InstantCopy turned off my DVDBurner.

[int 21h]

Well gents, it appears as though InstantCopy has turned off my DVD Burner... permanently. I have a Sony DRU-500A, with the 1.0f firmware, was attempting to read a dvd-r in it to generate a .pdi file for use with a GUI based version (that I was writing) of the .pdi-xtractor code already posted... however, I noticed it was reading somewhat slow, so I decided to use my DVDRom instead, I clicked the cancel button, and InstantCopy hung. I tried to end the task, but it wouldn't work.. the drive light was no longer blinking, so I decided to restart. I restarted my PC, and upon reboot, the Drive is no longer detected, it won't power up on any of the power supply connections, and it of course, won't eject my disc. :P

Anyone know how much of a hassle it is to get an RMA and such with Sony? (just out of curiosity)

[mrbass]

this is a long shot...I have a liteon dvd-rom and I goofed up and flashed it with a lite-on cd-rw firmware. So the bios didn't recognize it at all ..nothing. It wouldn't eject or anything...crap. So I was gonna chuck it..then I thought wth..I'll try dos flashing it with dvd-rom firmware and voila it worked again. So try to find a dos util to flash the sony. I think the ones sony puts out are windows only. In that case it won't work. Hopefully someone has hacked together something.

MKTFLASH or MTKFLASH is the name of the dos flasher I used.

[int 21h]

mktflash just sits there in DOS (used a bootdisk) and doesn't do anything when I try to read the firmware... I assume it would do the same if I tried to write a firmware, but I don't have a copy of the 500A firmware in .bin form. :(

[jamieo]

This may have already occurred to you by now but you say you just rebooted? I've experienced similar problems with both cdrw and dvdrw devices and usually (fingers crossed) a full power cycle (turn pc off.. wait... turn pc back on) sorts them out.

Good luck! :)

[edit] btw, I look forward to the gui version of pdiextract!

Jamie

[The-PJ]

I have that same burner with the firmware, and I have burned 6 DVD-R's and 2 DVD+RW's with InstantCopy and my drive is fine. I think your drive just barfed. The drive should still be under the sony 1 year warrenty, so return it. If the store will take it back, go that route. Much easier.

Years and years ago I had a Sony Vaio PC. They were great about swapping out hardware parts that failed (which was quite often.) Just called them on the phone, determined the part was bad, and they'd fedex me out a new one, overnight.

[Leftfield_2k2]

''If the store will take it back, go that route. Much easier.''

By LAW the store MUST take it back and repair/replace it, if it becomes faulty within 12 months of purchase. This applies to ALL new products bought in the U.K, the product MUST be able to perform the tasks as advertised for 12 months from date of purchase, if it fails then you are 100% entitled to a repair/replacement or a FULL refund.
If they try to fob you off by saying you HAVE to go direct to Sony stand your ground and tell them that you bought the product from them and that its THEIR duty to contact Sony and not yours. If they still try to be funny about it start to raise your voice and threaten them with trading standards unless they sort it out quickly.

Its the stores responsibility to sort it out NOT YOURS!



LaterZ
Leftfield_2k2:devil:

[The-PJ]

Heh, I wish we had laws like that in the US. You will get some stores that will take items back if they break under the manufacturer warranty, but the vast majority won't. Circuit City, for example, will only take back a PC product within the first 14 days. After that, you have to deal with the manufacturer, unless you bought an extended warranty, then they will handle it but only AFTER the manufacturer warranty expired.

If you are lucky and the store will take it back, definately go that route. If not, bug Sony by phone, not email. You will get faster action.

[Slick]

Originally posted by Leftfield_2k2
By LAW the store MUST take it back and repair/replace it, if it becomes faulty within 12 months of purchase. This applies to ALL new products bought in the U.K,

I think you will find that your statement is not quite true anymore!

Eg: Dabs Direct in Bolton no longer have a returns dept.
everything is now done by Telephone or Internet.
if a product is faulty they will give you the telephone number to call of the support company for that particular product.
that compnay then arranges a visit, day/time when they can inspect the product in your home/workplace.
if the product "is" deemed faulty they arrange for a replacement.

the seller "Dabs" has nothing more to do with the product.

two weeks ago my printer died. I needed one urgently so I ordered one from "Dabs" next day delivery.
when it arrived it was DOA.
I called Dabs to exchange it, (no chance) I finally got a printer that works through the support company for Epson 7days later.

[int 21h]

4-6 weeks through Sony RMA :(

And I bought it 34 days ago, so BestBuy won't take it back.

[int 21h]

Just an update for anyone who cares... I noticed that I actually recieved the burner on the 21st of January, which meant it was only 29 days ago, I drove the 90 minutes to the nearest Best Buy, and returned it with no problems (SUPRISINGLY!).

