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windows will not recognize blank cd

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scottdfs

Technical User
Apr 4, 2002
62
US
have tried to burn a cd, but windows says no cd in drive. below are the steps i've already taken

tried to burn using windows, sonic record now, and nero. have tried with multiple blank cd R

installed latest drivers and firmware.
uninstalled itunes (still have not reinstalled)

removed "upper filters" and "lower filters" from registry

installed new cd/dvd burner, after uninstalling old drive.


reinstalled windows using recovery cd's. re-formatted hard drive.

i spent all weekend fighting this, out of ideas.
 
Does it recognize software cd's? If you put a fully written too cd will it find it? If not then drive is probably bad purchase a new one.
 
Since you mention you've actually installed 2 different drives, i doubt its a bad drive, may be a bad cable. do the drives read normal cds?


Ignoring what windows says, what exactly do the other softwares report when you insert a blank CD? Nero should tell you if there's something in the drive.

When you replaced the drives did you make sure they where jumpered correctly?

you sya you reformatted the hard drive, so you installed everything from scratch again and still a no go? maybe be a problem with the motherboard's connector.

----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.
 
yes, both drives can read normal cd's.
when i use Nero, it also says no cd in drive.
yes, did a complete reinstall, to include deleting old partition, recreating and reformatting.
 
have tried with multiple blank cd R"

Are these the same brand, color, speed etc. Do you have the same problem if you use a CD-RW CD?

Sounds like the trouble may be occurring between the rear of the CD and the motherboard?
 
I'll go along with Linney's thinking, "Are these the same brand, color, speed etc.", and suggest you try a totally different BRAND (from a different manufacturer)...


Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
 
this is a clear symptom of a dirty lens.
Epecially with CD-R's who has a lower contrast between a "1" and a "0" in comparison to a "factory CD-R".

A blank CD-R is NOT really blank!
There is a pre-written guidance Track and some codecs to identify the disk.
These have VERY less contrast.
It is the first part who fails if the Laserlens acumulates dust.

Be carefull if you use the standard cleaning CD's.
They are prune to damage the laser lens sooner or later.
This is beceause the Laserlens is suspended in a strong machnetic field where a 2-axis voice coil mechanism will move the lens vertically and horizontally.
Since the brushes will slam the laserlens out of position everytime they passes it, the supplywires of the Voice coils can eventually break resulting in a non working unit.

I have even one case where the whole lens assembly was knocked out of the machnetic field and was found back on the bottom of the drive.
(Obviously a oneway ticket to the dumpster)

the Laserlens can be cleaned with a cotton tip moisted with 96+ % alcohol.
Do NOT apply more pressure than just the feeling that you are in contact with the lens!!!
Otherwise you wil damage the lens surface and the Voice coil positioning system!
After cleaning it, dry it immediately with a new cotton tip or the other cotton edge.

A standard 5¼" unit must be taken apart to do this operation.
Do NOT atempt it if you are inexperienced with the internal parts of a CD-Rom drive!

Do not clean it very often!
You will eventually shave off the blue anti-reflection coating of the lens surface which result in a "Visually impaired" unit.
Only clean it if you have trouble in reading CD-R's who reads flawlessly in an other drive.
 
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