IF YOU HAVE DVD/CD DRIVE PROBLEMS - READ THIS>

[Blencogo]

Several members seem to have problems with their CD/DVD drives at the moment. As far as I know, there is no magic solution but you could try some or all of the following: -

1. See if there is an updated driver or updated firmware for your drive at Vaio-Link. Some Sony drives are re-badged from other manufacturers and you may have to search for updated downloads. For example, if you have a Sony DW-D56A drive, you can get a firmware download from HERE (Use PFS2). Many other drives are also supported on this site.

2. Use System Restore to return your Vaio to the configuration when it was last working normally.
Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore - choose a restore date before you had the problem.

3. Look in Device Manager to see if there are any errors against your DVD/CD-ROM drive.
Start -> Right-Click My Computer -> Properties -> Hardware -> Device Manager - expand DVD/CD-ROM Drives and check the status. If there is an Error Code or a yellow triangle with a ! or ? come back here with the number and we may be able to help.

4. If there is no error and the drive is reported as working normally, try Uninstalling the drive by right-clicking on it in Device Manager and choosing Uninstall. Re-booting your Vaio will reinstall the drivers.

5. Try some different software to read/write your discs and see if that works. Also try a different brand of discs - Sony, TDK and Verbatim seem favourites.

6. Try a liquid lens cleaner on the lens and polish with a microfibre cloth ? this can sometimes help.

7. If your drive works with either CDs or DVDs only make sure the ribbon cable is not preventing the reader head from moving freely - check that the laser head in the drive can move freely for the whole range of its travel. The disc information is held on the outside tracks for DVDs and the inner tracks for CDs.

8. Last resort is to perform a full C:\ Drive System Recovery from your Recovery Discs. Make sure you back up all your Data as the contents of C:\ will be lost and your Vaio returned to the factory configuration.

If none of these work, you may have a hardware problem and you need to contact Vaio-Link. There is no point contacting them until you have carried out a Drive C:\ Recovery as this is the first thing they will ask you to do.

[hartley07]

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC MATE, I PERFORMED THE INSTRUCTIONS AND RE-BOOTED, THE CD DRIVE WAS BACK IN MY COMPUTER!!
MANY THANX MATE! :smileygrin: :smileygrin: :smileygrin: :smileygrin: :smileygrin: :smileygrin:

[Blencogo]

Nice one hartley07.

More by luck than judgement - but hey it worked OK,

:smileygrin:

[eyeris]

Hi everyone,

I have my vaio FE 31H for a few months and since last month my driver hardly reads any DVDs. I've tried 4 kinds of brands:
princo: ocassionally reads and writes the dvd
philips: hardly ever recognizes the dvd...when it has written and i put it in de driver again, it doesn't recognize it anymore.
tdk rewritable: can't read or write it
one with no brand: can't read or write

A friend of mine has the FS serie, also the matshita driver...and his can read all the dvds

Now, i've bought the sony dvd recordables en rewritables and i got no problems with them.
I also dont have any problems with the philips 700 MB writables and original dvd movies

I just use the roxio software, but am planning to install the nero software.

So my question is, do i have a hardware problem?? or am i doomed to use the sony dvds??

(almost the same problem as dejj??)

[hartley07]

JUST 1 MORE PROBLEM YOU MAY BE ABLE TO HELP ME WITH MATE, THE CD DRIVE IS NOW READING OK, BUT WONT LET ME BURN TO BLANK CDS I HAV THE NEW WIN MEDIA PLAYER UPDATE AND WHEN I GO TO THE BURN SECTION, IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNER AN ICON COMES UP AND READS PLEASE CONNECT A BURNER???

ONCE AGAIN THANX AND APPRICIATED MUCH,
HARTLEY07

[mickdever]

I got a VAIO about a year ago, for college, about 2 weeks in the CD/DVD drive stopped working, no error messages anywhere, i bought 1000 worth of software i couldnt install because of this. i hate vaio, im never buying anything else to do with sony again, apple macbook ftw

[hartley07]

BIT HARSH MATE!

AND ADMIN DID U GET MY LAST POST MATE ARE YOU ABLE TO GIVE ANY HELP??

THANX

[Blencogo]

Hi hartley07,

I suppose you are using Windows Media Player 11?

This seems to be causing a lot of problems - I have gone back to WMP 10 which is not as pretty to look at but at least works OK.

The only thing I can think of to try is: -

1. Start -> right-click on My Computer -> Manage -> Services and Applications -> Services
(You may have to expand the window to the right to see what you are doing!)
2. Scroll down the list of Services and find IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service and double-click on it to open the Properties box.
3. Check that the Service is not disabled and in the drop down box set the Startup Type to Automatic .
4. Click on the Start button to start the Service.
5. Now go to WMP and see if your drive is recognised.

Sorry, it's all I can think of at the moment.

[Blencogo]

Hi eyeris,

Have you updated the firmware for your optical drive by downloading it from VAIO-LINK ?

[Kei]

I need a fast response people.
My drive and laptop: Pioneer DVR-K12D, PCG-K215B
All of the basic maintenance, i.e. clean lens, reinstal drive, reformat entire system etc., are history.
Some of guys may have read my "dying K12D drive" thread in the past. My drive has now reached the point where I really do need a total replacement.
I've recently bought 150 Maxell DVD-Rs and after burning, they can't be read by my drive. Indeed, power calibration is a problem, but it's all in the laser. It's totally dying.

I am thinking of taking this baby to "PC World", and get them to perhaps fix the laser if it's possible, or replace the drive with another, perhaps a crap Sony DW-Q... Problem is, the faceplate is a definite problem.
Do you people know roughly how much it costs at PC World to replace a laptop optical drive?
Of course, my warranty (expired in Jul 2005) is history now.

On the other hand, I was thinking of buying the Pioneer DVR-K16 from "Play.com", and installing the drive myself. Is anyone an expert in replacing laptop optical drives?
I hear it's pretty easy. I need a full guide from someone, and I can't find any online.

[Audrey17]

Hello,

i've lost my dvd/cd drive. When I go to the device Manager, there is a yellow ! on it. The model is a MATSHITA UJ-850S for VGN-FE31H.

Reading on the Internet, I found the problem could come after i deleted "Norton Ghost".

I cant' find the good driver on the Internet... Please please help me !!

I have my Sony since yesterday, so i don't already create the recovery kit !!!

Hep me please
thank you