topic Re: cd/dvd drive not working in PCs & Accessories

cd/dvd drive not working

zina — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 10:57:20 GMT

had problems before with my disc drive(didnt open lots of times),but always postponed to send it to sony cause need it for work.
yesterday tryied to write a cd .....it took ages to read it and when it did and was trying to write the cd wizard said there was no cd in the drive(not only once)........after lots of times it read the cd but when i was gonna write again it said that the empty cd is full(all of the empty cds i tryied)......
anyone had these kind of problems with their drive before?
gonna take it for repair but hate the fact im gonna have to wait for 10 days at least to get it back

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

TygerTyger — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 11:23:10 GMT

What model of computer/drive is it? I'm afraid broken optical drives are overwhelmingly the biggest problem on ClubVAIO in recent times.

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

zina — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 12:52:00 GMT

its a fs115m
i think the drive is sony dvd rw dw-d56a???
5 minutes ago it was working properly:smileyangry:

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

TygerTyger — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 12:56:21 GMT

Yeah, that's the model with rather a lot of breakdowns. Try Mr Tony's solution here (grabbing the driver appropriate for your drive) and if that doesn't work, which if all the other cases are anything to go by it won't, I think you'll have to get in touch with Vaio-Link and arrange for repair.

I think it's about time they addressed the constant problems with this drive.

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

zina — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 18:14:35 GMT

went to vaio link and found the optical drive download but its an update ,is that the one you are talking about?
?

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

TygerTyger — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 18:36:03 GMT

Well I was just saying that in case there was one. Since there is, that's the one I mean :smileygrin:

Make sure it is for your model though, some computers have various optical drives.

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

wheresmybeaver — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 23:20:34 GMT

Hey guys, looooong question, sorry. Basically, does the system restore thing really save the contents of the D drive (in practice)?

Long version: I've come to the conclusion that my own D56a drive is broken. It still reads ordinary DVDs and CDs, but never reads recorded DVDs (doesn't matter which brand or who burned it), and it never successfully burns recordable DVDs (always dies at about 90% with a very unpleasant whirring sound). CD-R burning sometimes works, but its usually a success rate of 1 in every 5 discs. Shite.

So, will be doing the full system restore to appease Sony (I presume its the first question they'll ask when I ask them to repair it). It says in my manual that I can copy everything from my C drive that I want to save over to the D drive and do a system restore, and while it will erase and start the C drive from scratch, everything should be saved, untouched, on the D drive. Does this REALLY work? Bearing in mind that I cant burn DVDs for backup.... I don't want to have to buy and external drive for this....

Thanks thanks thanks

UPDATE: I just opened a case in eSupport detailing the problem. I also had to provide a list of all the software I added to my machine... jaysus... Now, I know that EVERYBODY uses their DVD drive to make copies of copyrighted DVDs 😉 Lets just agree on that! but should I mention this? I don't want eSupport telling me to feck off because I use AnyDVD to make backup copies of DVDs I own! I've been doing it for almost a year and its never caused any damage! What do u guys think?

(Very disappointed about this broken DVD drive, by the way)

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

Akademius — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 09:45:15 GMT

Hi,

yesterday i faced exactly the same problem: i was just burning a CD, when the sonic burn-progr. stopped the process and kicked out my cd-r.

The DVD RW DW-D56A worked properly since 4 month in my Sony Vaio FS-115Z.

But now it does not read any CDs nor DVDs. I have a firmware update, but do not think it is a software problem? Is this a popular problem?

It goes off with a totally new sound, seems like it tries to start the cd but is beeing stopped

I guess it is the best to report this to Sony...

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

kee-lo_ — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 10:04:16 GMT

Zina,

Sounds like the drive's belt has gone which tells it if the door is properly closed.

