DELL Dimension 5000 DVD writer will not recognise CD-R 3

[beergoggles12]

Hi,
My neighbour has a DELL Dimension 5000 PC with DVD/CD single drive.
I have some software to install onto their machine, but it will not recognise any copied CD's whether they are CD-R or CD-RW.
The disks work perfectly on my machine (running on 2000PRO) but will not boot up - error meassage states that you need to insert the CD into the CD drive.
Has this machine got some software or hardware lock where is does not recognise CD-R's.

Please help.
Thanks

 

[G0AOZ]

I suspect your neighbour's got an old drive, some of which are quite finnicky about home burned CDs. I take it that it'll read commercially produced CDs ok...? It might be your only option is to temporarily pop in a substitute CD drive to read the software you're trying to install, and then reset after you're done.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[beergoggles12]

Hi Roger,
The machines only 6 months old and they have difficulty with other CDR's as well. Do you think it is a fault with the unit or do you know whether DELL put anti copy CD software on their machines to stop this??

 

[Xaqte]

The drive wouldn't happen to be Sony, would it?

 

[cdogg]

The question is...

[navy]Does it recognize commercial, store-bought CD's?[/navy] When you say CDR, people take that to mean CD-Recordable. There's a huge difference!

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[beergoggles12]

Hi Cdogg & Xaqte,
To answer both your questions :-
1) There is no information on the machine to determine the disc drive manufacturer, does anybody know what brands go into DELL PC's?

2) Compact Disc-Recordable, a CD that can be written to only once and not erased.
My neighbour is a designer and backs up his work on CD-Recordables (imation CD-R 700MB).

All the discs work fine on my machine (I have toshiba and ARTEK DVD/DR-RW drives).

His machine does recognise shop bought music CD's.

Bit of a weird one this !!!!

Thanks

Look forward to any further suggestions.

 

[cdogg]

Right, I realize what the definition is for CD-R. The reason why I placed emphasis there is because you were asked in the first response, if it [blue]"read commercially produced CDs ok[/blue]. Then you only talked about CD-R's in your next response.


Now that we have that out of the way....[LOL]


All newer CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives should be able to read any form of burned media. The key there is "should". There are some exceptions, like what you've found. Try making another CD-R using a different brand (Sony, Maxell, Fujifilm, etc). Burn it at a low speed, and make sure you are closing the session.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[Xaqte]

The manufacturer and model number can be found:

Start > Control Panel > System > Hardware tab > Device Manager

Click the " + " symbol beside "DVD/CD-ROM Drives".
Here you will find the details. The reason why I ased was because I had a very similar problem with my Inspiron 6000 (just a few months old). I had Dell ship me a replacement drive for the Sony drive that it came with. The drive that they replaced it with was a NEC, and it is better than the original one all around.

 

[micker377]

Just a note on upgrading. I recently "stripped" a Dell 4300. I went to use the CDRW in another computer. I downloaded the updated drivers for the CDRW. I actually read the "Readme" file. It stated that the new drivers were for the regular drive. "Not for use on OEM drives (Dell, HP, etc.). The drive may be damaged." Anyone ever heard of this? Are OEM's that different?

 

[beergoggles12]

Hi micker377 - I assume you downloaded the driver from the Dell website? If not, where please.

 

[cdogg]

I don't know what the fascination is of downloading DVD/CD-ROM drivers these days![tab]

Optical devices have firmware and don't require you to install a Windows driver. Removing and readding the drive will do that for you automatically!

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[beergoggles12]

Hi cdogg,
Consider me a thick IT user - thanks for the help.

 

[cdogg]

Nah, the comment wasn't directed at anyone in particular, especially you. I've just come across multiple threads in recent days where it was SUGGESTED to go out to somewhere like driverguide.com to grab DVD/CD drivers.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884