WinXP SP2 - new DVD writer not working well.

[Spike]

I recently bought a Samsung TS-H552B / Memup DVDRW 16x to replace my DVD-ROM drive.

There is a review at

http://www.tomshardware.com/storage/20041102/dvd_burners-08.html

and specs at the website of the company I bought it from at

http://www.mpcomputersdirect.com/Shop/Product_Details.asp?DP=0&RP=53127&BSP=0

When I bought it, the media I bought to go with it were Bulkpak 8x DVD-R 4.7GB disks, in a spindle of 25. after instalation of the drive, I attempted to write a disk, but unfortunately the first attempt failed completely with Nero not recognising the disk. Most subsequent attempts with these disk was successful up until finalization, at which point Nero told me that the disk couldn't be finalised. None the less, the disks were still readable by my machine. Knowing that I was only able to write DVD's intermittantly, I decided to buy some better media.

I can't remember the name, but the media I bought was good. I know numerous people who use it on various drives with no problems, and it wasn't exactly cheap.

I can write these disks perfectly, according to Nero, but with one massive problem. When I re-insert the disk I've just written, the drive can't read it, and so explorer hangs while it's trying. It never manages to see what's on the disk.

This is now proving to be a major problem because my system drive is now failing (unrelated issue), and I need my dvd writer to back up my data before re-installing the system onto my other drive.

My configuration is

Primary:
Master 10GB HD - system
Slave 60 GB HD
Secondary
Master DVD ReWriter
Slave CD ReWriter

My system specs should be roughly up to date in my profile.

Heres device manager...

and here's My Computer...

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Spike]

If anybody has ANY suggestions, nomatter how unlikely or obvious, I would really appreciate them. I really am stumped on how to solve this, and 60 GB of data is a lot to handle on CD. My system hard drive has started seriously clicking and banging, I can't afford a new one at the moment, and if I don't get this DVD burner working, I'm going to loose the lot when my system drive fails because I'll have to format it!

I'm quite desperate now. Anything at all would be very much appreciated!

 

[Spike]

I wouldn't normally drag my unanswered posts back to the front page, but it's a sign of how desperate I'm getting now.

Last night my hard drive clicked and got stuck, at somepoint re-booting my computer. I woke up this morning and the POST was frozen at detecting ide devices.

After slapping the hard-drive and re-booting, The pc started, but my account is corrupt.

"windows cannot find this user environment"

this means I've lost my outlook express data, IE favourites, firefox bookmarks, for the rime being at least.

This installation really is on it's last legs now due to a faulty disk, and some of the files I want to backup are too big for a CD, one example being an mpeg recording from the television at about 1.3 GB.

I have about 55 GB of data I need to move off my slave drive before I can put a new install on it, but I don't for the life of me know why I can't burn these DVD's. any help appreciated.

Look, I'm even begging! lol

 

[Tedster]

Sounds like a driver problem. Constant clicking can be caused by bad drivers. Let it go long enough and enough "head banging" can wreck the drive. You may have to go into BIOS and manually set the drive parameters. Windows doesn't always AUTO recognize the correct # of sectors, heads, etc....

 

[Spike]

Many thanks for that. The first reply. I'm glad someone's looking

It's not a driver problem though. The hard drive is only 10GB and it's getting on in years now. I'm afraid it's wearing out and the clicking is a classic sign of imminent failiure. I can't afford a replacement, and I wouldn't need one if I could just back up my data and make a space on the slave drive

What's particularly frustrating though is that I spen money on a DVD burner partly because I wanted one, but partly for this very issue, to back up before my HDD dies. If I had known, I might have just bought a new HDD.

I'm sitting here slapping the drive literally every few minutes now to keep windows going. Not a fun experience!

 

[Tedster]

buy a used one off of ebay.

you can get a 40gb for cheap

always have 2 hard drives. 1 for backup.

 

[Spike]

he he. that's what I thought, but one of thems decided to start dying, and the othr's nearly full. I really am flat brok. I can't even afford blank cds.

I guess when I next buy a HDD, I'll have to consider a bigger one.