Blank CD-R's not loading

[essenceofire]

I've had my Hp Pavillion a1600n for almost 3 years now and up until this summer, I never had a problem with the burner.

Now, whenever I put in a CD-R, the light flashes for awhile and then goes off. I try burning a CD in iTunes and it just says please insert a disk. Usually when I place a blank CD I'll get a windows dialog box asking me what I want to do (open, burn, etc) but I'm not getting that anymore.

Burned disks work in it, but blank disks do not. Is this the sign of a bad burner or do I need to update drivers or what? Sorry I don't have much information to give you guys, but computer hardware is not my specialty

Thank you in advance!

 

[LookinAround]

Unfortunately, can't give you too specific a reason but yes
1. Could be the dvd burner is bad (if it simply failed "autorun" but otherwise work it would not be the burned)
2. Should go and get for new drivers (as well as new "firmware" - is special "software" that programs and executes in the burner itself)
3. Have you tried a different bundle of CD-R's? A different manufacturer? Sometimes one just buys a bad set. (and you're aware there is a difference in those +R and -R you see. So you buying the same type as you usually do?)

 

[nickc]

sounds to me that u need to get a new burner, DVD burners are not that high right now and so this would be a good time to get one.

 

[essenceofire]

3. Have you tried a different bundle of CD-R's? A different manufacturer? Sometimes one just buys a bad set. (and you're aware there is a difference in those +R and -R you see. So you buying the same type as you usually do?)

I've tried two different brands, and both don't work, one was Memorex and the other I can't recall the name. The ones I just bought today happened to be memorex as well.

As for drivers, I had windows search for them through the hardware device manager, but is there a better way you suggest?

sounds to me that u need to get a new burner, DVD burners are not that high right now and so this would be a good time to get one.

But how easy are they to install?

 

[LookinAround]

But how easy are they to install?

Go to the HP website, click on support, enter your model # or what they request to id your machine and you should be able to
1. Download manuals (including one that should describe how to replace the unit on your model. Shouldn't be difficult)

2. Look under Drivers and Downloads for the latest driver for your particular DVD burner model. Most times i try MS to update a driver it does not find a newer driver (i'll find when looking myself)

 

[essenceofire]

Well I looked on the website, found a driver but unfortunately it requires me to burn a disk. Of course.

 

[LookinAround]

Well I looked on the website, found a driver but unfortunately it requires me to burn a disk. Of course.

?? I never heard of that type setup for installing a driver. If you want, post a link to what you're talking about and can take a look"

 

[essenceofire]

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareList?os=228&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&product=3245022&lang=en

I tried downloading DVD-RW 16X HL-DT-ST DVDRRW GSA-H20L Drive Firmware Update because that's the only CD drive that was the same.

 

[LookinAround]

Ooops. Just catching up.

I gather from your statement by "the only match" the string DVD-RW 16X HL-DT-ST DVDRRW GSA-H20L matches your drive.

1. If you've had your computer 3 years.. note the update was released 11/2006 so it's newer then what you must have installed now

2. When you click it on HP site to see Download Option note the link (towards top) says View Directions

3. You can download it and save it on your desktop. Open it and it will install (and give u any needed directions

 

[Tedster]

could be something as dumb as using the wrong kind of discs. Is yours a +R drive and you are loading -R discs? or vice-versa?

 

[essenceofire]

Ooops. Just catching up.

I gather from your statement by "the only match" the string DVD-RW 16X HL-DT-ST DVDRRW GSA-H20L matches your drive.

1. If you've had your computer 3 years.. note the update was released 11/2006 so it's newer then what you must have installed now

2. When you click it on HP site to see Download Option note the link (towards top) says View Directions

3. You can download it and save it on your desktop. Open it and it will install (and give u any needed directions

Right but then it tells me to insert a blank disk, flash drive or an .iso. I have Daemon tools so I tried that, hoping it would work, but to no avail.

could be something as dumb as using the wrong kind of discs. Is yours a +R drive and you are loading -R discs? or vice-versa?

My computer is apparently a + AND - writer