-flashing the drive also changed nothing. So now I’m just thinking that the laser’s getting old and tired. Anybody else seen anything similar? I had a stroke last year and I’m on disability, so finding a fix - if there is one - would be the ideal solution…[/QUOTE]

Have you cleaned the laser lens since that time that you owned the drive? What kinda media are you using - the quality of the media type might be a problem as well? Try a different media like verbatim to test whether it’s the drive or that you have bad media?? Are our software that you currently use all up to date? Have you tried to use those media that it identify as “incompatible media” on other burner or standalone that used to work to see if they are still ok?

#3

[QUOTE=coolcolors;1942208]Have you cleaned the laser lens since that time that you owned the drive? What kinda media are you using - the quality of the media type might be a problem as well? Try a different media like verbatim to test whether it’s the drive or that you have bad media?? Are our software that you currently use all up to date? Have you tried to use those media that it identify as “incompatible media” on other burner or standalone that used to work to see if they are still ok?[/QUOTE]

nope, never cleaned the lens, the idea scares me, anyone want to suggest the best method?

[edit: I’m following advice from here: http://club.cdfreaks.com/1091314-post4.html

Type of media definitely [I]not[/I] the problem, it never fails to recognize, burn and read all types of blank media. it is ONLY commercially-released DVDs (films, TV shows, etcetera) that it fails to recognize, which is why I initially thought it might be a dvd decoder issue. It still resembles a dvd decoder issue, except that all my previously-successful methods for addressing such issues have failed.

#4

Is it possible you installed (or upgraded to) software that installed upper or lower filter drivers on your IDE/SATA devices or optical drive devices, such as burning or ripping software? Often they can be incompatible with specialized applications (such as DVD ripping) or conflict with each other.

-brendan

#5

Cleaning the lense is pretty easy. You need a couple q-tips and some rubbing alcohol /isopropyl alcohol/, and a medium/small phillips head screw driver.

Remove the drive you your pc. Remove the four screws, two on each side. Now the cover might slide off, or you might have to make the tray slide out by inserting a straightened paper clip in the tiny hole in the front of the drive /emergeny eject hole/. After the tray is opened, the face of the drive can be popped off. then the case cover of the drive can be slide off, locate the laser lense and clean it GENTLY with the q-tip with some alcohol.