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.

[Thalamus.]

Thanks...I´m going to try that...

Good luck..

[lee1973]

Hello sorry if this request as already been noted via some other user,but i have had my VGN-AR31S for 3weeks, bought blue ray dvd's on playback i get stuttering play,and lose of sound,also the lip movement and sound are out of sync with each other? I have updated the driver via the self repair, but with no luck?
Any suggestions please, thanks in advance
Lee

[Blencogo]

Hi Lee and welcome to Club Vaio.

There is an updated version of InterVideo WinDVD BD for VAIO Version 8.0.8.123 available for download from Sony Vaio Support AR31S. This is meant to fix this problem.

There is also an updated Video driver on the same page.

[lee1973]

Hi Lee and welcome to Club Vaio.

There is an updated version of InterVideo WinDVD BD for VAIO Version 8.0.8.123 available for download from Sony Vaio Support AR31S.  This is meant to fix this problem.

There is also an updated Video driver on the same page.

 

Hello B,

Thanks for the warm welcome, i have tried all that you suggested, but it appears now that it will not play blue ray discs at all,plus i'm still getting stuttery playback on normal dvd?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks again

Lee

[darkside1990]

My mashita something (???) drive was working perfectly this morning but has disappeared completely, it still opens and closes, the cd appears to be loading as normal and the orange light on the drive flashes, but nothing shows up in my computer, device manager, vaio hardware diagnostics, nothing. Help!!

[Blencogo]

Hi darkside1990 and welcome.

Have a look in Device Manager.

Start -> Right-Click My Computer -> Properties -> Hardware -> Device Manager

Expand DVD/CD-ROM Drives - is there a yellow warning?

If yes, then double-click on the Matshita drive and tell us the Error Code - it will probably be 37, 39 or 41.

If it is, we can fix it!

[MattWilson]

Its the upper and lower filters that are descibe above. Had the exact same problem. Some software installation usually causes the problem. I think its code 39. Here is the link for what to do.

[darkside1990]

Thanks for the help, however there is no DVD\CD-rom drives tab to expand under device manager! the world is out to get me!

[sks]

Hello
If anyone is having a problem with the DVD/CD drive on this LAPTOP ..
please dont try to fix it. I tried , i crashed my computer,i lost data had all kinds of nightmares. if you google this laptop you will see there are Clubs trying to sort the problem out !
I recently got in touch with a IT firm in Dubai, they sent me a new one for under a hundred pounds sterling .I fitted it and everything works now.
the dealer's e-mail is
sunil@ddcae.ae
just get a new one
good luck to all those still strugling
regards
sharad somaia

[taniasiak]

I have a VGN-FE21B.My DVD-ROM is the SONY DVD RW DW-D520A.
My dvd-rom only writes SONY DVD-disks (+R) but this was not a problem
(I buy only SONY-ones...). It reads the disks I burn BUT DOESN'T READ DISKS
BURNED IN OTHER MACHINES(also SONY +R disks). It just tell me they are blank.
Did the re-install,couldn't find new drivers.Nothing...

Anybody have a hint why and hoe I can fix-it?