DVD-RAM Drive (E:)

[Matt A]

DVD-RAM Drive (E: )

What the heck is this?

I have a DVD-CD-LiteScribe Combo burner on my 5-month-old HP Pavillion dual-core desktop

It used to show up on the My Computer list of drives as:
HL-DT-ST DVDRRW (E: )

Overnight it went to:
DVD-RAM Drive (E: )

It will now not recognize any discs put into the drive. Any CD or DVD just doesn't show up. As far as the computer is concerned, the drive is empty. Strange thing is, it will STILL burn a beautiful label using the Litescribe software. I can burn as many labels as I want, but otherwise the drive reads empty for every other disc. No movies, music, nothing.

Went through EVERY test HP had to offer(3 hours) from Phone Tech Support (via India) including destructive recovery of the HD, no help.
I'm getting a new replacement drive from HP in a few days.

Anyway, what the heck is a DVD RAM drive????
I know what a RAM drive is, but a DVD RAM drive???????

How did my combo burner all-of-a-sudden turn into one over night???

[Mike Weins]

I'd be interested in knowing that myself. One of my clients has the exact same problem (with a Sony combo) and I couldn't figure it out.

So she's also getting a new one :)

[mcfox]

Just a guess but what about a flash update of the BIOS? Doesn't HP have autoupdating enabled for stuff like that?

[TC44]

Hey Matt,

Looks like you're going in circles - DVD-RAM,
instead of spirals - DVD-RW.

This should explain why you can't read discs:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD-RAM

What it doesn't explain is why your drive name changed. This would go along way towards telling you exactly what hardware and software is in your machine:
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

TC

[Matt A]

Thanks for the suggestions McFox but we tried that. I now know every driver on this machine on a first-name basis. We tried every trick that HP could come up with. As far as I could tell, this was a first for THEM, too.

Now I know what a DVD-RAM drive is, after reading the Wiki link and researching it some more. I definately AIN'T got one of those in there, unless Scotty beamed a new $1300.00 disc drive into my machine!!!:D I just hope he beams me down some of those $6.00 discs that go with it!!!:eek:


If i find out anything ZS, I'll make sure to let you know. I even removed the drive and reinstalled it. Nothing. I would LOVE to do a forensic examination on it, but I have to send it back within 3 days of receiving the new one or pay for the new one. I could probably tell just what happened if I could do that.

Edited to add: In case others are curious, if you break the seals on a drive or hard drive and open it up, it voids the warranty. They have my credit card # just in case I don't send the old one back. Intact.

[mcfox]

Do you use Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer? I had to uninstall it because it fried some settings on my computer during an update. Meh!

[Matt A]

Negative on the Google toolbar. I don't like parasites living on my machine.

Just about 15 minutes ago my wife's Toshiba laptop just acquired a DVD-RAM drive right out of the blue. Is this one of those biblical curses we're going through right now??? Hers seems to be reading other discs as well, as long as you manually start them with the "open" command. There was also a DVD-RAM driver on her ADD REMOVE program list, (not on my list). We just had the "Geek Squad" (computer technicians) here two days ago to fix software problems on her laptop. He said he wished HIS computer was as squeaky clean as her laptop is!!!

We got both computers 5 months ago, both dual-core processors. This is starting to act like a dual-core time bomb or something.

[mcfox]

There's no way that can be coincidence! Two computers develop a non-existent dvd ram drive!?

Is your BIOS password protected?

[Lara]

I deleted some of the message. It seemed totally irrelevant afterall. I thought it might have something to do with the Lightscribe itself or the discs you are using, but I guess not.
http://www.lightscribe.com/support/index.aspx?id=400

[I was just looking at some of the newer HP "multis" as they seem to be called.
They seem to do everything and they're only $89.00. Can that be right???
"This internal, high-speed Super Multi drive features DVD±R/±RW and DVD-RAM read/write, plus ±R double-layer capability." That's called an HP dvd840i Super Multi DVD Writer. Comes with LightScribe direct disc labeling]

[Lara]

I just read TC's message. I should have read that first before posting anything. :)

Thanks for that 2nd link. Handy.

[sho-dan]

hello Matt A

Could you post both the HP pavillion and Toshiba laptop model number"s. Thanks

[Matt A]

HP Pavillion M7480N desktop 3ghz w/ Intel VIIV

Toshiba Satellite laptop 2.2ghz w/ Intel Centrino Duo

[Matt A]

My new drive arrived yesterday, overnight FedEx.

It still shows up as a DVD-RAM drive on the list but I really don't care this time. It can show up as Betty for all I care, as long as it works.

-It burns and plays CDs both music and data. Erases and re-writes.

-Burns data and movies to DVD. (lost my DVD player software in the destructive recovery). Erases and re-writes.

-It makes beautiful (or terrible! ;) ) Litescribe labels.

-This replacement IS a CD/DVD/DVD-RAM drive combo. It will work with RAM discs, too. I guess since they couldn't figure out what happened, they just sent me one that was supposed to read DVD-RAM on the list because it works with them, too?

I know my hardware. The dead drive wasn't made for DVD-RAM. SUPPOSEDLY the new one is. At $6.00 USD a disc, it'll be a while before I find out, if ever. I have hundreds of DVD+RWs, $14.00 - $20.00 per 100. At 14¢-20¢ apiece I don't really need any RAM discs right now.

[hermit]

you got grimlens in there, LOL, got XP on yer puter? if not download latest driver from dvd burner website, also uninstall your dvd player software. done? ok.. now with XP pro just unhook power to dvd drive ,then unhook yer 40 or 80 ide ribbon cable. now power computer ALL THE WAY OFF , count to 10, turn power back on, an after reboot cut power off again,.. plug power an data cables back in, power up,.. and follow idiot box's instuctions if prompted for new driver path

good luck, hermit

[Matt A]

Thanks for the suggestions Hermit.

I have XP, but just plain ol' ordinary.:D

I did remove the drive and uninstall the driver. One of the first things I tried. I even went to the graveyard, got another combo burner(without LiteScribe), put that in, and IT worked fine. The drive was toast. (my graveyard is shelves of old computers and parts I've had through the years going back to 1987)


The new drive works perfectly.

[hermit]

maybe see if find a firmware update for it an flash it

[Matt A]

Well, I suppose I could do that but since the drive was still under warranty and was replaced free-of-charge 10 days ago, there's probably no point now.;)