DRU-510A Read and Write problems

[marsh]

Just posting to see if anyone else has had any issues with Sonys new drive?

I recieved it this week, installed it and almost immediately started to notice problems. When I inserted Sonys software DVD, the starting app "splash.exe" crashed out immediately. I've a Pioneer DVD reader in the machine too. Inserting the DVD into that drive had no problems, and I was able to install the software. Strange, I thought.

Then I noticed that Nero reported the max write speed of the drive was x1. It's supposed to be x4 for the drive, and the Verbatim disks are rated at 2x. Again strange,

Then I tried recording a DVD (at x1), all seemed to go well until I tried to re-read the files on the DVD, some .exe files and some .jpg files.

The .exe files immediatly crash, and the images within the .jpgs are all corrupt. I thought maybe there was a major problem with the drive. So I put the newly created DVD into the Pioneer, to find it had no problems reading the .exe OR the .jpgs, so it seems to be able to write (albeit only at x1).

At this point I thought - time to call Sony. 6 calls later - being told a different number to call on each - I get through to a Sony rep.

He tells me to remove all my existing burning s/w, remove the drivers for the drives and reboot. 30mins (my cost) + all that wasted time later, I'm still no better off. The engineer tells me he'll call back no later than Monday (tomorrow), so I'll see what he has to say. I'm betting I'll have to ship the drive off back to Sony.

Meanwhile, I installed a fresh (temporary) XP onto another partition, and have found it to have exactly the same problem with the drive - so it's not my XP installation.

The Nero support people quickly replied to my email asking for help with the x1 issue, and they explained that Nero just reports the max. speed of the drive from the drives firmware, which seems to bear out as other CDR apps report the same speed.

Has anyone seen any similar problems with this drive? Anyone agree with me that its probably a firmware issue?

[tazdevl]

Zero problems here, no firmware updates, the drive was just released.

Couple things... first recommendation is to list your system specs (including how you have the drives jumpered on each channel and your PSU), otherwise it makes it rather difficult to offer advice.

Do you have the latest version of Nero? If not, get it. www.ahead.de

How do you have the drive jumpered and what else do you have on the IDE channel? I would recommend manually jumpering the drive and not using cable select. I've got mine set as a Slave with a Yamaha F1 burner set as master. Put the slave drive on the middle connector and the master if there is one on the end. Are you using the cable that came with the drive? Might want to give that a try.

Is DMA enabled for the drive?

Do you have Windows XP SP1 installed? If not, install it. There are some fixes that relate to CD and DVD burners.

I'd install RecordNow DX which came with the drive, it does a better job burning DVDs than Nero IMO.

Are you trying to copy protected material? If you are, Nero doesn't like that, nor do the DVD burners. Try some data.

If Nero is limiting the burn speed, it's a media related issue. Sometimes drives can't burn @ the media manufacturer's rated speed. Might even be bad media. If you want to try a 4X burn, Best Buy has a good deal on 4X Verbatim +R media 15 pack spindle for $30.

FYI if you have a version of Nero that came with another drive, in many cases the manufacturers cripple Nero so it won't work with drives made by another manufacturer. Another reason to try RecordNow.

I backed up about 100GB of files a couple nights ago, burnt 25 DVD +Rs @ 4X. Zero problems, 15 minutes per disc.

Lastly, you could have just picked up a bum drive. It happens time to time. If this stuff doesn't work, I'd say go for a RMA. Though I've found about 95% of all problems are user error.

[marsh]

Sorry about that,

The PC is an Athlon 1800, 512mb. There are two eIDE controllers. one on the motherboard, and a PCI based RAID one.

Motherboard layout: 2 hard disks on on channel 0 of the card, the pioneer and sony are on channel 1. Pioneer is the master, sony is the slave.

I've all the latest Nero updates.

DMA is enabled on all drives

The PC is SP1, with all windows-updates applied from the website.

No copy protected stuff is involved - just normal jpegs and .exe files.

Sony did come back to me, and have agreed for me to send the drive back. But heres a warning for all those out there: They screw you on the returns. Not only did I have all the hassle of having the wrong phone numbers to call, and running up a large phone bill just to get support. Then I had to explain the fault about 3 times, then there was the failed return calls & the hassle of removing software.

Now finally they've agreed for me to return the unit and they'll send a new one - in that order, so again more time that I don't have a working drive. Then to top it all off they tell me I should send the drive via a courier - at my expense (no refund) - which will cost me £50. So, so far I've spent £300 on a drive that I've only been able to burn once, won't be able to use for the next 2 weeks AND have had to remove/reinstall software with. Bah!

I think the Sony customer department will be getting a few strong emails....