Now the question is, do I buy another Sony or get a Pioneer instead?

[Drubbel]

I can state that my Pioneer 105 is working GREAT !
Im really surprised since I have been reading about problems with all the brands out there ,almost everyone is describing somekind of troubles.

But I have burned 20+ DVDs and non was faulty of them !!
It was also about 6 diffrent media types from $1 - $5 the all worked great.


Now its maybe just my luck 8=) !

[falves]

I don't know if you'd rather use -R(W) or +R(W), but I have had great luck with the TDK indiDVD which uses "+" media. I have made several DVDs now and not a single coaster. It also seems very fast, rated at 4x, though I have only tried 2.4x media (Ritek) which works very well.

I thought originally that the Sony would be great since it can do both media types, but after reading about so many problems people are having with them, I'm glad I went for the TDK! :D

[valnar]

Originally posted by int 21h
Now the question is, do I buy another Sony or get a Pioneer instead?

I'd get the Pioneer. I have a 104 (A04) and have never had an issue.

-Robert

[Dimsum]

I've had no probs with my Pioneer. I even flashed it this week and made it mulri-region and also 2x burn on ALL media not just branded ones - was the scariest thing I had to do, worked like a charm!

[int 21h]

My current player plays + and -, I only got the 500A because I thought maybe I'd have it a long time before I upgraded, but now I realize I'd probably end up buying at least another burner before the format wars end.

I'll probably get the 105 (since I also have about 80% of a 100 disc -R spindle of G3s left also).

Thanks for all the great input :D

[mpucoder]

Just a note: There were problems with early DRU500A's. I don't know if yours was one, the defective ones were supposed to be off the shelves (and into discount/surplus stores) a few months back.

[int 21h]

Well, I bought it from BestBuy (I don't think they are surplus or discount), but it did have a MFG date of Dec. 18th, 2002... so maybe that was the problem, oh well.

[mpucoder]

No, BestBuy should have had good units, but who knows, mistakes happen. As long as you can get a refund or replacement. I had the opportunity to buy DRU500A's at less than half price from an online discounter. After a little reasearch I decided to pass on that offer.

[int 21h]

Yep, I got an email confirmation of my refund earlier :)

I thought the AX model was just an A with the 1.0g firmware? Are there more changes besides that? Or are you saying there are multiple revisions of the A itself?

[mpucoder]

Since I already have an HP 200i, I never researched it beyond the fact that those units at the discounters "had problems". Always looking for a bargain.

[int 21h]

After investigating further, I notice that the G3s won't burn at 2x :(

So I may get another Sony... afraid I'll get another bum drive though.. anyone want to try and reproduce the 'bug' I found? :D

[The-PJ]

I'd go with the Sony. I love mine. I think you just got a bad drive, it happens. My first ever burner was a Ricoh and it did the exact same thing. One just, just barfed in the same way. Maybe go with the External Sony this time, if you have multiple PC's. I have the Internal and I am about to buy an IDE -> USB2.0 casing so I can move mine from PC to PC.

[Dimsum]

When i flashed my Pioneer to 2x burn on all media - this feature now works like a charm.

I use DataWrite (DataSafe) DVD-R's - which are G3 but also 1x - I alsways however burn at 2x - 16 Discs so far - no probs - Some DVD2One - others IC7. Everything works fine!!

[jopereira]

My SONY DRU-500A (originally version 1.0d, upgraded to 1.0g) does not burn two disks without turning off the computer. That's only with InstantCopy!!! No other prog does that!!!

My drive is a December unit too, I think only Setp. Oct. units had serius problems. But who knows?

Stick with "-" and "+" formats is good to have them both.

[Drubbel]

I saw this on Vcdhelp forum:


Hi all, i started this thread to inform people for just another one dead sony dru500a(fw 1.0d). Well the story goes like this.
1. Bought on Jan 14th 2003 (410 Euros VAT inc)
2. Burnt 5 discs successfully (all formats were tested +-R/+-RW. All of them play perfect (without glitches) on stand alone Sony DVP-S725D.
3. Feb 1st while trying to erase a princo dvd-rw got the message "I/O device not found". Checked everyhting, finally opened the case and a smell of burnt electronis was coming from the back of the sony.
4. Returned it back to the shop, and still waiting and waiting for a replacement .
_________________
Cpu power is never enough

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=145303

Looks like more then 1 Sony crashes !

[int 21h]

Well, I went ahead and grabbed another Sony (DRU-500AX), supposedly the AX models have a 2.0x firmware, which kind of makes me wonder. If this first batch of drives was having issues, it certainly would explain a lot (shortage of the drives, long RMA times, etc.)

My new drive should be here tomorrow sometime.

[int 21h]

New burner is here, and it is indeed version 2.0c firmware.