Urgently need info for a new DVD RW!

Where I live, most PC components are dodgy Chinese copies of the real makes (my boss was proud that his expensive DVD player was still working after 6 months), so I have asked my friend to send my PC as a cargo. I have asked him to take out at least a graphics card and put it in an anti-static bag for transport. I'm also wondering about the processor (and hard drive) but I doubt he can get hold of Arctic Silver for me in such a short notice...

As in this country Blu-ray disk simply means more DVD-quality films rammed into the same disk, I gave my Blue-ray RW to my son when I emigrated, meaning that I don't have an optical drive... All I want is a decent quality DVD RW that burns bog standard DVDs, a isn't too sensitive about bad quality disks. My problem is that I am running XP media version but I am hoping my friend also finds my copy of Win7, which I am fairly sure is the 64-bit version...

So I need a DVD RW drive that supports preferably Win XP and Win 7, 32 and 64 bits just in case, and comes with basic burning software. Back in the old days I used to like Nero but I have read several warnings that it doesn't work with Win 7, or at least with 64 bit version. So what other burning software is idiot proof? All I need is basic burning without too many coasters.

In the past I have received cut-down software also with OEM drives, like Power DVD, which has been my firm favourite ever since, namely because of it's support of many formats and robustness with not so good quality disks... I'm still using v.6 but it is struggling with some newer formats now. If situation was different, I could buy one later, now software has to arrive at the same time. (Just like the hardware, all the software here are hacked, no matter what shop you buy it from. Buying it from a prestige high street shop does not guarantee that the copy won't stop working once the manufacturer catches on with hacked verifications (serial numbers etc). Downloading legal software from the net isn't always that easy, with slow and unreliable connection.

I have had several Lite-On drives in different rigs, over the last ten years, which have been very nice otherwise, but for some reason ALL of them have developed the same problem and nobody has been able to sort them out or had any information why this has been happering: the tray behaves exactly the opposite as it should. So I'm obviously jinxed with Lite-On drives...

I'm sure I could find one on the Internet but he needs to order it SUNDAY and get it delivered BY TUESDAY!!! So please, can you recommend me a make and model from Amazon, Ebuyer or another (English) company that can guarantee next day delivery.

 

TBH I dont think it matters. almost any drive will work. Windows has built in burning software for burning. Media player will burn audio and explorer will burn data. not sure about video. i have never had problems with lite-on or pioneer.

 

While many drives will work, there are some that seem to give problems. Unfortunately, there is no way I can return, or even order another drive via Internet if the one my friend sends me is not working properly...



For example, Samsung SH-S223 needs a firmware update before it reads Win 7 software (including the OS installation disk – so how can you update firmware if you haven’t even got an OS yet?) and even then it won’t play some DVDs. Samsung is not the only one. However, the manufacturer claims that it is MS certified to be compatible with Win7… And apparently, if only works with motherboards with SATA II.

(“Even with the firm ware update this drive caused me headaches.

System was unstable and had numerous random faults.
Checked all the regular issues then on a hunch and after running Win7's verifier.exe I switched to a different DVD drive.

New DVD drive installed win 7 in half the time this one did.

It's still early days but after scrapping this drive I haven't had a sniff of a problem.” http://www.ebuyer.com/product/179014)



Some drivers are very noisy, like Sony Optiarc AD-5260S. This is not ideal as I use my computer for everything, including watching movies. The drive doesn't have to be that silent, but I don't want to hear it over the film or music.



(All comments are based E-buyer customer reviews.)