What's wrong with my DVD drive?

Adam_30457 · 07-21-2007, 11:43 PM

I have an Optiarc DVD-RW drive on my computer and when I put a DVD+RW disk in it Windows recognizes it as a CD-RW. I know that you have to have a DVD decoder on the coputer for the drive to recognize the disk as a DVD. I have Cyberlink PowerDVD on the computer and I do believe it has a decoder on it, but the drive still says that the disk is a CD-RW.What can I do?

**Rashiki** · 07-22-2007, 02:13 AM

How old is it? Update to the latest firmware, try a different brand of media, and run a cleaning disc through the drive. Optical drives go bad quick, and it doesn't take much.

Adam_30457 · 07-22-2007, 02:34 AM

I have had this computer since January of this year and the computer is brand new. Can the disks go bad as well? I know that the drive is good but it could be dirty, but if it was dirty, wouldn't it have a problem reading any disk not just dvds?

**Rashiki** · 07-22-2007, 04:17 AM

DVD media is more precise than CD media. The data pits are smaller and packed together more tightly, and requires a smaller diameter laser beam. The CD data pits are a big bigger and don't require the precision that a DVD does, that's why when a drive starts to go bad or get dirty, DVD's are the first to go. Media does go bad, but it usually takes a few years. I've had a drive write well on one media, but another media it would give me buffer errors.. same data different disc.

It sounds like it's dirty, but check for updated firmware first.

Adam_30457 · 07-22-2007, 12:53 PM

Could you tell me Optiarc's official website. I thought I had found it but the site said Sony NEC and Optiarc. I checked the site and it didn't have my drive listed. Is there a site that has firmware upgrades for my drive. It's an Optiarc DVD RW AD-5530A.

07-21-2007, 11:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
Adam_30457 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Soperton,GA Posts: 346 OS: Windows XP Pro My System	What's wrong with my DVD drive? I have an Optiarc DVD-RW drive on my computer and when I put a DVD+RW disk in it Windows recognizes it as a CD-RW. I know that you have to have a DVD decoder on the coputer for the drive to recognize the disk as a DVD. I have Cyberlink PowerDVD on the computer and I do believe it has a decoder on it, but the drive still says that the disk is a CD-RW.What can I do? __________________ You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and you believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in wonderland. And, I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.

07-22-2007, 02:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
Rashiki Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 878 OS: Win XP Pro SP2	Re: What's wrong with my DVD drive? How old is it? Update to the latest firmware, try a different brand of media, and run a cleaning disc through the drive. Optical drives go bad quick, and it doesn't take much. __________________ ASUS P5WD2 Premium v0709 \| Intel Prescott 3.2ghz \| 2gb Corsair XMS DDR2-800 PC2-6400 \| Sparkle Power 550w PSU \| ATI All-In-Wonder X600 Pro \| Sound Blaster Audigy 4 \| CoolerMaster Aluminum Case \| WD Raptor 76gb 10K RPM SATA HDD \|ASUS CD/DVD RW Combo Drive \| Mitsumi 7-in-1 Floppy Combo Drive \| Coolermaster Copper Heatsink

07-22-2007, 02:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
Adam_30457 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Soperton,GA Posts: 346 OS: Windows XP Pro My System	Re: What's wrong with my DVD drive? I have had this computer since January of this year and the computer is brand new. Can the disks go bad as well? I know that the drive is good but it could be dirty, but if it was dirty, wouldn't it have a problem reading any disk not just dvds? __________________ You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and you believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in wonderland. And, I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.

07-22-2007, 04:17 AM	#4 (permalink)
Rashiki Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 878 OS: Win XP Pro SP2	Re: What's wrong with my DVD drive? DVD media is more precise than CD media. The data pits are smaller and packed together more tightly, and requires a smaller diameter laser beam. The CD data pits are a big bigger and don't require the precision that a DVD does, that's why when a drive starts to go bad or get dirty, DVD's are the first to go. Media does go bad, but it usually takes a few years. I've had a drive write well on one media, but another media it would give me buffer errors.. same data different disc. It sounds like it's dirty, but check for updated firmware first. __________________ ASUS P5WD2 Premium v0709 \| Intel Prescott 3.2ghz \| 2gb Corsair XMS DDR2-800 PC2-6400 \| Sparkle Power 550w PSU \| ATI All-In-Wonder X600 Pro \| Sound Blaster Audigy 4 \| CoolerMaster Aluminum Case \| WD Raptor 76gb 10K RPM SATA HDD \|ASUS CD/DVD RW Combo Drive \| Mitsumi 7-in-1 Floppy Combo Drive \| Coolermaster Copper Heatsink

07-22-2007, 12:53 PM	#5 (permalink)
Adam_30457 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Soperton,GA Posts: 346 OS: Windows XP Pro My System	Re: What's wrong with my DVD drive? Could you tell me Optiarc's official website. I thought I had found it but the site said Sony NEC and Optiarc. I checked the site and it didn't have my drive listed. Is there a site that has firmware upgrades for my drive. It's an Optiarc DVD RW AD-5530A. __________________ You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and you believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in wonderland. And, I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.