Trouble with Plextor PX-716A DVD-RW Drive

[IllinoisWayne]

I have two Plextor PX-716A DVD-RW drives in my computer.  They recently started behaving strangely, and I don’t know what to do.  

I use NTI CD Maker for burning CDs and DVDs.  What has happened is that when I create a data CD, everything checks out OK, including verifying the files.  However, when I go to read the files off the CD, there is nothing there.  This happens on both drives.  When I create a music CD, it also records OK, but I cannot play it back on my computer, although it does play on a regular CD player.  I can play a pre-recorded CD on my computer, though.  

I have tried swapping the drives by changing the master and slave jumpers and physically swapping the ribbon cable connectors between them, but nothing changes.  I have tried with just one drive installed (either drive), but this doesn’t fix the problem either.

I have tried the built-in CD burning software in Windows XP, and it gives the same results when copying files to a CD - everything goes OK, but there is nothing on the CD, and My Computer shows that there is 702 Meg on the CD.  If I look at CDs I have created proior to the start of this problem, the files show up fine, so it looks like the drive is both reading and writing, but something is missing.

I have deleted the drives from Windows and reinstalled them; I have updated the BIOS on my Intel motherboard with the latest available.  Nothing has helped.

Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks.

[pcdoc4christ]

Try reinstalling the drivers for the DVD-RW drives:

1. Right-click My Computer and select Properties.
2. In System Properties, select the Hardware tab and click the Device Manager button.
3. In Device Manager, find one of the DVD-RW drives, right-click it and select Properties.
4. In the DVD-RW drive Properties, select the Driver tab and select the Update Driver button.
5. Put the CD that came with the DVD-RW drive in the drive and have Windows search the CD for the drivers and install them.

Doc

[Computer_Commando]

Everything you have said indicates both drives are malfunctioning.  Try a different brand of CD's.  Some drives are sensitive to this.  If this doesn't fix it, it's possible there was a bad lot of drives from Plextor.  Contact them to return both if changing CD brands doesn't work.

[GX1_Man]

Welcom back CC. We haven't seen you in a loooong time.  

[pcdoc4christ]

Yeah, good to see 'ya, CC.

[IllinoisWayne]

I have previously checked on reinstalling the driver, but there are none for XP on the software disk, and the Plextor web site says that there are none for XP, as they are already incorporated in the operating system.  I don't know how you would reinstall just that driver from the Windows installation disk, or if you even can.

I don't think the brand of CDs is at fault, as I have already tried two different ones, and that makes no difference.  I don't think it is a bad drive, as I would not expect both to show the same symptoms at the same time, and I used both of them regularly prior to this happening.

Don't know where to go next.

[patio]

OK instead of trying to install drivers follow pcdoc's advice all the way to #4...instead of selecting update drivers on the right clik menu select un-install.
You will get a warning message...ignore it .
When you re-boot XP will re-install the drivers needed automatically,
You should be good to go...

patio.   8-)

[pcdoc4christ]

If Patio's advice does not work, try downloading and installing the Windows 2000 driver, as the Windows 2000 operating system is the closest to Windows XP.

Please let us know how it turns out.

Doc

[patio]

If Patio's advice does not work, try downloading and installing the Windows 2000 driver, as the Windows 2000 operating system is the closest to Windows XP.

Please let us know how it turns out.

Doc

Nicely Done Doc...i hadn't considered that.

patio.   8-)

[IllinoisWayne]

I had previously tried the uninstall and reinstall trick as described above.  That didn't work.  There is no Windows 2000 driver on the Plextor web site, either, as it is supposed to be included in Windows.  Windows cannot find the driver on the Windows installation CD, either.  I'm thinking that maybe the best thing for me to do would be to reinstall Windows from scratch.  I have already had to do that once in the past year, as some programs starting acting strangely.  Even removing the program and reinstalling it didn't fix the problem, but a clean install of Windows fixed everything.  I know that is a little extreme, but I think it would be the best solution for me.  I won't lose any data because I partition my drive and use the C partition exclusively for Windows and programs.  All my data is elsewhere.  Reloading the software would be the only hassle I'd have to deal with.  Thanks to everyone for all the assistance.

[GX1_Man]

I had previously tried the uninstall and reinstall trick as described above.  That didn't work.  There is no Windows 2000 driver on the Plextor web site, either, as it is supposed to be included in Windows.  Windows cannot find the driver on the Windows installation CD, either.  I'm thinking that maybe the best thing for me to do would be to reinstall Windows from scratch.  I have already had to do that once in the past year, as some programs starting acting strangely.  Even removing the program and reinstalling it didn't fix the problem, [highlight]but a clean install of Windows fixed everything[/highlight].  I know that is a little extreme, but I think it would be the best solution for me.  I won't lose any data because I partition my drive and use the C partition exclusively for Windows and programs.  All my data is elsewhere.  Reloading the software would be the only hassle I'd have to deal with.  Thanks to everyone for all the assistance.

Not a bad plan. ALL optical drive drivers are intrinsic to Windows. ( don't why people are always suggesting updated drivers be used. That's just wrong, based on how other devices have their own unique drivers. Just the added burning capability requires additional software. Windows or any operating system will not fix defective hardware, but this is a reasonable start.

You also may want to consider some imaging software after a fresh install. If (when) this happens again, it will only require about 10 minutes for a full reinstall instead of 3+ hours the traditional way.

http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1154041625/0#0

[pcdoc4christ]

Nicely Done Doc...i hadn't considered that.
patio.   8-)

Thanks for the compliment Patio.    8-)

[pcdoc4christ]

...There is no Windows 2000 driver on the Plextor web site, either, as it is supposed to be included in Windows.  ...

The reason why there is no driver is because you can flash the chip inside the drive.  Before you reinstall Windows, try installing the firmware upgrade for the drive:

http://www.plextor.com/english/support/downloads/firm_716.htm

The upgrade will replace the firmware on the chip inside the drive.  If you receive errors while installing the upgrade, follow these recommendations:

http://www.plextor.com/english/support/faqs/FW00007.htm

Please let us know how it turns out.

[IllinoisWayne]

Well, I reinstalled Windows, I upgraded the firmware, and then I tried to make a data CD using the program built into Windows before I installed any more software.  Same problem.  I think I am going to get a new drive from a different manufacturer, remove my two Plextor drives, and install the new one as the only drive and see where that gets me.  Don't know what else to try at this point.  Computers and I just don't get along very well....

[GX1_Man]

It's safe to say that you have ruled out software as a cause however.