Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: AKSWulfe on November 19, 2001, 05:28:00 PM

Title: CD-RW Help plz
Post by: AKSWulfe on November 19, 2001, 05:28:00 PM
I have a Pacific Digital 16x40x40x CD-RW.

Today when I put in a CD to burn it, it goes through and is all good-- atleast I think. Scanning at the end takes a little longer than it used to just before it writes the TOC.

Then I find out, to my horror considering this f'in POS is only 20 days old and used only 12 times, that it can't read CD's anymore.

I put in a CD, it sits there with the green light (as opposed to the orange or red) flashing and then after about 8 flashes the CD comes back out.

Naturally I assume this absolute POS can't read anymore and will have to send it in to get it replaced.

Just curious, though, if it's somethign I can fix?
-SW
Title: CD-RW Help plz
Post by: Animal on November 19, 2001, 05:38:00 PM
some drivers will know when you are pirating software and will self destruct.
i'm not saying you are pirating, but just an observation.

pirating is illegal!
Title: CD-RW Help plz
Post by: AKSWulfe on November 19, 2001, 05:49:00 PM
Just used it to copy movies and music so far.

They weren't even movies- just shows recorded from TV. Southpark, SNL skits, and a few other things- none of which would be illegal.

I think it's just a f'in POS, never buy anything that comes with a mail in rebate!

The crap usually breaks before you even get the damn rebate back!
-SW
Title: CD-RW Help plz
Post by: AKSWulfe on November 19, 2001, 05:51:00 PM
Oh, and here's a new thing. I just took it out (powered system down) to write down the model # and serial #... I put it back in and plug it up.

Now the damn thing will open up with NO CD in it, and each time I try to close it it blinks twice then opens up again.

I've had a no-name POS 50x CD-ROM for over a year- works fine. I have a supposed name brand CD-RW that breaks in 20 days.

*sigh*
-SW
Title: CD-RW Help plz
Post by: Animal on November 19, 2001, 06:03:00 PM
actually - i was just lying.
carry on with your thread.
Title: CD-RW Help plz
Post by: AKSWulfe on November 19, 2001, 06:20:00 PM
I figured you were...

I fixed it anyway. I switched it from slave to master and switched my other CD-ROM to slave.

Strange, but for some reason that worked.
-SW
Title: CD-RW Help plz
Post by: Animal on November 19, 2001, 06:37:00 PM
yeap that seems right, specially if your PC is low end (is it?). also make sure DMA is enabled.
Title: CD-RW Help plz
Post by: AKSWulfe on November 19, 2001, 08:58:00 PM
PC is 900Mhz Athlon O/cled to 1080Mhz, 133Mhz PC133 SDRAM o/cled to 146Mhz, FSB overclocked to 108(216)mhz. HDD is Maxtor 7200RPM 30GB ATA100 drive, master on primary IDE chain. Shotty 50x CD-ROM drive on Slave on secondary IDE chain, PDC CD-RW on master on secondary IDE chain.

I had it setup so that the CD-RW was slave while the CD-ROM was master- it worked for about 20 days like that. Then just gave up on reading- but could still write.

After testing the drive on another PC, I found that it worked set to Master. So I just did that and installed it.

I already had DMA enabled, on both CD-ROMs and my HDD.
-SW
Title: CD-RW Help plz
Post by: -lynx- on November 20, 2001, 03:43:00 AM
SWulfe - I just had a TEAC CDRW replaced - it was reading CDs and writing something which nothing could read afterwards. Brands are not everything as far as reliability is concerned - TEACs are supposed to be the best...

As far as I remember you are supposed to set the CDRW unit as a master drive...
Title: CD-RW Help plz
Post by: Staga on November 20, 2001, 04:02:00 AM
When I bought my first burner (Wearness 2x2x6, LONG time ago  :D) I was having similar problems with it.
Not sure if it was pervert but all it wanted to be was a slave...
It was slow but never failed and noises it made were like from Mercedes if compared to HP I'm using now (Sounds like it has some rocks inside).
Title: CD-RW Help plz
Post by: Eagler on November 20, 2001, 10:35:00 AM
I found your problem:

Pacific Digital

Here is the fix:

Plextor
 http://www.techdepot.com/product.asp?ProductID=337658&CatID=380 (http://www.techdepot.com/product.asp?ProductID=337658&CatID=380)

$150 after rebate
Title: CD-RW Help plz
Post by: Ozark on November 20, 2001, 11:04:00 AM
Yeah, got to love the PlexWriter.
4 months old and no coasters!