Rare DVD drive problem

I've never come across this problem before, or read about it. :confused

Trying to load commercial programs onto my ex's Compaq Desktop. after reformat and reload the initial OEM stuff, the DVD drive will read and write non-commercial software, but not purchased Commercial programs ???

It reports, when I check properties, that the CD's in question have:

Used space 0 bytes
Free space 0 bytes
Capacity 0 bytes.

The commercial CD's work OK on my laptop. :confused

Really need help as I can't load her dialup software.

Bazza

 

I have run into many DVD/CD drives that will read home-burned discs, but not factory discs, and I've other drives do the exact opposite and only read factory discs but not home-burned discs. You can try to track down the firmware for the drive and flash it like a motherboard BIOS, but finding firmware for DVD drives can be a real experience. Maybe use a different PC to burn the setup files from the dial-up disc to a home-burned disc and run that thru?

Freekin @#$*& :*** computers!!!! :mad :boxing :crybaby :banghead

 

what additional software did you load beyond windows? could it have something like roxio installed?
did you use a recovery disk or just a windows disk (xp i assume? )

 

If you can get the ID of the DVD drive I may be able to help you with the firmware. I'm good at finding oddball stuff like that.

 

Many thanks to dlb, thesmokingun and christopherjellybean for your suggestions. I will check out the DVD drive ID specs when I am next over at my ex's.

Although I can probably copy the dial-up disk on another PC, I have other commercial disks that I want to load so I would like to solve the problem once and for all.

Lots of my favourite software was loaded, from my downloads. Programs like SlickRun, CCleaner, Cleanup!, etc. I don't remember seeing Roxio anywhere. I will check that out also.

The computer supplier loaded the recovery disk and Windows. I don't know if they used OEM or non-commercial disks. It is XP Home.

If I can't solve the problem through MG, it will be back to the computer supplier. :cry

Thanks again for your help and suggestions.

Bazza

 

have you updated to service pack 3? or at done the windows updates?

 

I've actually had that same issue before with two optical drives bazza ... neither of them could be fixed by software, I just bought new drives in the end ...

 

Although it shouldn't be, I've seen swapping master/slave and even hardware controllers round fix this.

You could try different channels, plug-in ide cards or usb drives.

 

Thanks for the additional suggestions. I will have to check out what Update is current. I suspect it might only be SP1 or SP2. I doubt if it is SP3.

It will be a day or 2 before I can get the relevant details so bear with me.

Bazza