Mafia2020

Yes I know, but it doesn't go through, if I press F1 to continue and choose "start windows normally" or "start in safe mode" it freezes

dai

tap f8 as it boots and if it lists the drives to boot from choose the h/d
tap f8 as it lists the ite and choose last known good configuration

Mafia2020

I managed to boot in by reinstalling windows over itself and repairing, latest report on suggested way of config: as always. DVD-RW is there, correctly identified, but it doesn't work, at all, unless in safe mode.

dai

remove the upper and lower filters
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320553/en-us

Mafia2020

I've seen this already, but is it necessary on a clean install as well? I've checked for that reg entry yesterday but I couldn't find it, is it something that gets there on clean install as well?

dai

if you have installed any burning software uninstall and reinstall

Mafia2020

I didn't install any burning software yet, should I?

Mafia2020

Anyway it doesn't work, also, my dvd-rom in device managed does NOT have any questions marks, it correctly identifies, but won't work. Not mentioning that I dont have any upper lower filters to remove..

dai

check the burning is turned on in sevices

Girderman

Specifically, the IMAPI CD Burning COM Service.

I'm stuck at why Safe Mode allows the device to "work", but having all the services turned off in Diagnostic Mode they do not.

What's the difference between the two ? I always thought they were the same. And how does that difference apply to the CD-ROM device.

Also, let's define "work" a bit. Do you mean is displayed in Windows in "My Computer", able to read media in the drive, or able to write ?

I am assuming by "works" in Safe Mode, you mean able to read media, but it will not read media in Normal Mode. Please correct this if it is wrong.

Also, navigate to Administrative Tools, Computer Management, Storage, Disk Management and verify the device is displayed and nothing looks "odd".

Can't remember exactly why or what, but I "sort of" remember this area of XP is useful; can't remember if it's for diagnostic or repair, but take a look a report anything unusual.

Another weak area I have is that of the ASPI layer, but as I recall that only applies to burning, not reading media. Can't say much else about it, only that it's involved in some way with CD/DVD devices and may be a possible cause.

Mafia2020

Ok, so here are facts:

- No matter if in normal or safe mode, the DVD-RW is correctly detected and device manager states it works correctly.

- In safe mode it reads media, of any kind.

- In normal mode it doesn't read any media of any kind. I put the whatever inside, light flashes, everything get stucked and my computer identify the whatever as an empty CD-Rom. As soon as I remove the media things get back to normal.

Mafia2020

I got problems reading media in first place, burning is a step I didn't manage to see yet, anyway what's the name of the service I should check for?

Girderman

Mafia2020

The service was not active, I activated it but nothing changed.

Note, in disk management the unit is displayed as:

Another side note, this afternoon, straight after I updated the firmware of the DVD-RW to the VERY latest it was working for a few minutes. I tried again an hour afterwards and it begun not working as always again.

Girderman

Well, if it's not the motherboard, cables or device it's GOT to be the drivers.

Have you tried unisntalling the device drivers in Hardware Manager and then running "Scan for hardware changes" ?
Also, while there, enable hidden devices on the chance that something hidden has a conflict.

Mafia2020

What you mean exactly by "drivers"?

Anyway I tried to uninstall the unit, scan for hardware changes, it redetects it right, but doesn't work.

I enabled hidden devices and a lot of things popped out, two of them have an exclamation mark, but they are the serial and the parallel port (that I previously disabled them on BIOS since I don't need them).

Also, I remember back in Win98 there was a way to see which IRQ a peripheral was using (and so to spot conflicts), is there any way to do that in Windows XP?

Girderman

Hardware drivers, that allow XP to be able to use any device.

All yellow and red-flagged devices are significant and are a possible cause of your problem. What are these devices, specifically? Posting a screen shot might be easiest.

Yes, I remember that and used it several times myself. I do not "know", but get the strong sense that XP is different, and that IRQ management is completely done by XP. I have never heard of an "IRQ conflict" in the way that you would get them in Win98. My guess is that any problem like this is reported now in Hardware Manager.

There is a place in XP somewhere where you can see what resources are assigned to which device. I vaguely recall seeing a detailed list of where everything is assigned in memory, but (sorry) can't tell you more than that.

dai

can you get a friend to put it in their computer to check if the drive works ok

Mafia2020

You refer to cdrom.sys, imapi.sys, storprop.sys etc... ? I believed they were standard default drivers for any dvd/cd? I remember back in DOS you had to have specific drivers depending on your cdrom but I am not sure how it works in XP..

dai

xp usually contains the drivers