My Sony DRU-500A has just stopped working with -RW discs

[markrb]

I tried to erase and then write a -RW disc tonight and got an error. Now through 4 -RW discs and using various other software to test even the reading of these discs has shown me that the Sony no longer recognizes even an already written -RW disc. It works fine with +RW and +R though, reading and writting. I don't have any -R to test. I have been writting all formats of discs without problems for over month.

After I couldn't get it to work I decided to upgrade the firmware cause maybe this was a bug, but 1.0G made no difference.

My Pionner 116 has no problem reading the discs, but the Sony won't read or write them.

Is there a different laser for each type of disc?

Any thoughts?

Mark

[gooki]

Could be a bung drive.

[geffroman]

My Pioneer did that once... Turned out the drive took a crap... Had to send it in...

[jankster]

My DVD-104 does the same thing after I upgrade firmware to 1.40 2Xforall. I was using cheap Princo white top DVD-RW. My problem is I can't erase, however they never were reliable from day one. I then bought a sample pack that had 2-Optodisc DVD-RW and they work perfect.

Bottom line....try different media.

[waldok]

mark,

did you try downgrading the firmware ?

I think I'll wait before upgrading finally...(never ending story)

I hope downgrading will help you.

waldok:cool:

[markrb]

The problem started on 1.0f and with 1.0f I had been successfully using this media for a month without a problem. After the problem started I went to 1.0G and not before.

I will try other branded media, but I have my doubts since I have been using them for a month and I have 4 -RW discs to test. The ones that have data can be read by my Pioneer DVD-ROM. I went looking today for some other brand to find, but I have had no luck. I have been using the Memorex branded discs, but I don't know who actually makes them.

I have contacted Sony and I will wait to hear what they have to say about it.

Mark

[markrb]

A Quick update. I bought a new DVD-RW disc. This one is branded TDK. The Sony recognizes the disc without a problem.
I have not tried to write anything to it yet so I can't tell if it will work.
If it is the media why then did the Memorex work for a month and then all of a sudden all 5 go bad the same day?

Mark

[waldok]

That's strange. Could it be that you were so unlucky that 5 memorex discs were bad ? or so lucky that the first memorex you used were good ? ;)

Anyway I hope the TDK will work for you. PLease let us know (I can't say I'm not interested since I might experience the same problems :D)

Waldok :cool:

[Crawl]

I've read also that some dru500a stopped and that they wont burned at all.

I'll cross my fingers with my own dru500A......:scared:

Crawl

[jacobjef]

I had many similar problems with the Sony drive, and made many posts in reference. Had enough problems and ended up returning the drive. What software are you using to burn with though? That might make the difference?

[waldok]

Not willing to bring this firmware story again, but definitely it seems most people who had big troubles with the Sony are using firmware 1.0f or above.
I've been using 1.0d from the start and never had any problem with any type or brand of DVD+-R/W (well, fingers crossed...)

Anybody around here having such big problems with this 1.0d firmware ?

(I know I'm boring with my never ending firmware story, but this situation is rather unclear to me now)

Waldok:cool:

[markrb]

I have been rebuilding my system so I haven't had time to do any testing other then burn the DVD-RW. It did burn fine. I have not tried to erase and reburn with it yet.

I have used several pieces of software with this drive.
I first started with Nero, but don't use it anymore except for cd-rw discs.

Now I use either DVD Decrypter or RecordNow Max to work with the drive.

Mark

[geffroman]

Sure sounds like it's time to send it back to Sony for repair and quit knocking yourself out...

Everytime something stops working for me over the past 15 years and I have not changed a thing... it's been hardware failure... 100%...

Now if you updated your writing software I'd say rebuild...

Sounds from what you say as if your drive just crapped...

Jeff

[caprioles9000]

Originally posted by Crawl
I've read also that some dru500a stopped and that they wont burned at all.

I'll cross my fingers with my own dru500A......:scared:

Crawl

Yep this is true ...i had it the first time ..it just suddenly stopped burning just before xmass.,...i had to send it to belgium to get it fix...at that time they did not have enough part to fix it ..so i had to wait two months got it back at around the third week of january ..and guess wat ...it just did the same thing yesterday nigth ..It just stopped again :angry: ...i just spoke with the guys from sony....and i am sending the rma file that i got from the drive check software of theirs....they will be analyzing this and then checking to see what the problem is...!!!

[Vikroda]

My Sony had the same problem of not recognizing anything on the disc (even though I could read it with a DVD rom drive) with just two DVD-RW discs (cheap Princos which I will never buy again) but otherwise had no problem with most of them. However, just now (about two weeking into having the drive) it won't read any DVD-RW's that were finalized or that I formatted in incremental mode (using Instand CD/DVD). It will read all the DVD-RWs that are formatted in random access mode. Very strange.
Btw, I updated the firmware from f to g when I first got the drive.
Maybe it's time to return the drive and pick up a cheap CenDyne at Staples...

PS: I think the only thing I did differently between when the drive recognized the discs and when it didn't was that I tried using the free DVD+RW that came with the drive--I don't know if the two events are related. I emailed Sony tech support and will wait to see what they say.

[jacobjef]

I read a post stating of a possible recall to the Sony drive. Anybody know if this ever happened?

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=42332&highlight=recall+sony

[markrb]

At this point the drive still will not work with the Memorex DVD-RW discs, but I have done 3 or 4 writes and erases with the TDK without an issue. I don't get it, but since it is working with the TDK I don't think the drive is broken at this point.

Mark

[Vikroda]

Still no word from Sony Tech Support; however, I had an unrelated problem and had to restore from an old backup. This required me to reinstall the software. Now the Sony will recognize the cheap Princo DVD-RW's! I'm in the process of finalizing some of my disc so I can access the data with my DVD-ROM drive when/if the Sony decides not to recognize the Princos anymore...
I would assume that this is a software issue, but I'm not sure what caused the drive to stop reading the Princos. Maybe it was the service patch install or the new Via 4-in-1 drivers or... Anyway the problem seems to be solved for now.

[bitbrain2101]

Hi,

I have a similar problem with my DRU-500a.I own a DVD-RW disk from Intenso and burned it with the Sony at 1x speed.So far all o.k.But now if I put the disk into the Sony,it is not recognized as media.If I do a quick erase (TOC only),Nero shows an empty disk,but instead of MBs free space I see questionmarks and I can´t burn that disk.I did a full erase with this disk and now Nero is showing an empty disk with 4489MBs free space and I can burn the disk.I only have this 1 -RW disk from Intenso,so I can´t compare with other ones.I tried with firmware 1.0f and 1.0g,no difference.I think the Sony DRU-500a is very sensitive what media you use.I had 5pcs -R disks from an Intenso 25pcs cakebox,which were not recognized by the drive as media.Took them to a friend with a Pioneer A05,all 5 were recognized ! The same happened with a -R disk from Princo.So I hope this information about my experience can help a little bit.

bitbrain2101 ;)

[waldok]

I may be the only one in the world not to have problems with DRU500a. I fed the animal with BulkPaq cheap media (Princo), with Sony DVD-R, Imation DVD+R, Imation DVD-R, Verbatim DVD-RW, Sony DVD+RW without problems up to now. I couldn't say mine is really "media" sensitive.
Maybe I'm lucky after all.

Waldok:cool:

[Vikroda]

I installed Windows 2000 service pack 3 (again) and now my Sony won't recognize the DVD-RWs again. I'll load a backup from before I applied the patch and see if it starts working again...