Looks like it'll need a repair

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

zina — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 10:58:10 GMT

yeah....
was afraid of that kee-lo,think that is whats stoping it to read the cds?
did the firmwire update but cant tell if the cd problem is solved cause half the time it works
shit.....hate having to live without my baby for 10 days
im in Greece...gonna take it to sony here and wont do anything with e-support vaio link and stuff:smileyangry:
its frustrating cause we all pay a lot af money to get vaios that are suposed to be one of the best:smileyangry:

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

kee-lo_ — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 20:56:06 GMT

The fastest they've repaired a VAIO was 3 working days

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

zina — Sun, 18 Sep 2005 12:17:29 GMT

i dont think that is gonna happen in my case.........everything works really slow in greece!:smileylaugh:
they told my that its the least 10 days:smileyangry:

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

kee-lo_ — Sun, 18 Sep 2005 20:26:25 GMT

They have UPS and DHL so it shouldn't be too much hassle

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

Rafferty2000 — Sun, 18 Sep 2005 23:09:53 GMT

Sony is PANTS! Having just lashed out a huge wedge on a A497XP to find I have to send it back because they shipped it without a working DVD ROM. Tried installing the firmwear fix - no better.

Obviously they have no QA or customer care.

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

Twisted-Rizla — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 07:11:14 GMT

@Wheresmybeaver.

Yes, the D partition is unnafected by a restore so it is safe to put your files there.

As for the DVD question Sony ship a lot of their machines with Drag n Drop software which can be used to make a "back up" copy of any disc so I wouldn't worry too much about having AnyDVD software on your machine.

Of course you could always delete it if you are really concerned and re-install it again when you get yoy PC back.

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

Twisted-Rizla — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 07:14:09 GMT

but now it does not read any CDs nor DVDs.  I have a firmware update, but do not think it is a software problem? Is this a popular problem?

I guess it is the best to report this to Sony...

Yup, you'll have to get in touch with Sony. Contact numbers found
here.

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

Twisted-Rizla — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 07:15:10 GMT

The fastest they've repaired a VAIO was 3 working days

But that was the Managing Director's PC:smileylaugh:

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

jimmex — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 08:14:36 GMT

hehehe - I guess as another frustrated user with a malfunctioning DW D56A I really ought to throw in my 10 cents worth to this thread.

My unit, fitted into a VGN-A417M, is only 2 1/2 months old and has stopped recognizing blank CDRs and only intermittently reads written CDRs. DVD writing and reading is still working ok but Im now nervous as hell as to whether that will stop functioning soon.
.
Thanks first to Twisted for help in a separate thread prompting me to spend the past 3 days scouring the net and various forums to gen up on this pig of a drive!!

Concensus says its a Liteon SOSW 852s drive which has been rebundled and used by both Sony, Dell and a number of other manufacturers leaving a wake of disatisfied users all complaining about it malfuctioning in various ways.

Updating drivers and flashing firmare, suggested by many, seems to give sporadic results and certainly hasnt worked for me.

Conclusion:
If you depend on your optical drive for anything other than casual leisure use then best replace it asap as sooner or later it will probably malfunction for you, and forget Sony repair unless they can provide you with a more reliable (and proven) model !!

The popular model for replacement for the D56A seems to be the NEC ND-6500A which can be found in the price range of 120 - 160 USD and which apparently can fit into most Sony Vaios without too much problem and change to the cosmetic appearance (it may be necessary to shave off a couple of plastic lugs to get a snug fit.).
I haven't found a bad comment from anyone who has gone this route.

I guess any action like this will blow your Sony warranty but for me a working laptop takes priority over warranty - particularly as I'm working in a country that doesnt seem to have any Sony repair facility

Like I say - i'm a newbie - so take this recommedation as you find it.
All I know is that Im sufficiently frustrated by this drive to go the mile and change - unless of course anybody can convince me that Im talking a load of cr#p - LOL!

Jim
(Down (but not out) in Dhaka, Bangladesh - LOL!!)

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

Twisted-Rizla — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 09:47:47 GMT

Thanks for the useful info Jim.

You are right about invalidating your warrantry if you change your drive but i think a lot of people wion't have much of a choice.

Sony need to come out of the closet on this one and admit they've messed up with these drives. I've got the DW56A which won't read CD-Rs. Reads everything else though.

As Sony haven't done anything about it I may have to take matters into my own hands and change to the NEC. Thought I'd sit it out for a while first to see if anyone had found a fix. The NEC unit seems to be the only way especially if Sony are going to keep replacing the DW56A with another DW56A.

Re: cd/dvd drive not working

zina — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 12:47:01 GMT

The fastest they've repaired a VAIO was 3 working days


But that was the Managing Director's PC:smileylaugh: