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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.
I am using VGN-FZ11 for over one month and am getting error message 39 in device manager.
I have the Pioneer DVD RW DVR-K17.
In Device manager do I select update driver software or leave it? I have not used VAIO update yet, since I bought the notebook, there are drivers there for FZ11L should I try the updates 1st? I am clueless at all this.
I'm using windows vista Premium, so software like adobe's photosshop elements came with notebook. I have no disc for software. Just the recovery discs.
Can someone please explain to me in easy to follow instuctions how to fix this problem
I would be very gratefull. Thank you very much in advance.
Hi cloudancing and welcome to Club Vaio.
The following involves changes to the registry and I recommend that you set a System Restore Point.
Then:
1.Click Start -> Run and type: REGEDIT , and hit enter. For Vista, type REGEDIT into the search box and double click to open it).
2. Navigate to –
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
click on this and locate UpperFilters in the right-hand window, (if it exists) right click on this and select Delete and then OK.
3. Under the same Registry Key locate LowerFilters, (if it exists) right click on this and select Delete and then OK.
4. Quit Registry Editor and re-boot the computer, new registry values will be created that will hopefully cure the problem.
After you remove the Upperfilters value and the Lowerfilters value, you may possibly need to re-install your burning software if it doesn't work – but not usually.
Thank you very much for your help, and I am glad to be here, just hope I can be of help at some stage and not always looking for it.lol!
My notebook didn't come with any discs for the DVD/CD drive, so should I still proceed? Just wanted to check before I do anything.
Hi cloudancing and welcome to Club Vaio.
The following involves changes to the registry and I recommend that you set a System Restore Point.
Then:
1.Click Start -> Run and type: REGEDIT , and hit enter. For Vista, type REGEDIT into the search box and double click to open it).
2. Navigate to –
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
click on this and locate UpperFilters in the right-hand window, (if it exists) right click on this and select Delete and then OK.
3. Under the same Registry Key locate LowerFilters, (if it exists) right click on this and select Delete and then OK.
4. Quit Registry Editor and re-boot the computer, new registry values will be created that will hopefully cure the problem.
After you remove the Upperfilters value and the Lowerfilters value, you may possibly need to re-install your burning software if it doesn't work – but not usually.
Hi,
You can make your own Recovery Disc Set. The Back-up software is held in a hidden partition on your hard disc.
To make he discs you will need 2/3 DVD+R or DVD-R discs. Go to Start and type Vaio Recovery Utility in the 'Search' box. Make sure all other programs are closed and choose to make a Recovery Media Kit.
Getting your DVD drive to work will be necessary first - so follow the instructions to delete the Upperfilters and Lowerfilters from your Registry - it's not too difficult as long as you make sure you don't delete anything else!!!!
Thank you for solving my problem. It worked a treat.
Hi folk of the broken DVD club
i have had my VGN-FZ18E since sept 4th so under a month
i installed XP on it and then after a week noticed the cd/dvd wasnt reading DVDs
i then installed vista back on it to be safe but again DVDs did not read.
Now the drive no longer reads CDs :< so i am sad.
I have tried all advised in the first post ... BAR microfibre + lens cleaning liquid? please could someone link me to a webby that sells this magic juice.
it is a AW-G540A drive.
and when you insert a cd or dvd it makes a horrible noise, it sounds like the sound you get when inserting a scratched Floppy disk into an a drive..
any other ideas apart from the mircofibre?
given that the laptop is soo new i would have not thought it would need cleaning.
Cheers
Jon
hi i am having problems with dvd/cd drives
i get an error code This device cannot start. (Code 10)
the computer is 2 weeks old
can you help
Hi millieman64 and welcome to Club Vaio.
A Code 10 error is the default when the system does not have a clue what is wrong. It usually means a cable has become disconnected or the drive has just died.
It could be a driver issue. In Device Manager double-click the drive. Click Update Driver to update the drivers for this device. On the General Properties tab of the device, click Troubleshoot to start the Troubleshooting Wizard.
If it does not work again easily, I would take it back to the shop you bought it from and if they cannot get it to work, ask for a replacement computer.
I am using a sony vaio VGN-TX2XP, the eject button by the power button is no longer working please I want it to work by all means. Please help me out.
you can contact me with this email "dlaface@yahoo.com"
I bought last summer a Vaio FE21M where a Sony DVD-RW G520A burmer is standard. Shortly after i learned that i should buy the Roxio package to make it work, but even then, my friends cannot read what i have burned...
What to do.
Now (after warranty is finnished) i have made a full recovery (pushed F10 while rebooting), but is not keen to try to make a DVD, as i feel it will still not work.
Please I tried to go to the link you wrote, but without finding my model.
Please help.