Curious Problem

[greyowl]

I am wondering if anyone has any explanations for a couple of problems:

 

1) I use AVS Disc Creator for multisession burning. When I erase and format a CD-RW, it will no longer shows up as having a disc in the machine when I check MY Computer. It still shows with the AVS program. If i write something to the disc, then it show up again in MY Computer.

 

2) I am working on an old box (about 1995 vintage) with a CD Rom. It will not show up CD-RW disc when placed in the machine.

 

Any plausible explanations?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

I don't get why it's a problem?

 

If it's blank, what do you expect Windows to do with it?

 

Just because it doesn't give the drive a name that corresponds to the media in it doesn't mean it's broken/a problem.

 

So long as your burning utils know what it is, that's all that matters.

[greyowl]

Good point.

 

I am new to this burning. I just tried some new discs and they don't show up either. So i have just learned that CD Roms work different than floppy drives. So i understand that this is normal. I was expecting them to work like floppies---and get a nice empty window and drag items into it---but i guess that makes sense because Windows is the utility that writes to the floppy as well as reading it. So you get the empty window with the Burning Utility---i get it now.

 

Thanks for the insight and patience with an early learner. You must get a laugh at some of the questions that are posed to you.

 

What about the other issue? Is it just an old CD Rom that predates CD-RW discs?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Windows XP (and newer) can burn to CD-RW if the IMAPI service is enabled and your drive is supported.

 

It's not drag and drop though unless the CD-RW is specially formatted for that and you install some special software for it (DirectCD / InCD). I believe DVDRAM discs can be used for true D+D if you format them as if they're a hdd - XP has special support for them.

 

Using IMAPI, all that happens is windows sets aside a folder where anything you D+D into the drive window gets copied to, then when you click 'burn' it actually burns the content of that folder to the disc.

 

Sorry, I thought your 2nd problem was the same as the first! The 'show up' term confused me. You mean the drive won't recognise the disc? Yeah it's probably just too old and doesn't support them at all, or has issues with that brand/make of CD-RW (or rather the dye it uses).

[greyowl]

Thanks again for the analysis and help.

 

I am wonder if problem 2, ie drive not recognizing a CD-RW, could be a firmware problem?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Updating the firmware is certainly one thing to try.

[greyowl]

Updating the firmware is certainly one thing to try.

 

 

So, the firmware could be old and affect its ability to recognize a CD-RW.

 

The CD-ROM is a Matshita CR-583. Where would I find a firmware update?

 

Also, the bios is Authentic AMD-K6 3D processor. Where would I find a bios update?

 

Thanks again.

[dontasciime]

http://forum.rpc-1.com/dl_firmware.php?cat...p;manufactor=18

[greyowl]

http://forum.rpc-1.com/dl_firmware.php?cat...p;manufactor=18

 

Thank you for the link to the CD-ROM firmware.

 

I read the instructions, but I don't understand how to do the upgrade of the firmware.

 

Can you direct me?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

You have to drop back down to DOS and do it manually via the command line interface.

 

Have you even seen/used that before?

 

What version of Windows is on the PC with that old CD drive anyway?

[greyowl]

You have to drop back down to DOS and do it manually via the command line interface.

 

Have you even seen/used that before?

 

What version of Windows is on the PC with that old CD drive anyway?

 

 

No, I have not done this before.

 

I am running W2K. I found the Command Prompt under assessories and executed the DWL.EXE file from the firmware download and got a black box with a prompt, then i got stuck.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

That wouldn't be good enough, you'll need a DOS bootdisk (i.e. where Windows isn't loaded at all).

 

Once you've got that created, copy the flasher tool + firmware to the disk and reboot.

 

Hopefully the PC will then boot up from the floppy and you'll hit the same sort of command prompt.

 

Then type in...

 

DWL X 107.hex /M

 

where 'X' is a number between 0 and 3, depending on where your drive is positioned on the IDE BUS.

 

0 = Primary Master, 1 = Primary Slave, 2 = Secondary Master, 3 = Secondary Slave

 

The BIOS screen might help you figure out what it's connected to.

 

Also, if the drive is on a totally different cable to the HDD then it's probably secondary something.

[greyowl]

That wouldn't be good enough, you'll need a DOS bootdisk (i.e. where Windows isn't loaded at all).

 

Once you've got that created, copy the flasher tool + firmware to the disk and reboot.

 

Hopefully the PC will then boot up from the floppy and you'll hit the same sort of command prompt.

 

Then type in...

 

DWL X 107.hex /M

 

where 'X' is a number between 0 and 3, depending on where your drive is positioned on the IDE BUS.

 

0 = Primary Master, 1 = Primary Slave, 2 = Secondary Master, 3 = Secondary Slave

 

The BIOS screen might help you figure out what it's connected to.

 

Also, if the drive is on a totally different cable to the HDD then it's probably secondary something.

 

 

 

Thank you for the instructions.

 

I was able to execute the 107.hex utility. However, it failed on an error below:

 

Check Vendor: Error: vendor ID Matshitacd-rom CR-5***

 

The CDROM is labeled as Creative, but the Device Manager identifies it as a Matshita CDROM CR583. Apparently, some Creative CDROM were made by Panasonic (ie Matshita).

 

Any suggestions?