DVD-RAM Failed

Hello again,

My two Windows 10 Pro 21H1 machines suddenly lost the ability to read
DVD-ROM discs - both at around the same time.

They'll read anything else, but not DVD-RAM although both drive have
been used to write the very discs they now refuse to read. Both drive
are supposed to be DVD-RAM capable and have been happy with these discs
in the past.

I've installed a new drive on one machine - makes no difference.

I suspect an update, but haven't noticed anything other than security
updates recently. Both machines are fully up-to-date and Windows tells me
the drivers in place are the latest, although I suspect they are generic
MS drivers rather than those from the manufacturer.

The error I get is lack of any response in File Manager on clicking the
drive and 'drive not found' in my 2-pane Total Commander file tool.

Any ideas ? (These ROMs are slow, but can be written directly without
the need of a burner programme. I'd hate to lose them).

Regards

Nordland

Either the discs have deteriorated or the optics are dirty.

It is still an optical burning process, just that the disc is factory formatted in concentric tracks and sectors similar to a HDD.

If your DVD shows up in device manager, and reports no problems, but sill doesn't read disks, the problem has a simple 1 minute fix.

The problem is simple. Your transport it jammed, likely due to vibration or some shock to the system that you may not even be aware of. The transport for the laser head moves too far toward the centre of the spindle and gets wedged in just far enough that the transport mechanism can't move it back. Here's what you do...

• Open the DVD-Rom bay on your laptop.
• Very carefully remove any dust or debris from the area around the laser head with a cue tip or gentle microfibre cloth, like the type used for cleaning monitors or lenses. BE GENTLE! You scratch that lense you are buying a whole new DVD drive.
• Once the area is clean, use a small, blunt object like a paperclip or plastic pen tip to gently, but firmly move the transport away from the centre spindle toward the outside. Clean up and more dirt or debris using the method above. If you have anything sticky or gooey, like ciagrette smoke or the like, you can use a mixture of 50% rubbing alcohol and distilled water on the q-tip to help remove junk.
• Once clean and the transport is moved to the outer limit, place in a dvd and close the tray. next time you boot your computer, the DVD reader will seek the correct centre ring on the DVD, and will then read it properly. The DVD will auto align, and your troubles should be over. If it happens again, you will know what to do.
• The culprit is a weak transport that can get stuck on smoke, dust, hair, or even get jammed in the centre if the unit takes a shock or too much vibration.
• copy and pasted from another forum worth a try

tonez said:

If your DVD shows up in device manager, and reports no problems, but sill doesn't read disks, the problem has a simple 1 minute fix.

The problem is simple. Your transport it jammed, likely due to vibration or some shock to the system that you may not even be aware of. The transport for the laser head moves too far toward the centre of the spindle and gets wedged in just far enough that the transport mechanism can't move it back. Here's what you do...

(snip)

Might be good advice, but if the OP doesn't have a laptop (or a drive of that type), the read/write head won't be easily accessible.

I don't know of any software thing that would allow the drives to read everything but DVD-RAM. That doesn't mean that no such issue exists.

A quick Web search suggests that DVD-RAM may be more sensitive to issues than other media. One poster claimed to have fixed his issues by cleaning the disks and using a drive cleaning disc. I've never used a cleaning disc.

I have cleaned the optics in audio CD drives in past years by partially disassembling them. I may have just been lucky that I succeeded. I'm not a skilled tech.

tonez said:

If your DVD shows up in device manager, and reports no problems, but sill doesn't read disks, the problem has a simple 1 minute fix.

The problem is simple. Your transport it jammed, likely due to vibration or some shock to the system that you may not even be aware of. The transport for the laser head moves too far toward the centre of the spindle and gets wedged in just far enough that the transport mechanism can't move it back. Here's what you do...

• Open the DVD-Rom bay on your laptop.
• Very carefully remove any dust or debris from the area around the laser head with a cue tip or gentle microfibre cloth, like the type used for cleaning monitors or lenses. BE GENTLE! You scratch that lense you are buying a whole new DVD drive.
• Once the area is clean, use a small, blunt object like a paperclip or plastic pen tip to gently, but firmly move the transport away from the centre spindle toward the outside. Clean up and more dirt or debris using the method above. If you have anything sticky or gooey, like ciagrette smoke or the like, you can use a mixture of 50% rubbing alcohol and distilled water on the q-tip to help remove junk.
• Once clean and the transport is moved to the outer limit, place in a dvd and close the tray. next time you boot your computer, the DVD reader will seek the correct centre ring on the DVD, and will then read it properly. The DVD will auto align, and your troubles should be over. If it happens again, you will know what to do.
• The culprit is a weak transport that can get stuck on smoke, dust, hair, or even get jammed in the centre if the unit takes a shock or too much vibration.
• copy and pasted from another forum worth a try

Thank you for your reply, but ...

I cannot see this being the problem:
- same problem on two machines
- replaced one drive, still the same problem with the new one
- problem only on one category of disc.

Other problem is getting a (safe) download of up-to-date manufacturer's drivers.

I have a cleaning disc, so I'll try cleaning one of them, see if that helps.

Regards
Nordland

- - - Updated - - -

bobkn said:

Might be good advice, but if the OP doesn't have a laptop (or a drive of that type), the read/write head won't be easily accessible.

I don't know of any software thing that would allow the drives to read everything but DVD-RAM. That doesn't mean that no such issue exists.

A quick Web search suggests that DVD-RAM may be more sensitive to issues than other media. One poster claimed to have fixed his issues by cleaning the disks and using a drive cleaning disc. I've never used a cleaning disc.

I have cleaned the optics in audio CD drives in past years by partially disassembling them. I may have just been lucky that I succeeded. I'm not a skilled tech.

Thanks for your reply.

I'll try the cleaning trick. I have a cleaner disc somewhere although it's rather old.

Regards

Nordland

Hi,
Try linux on usb

Emergency Kit - save your files from a dead OS | Tutorials

ThrashZone said:

Hi,
Try linux on usb

Emergency Kit - save your files from a dead OS | Tutorials

Tried cleaning - no difference. Still can't read DVD-RAM - everything else but not DVD-RAM on either the old
drive or the replacement. It's got to be a software issue.

Can't find a driver for a IHAS-122F by Lite-On.

Possibly I could put a distro like Mint on a flash drive and try to recover the most important files that way.
Or possibly a virtual machine.

Thanks - I'll look at that tutorial you pointed to,

Regards

Nordland

- - - Updated - - -

Nordland said:

Tried cleaning - no difference. Still can't read DVD-RAM - everything else but not DVD-RAM on either the old
drive or the replacement. It's got to be a software issue.

Can't find a driver for a IHAS-122F by Lite-On.

Possibly I could put a distro like Mint on a flash drive and try to recover the most important files that way.
Or possibly a virtual machine.

Thanks - I'll look at that tutorial you pointed to,

Regards

Nordland

I downloaded the Mint distro ISO, but could not follow the video. Clicking on the ISO gives me a File Manager page
pretending to be drive I:. I can't quite see how to get to the installer to put the system on the flash drive,

Regards

Nordland

Nordland said:

Tried cleaning - no difference. Still can't read DVD-RAM - everything else but not DVD-RAM on either the old
drive or the replacement. It's got to be a software issue.

Can't find a driver for a IHAS-122F by Lite-On.

Possibly I could put a distro like Mint on a flash drive and try to recover the most important files that way.
Or possibly a virtual machine.

Thanks - I'll look at that tutorial you pointed to,

Regards

Nordland

- - - Updated - - -



I downloaded the Mint distro ISO, but could not follow the video. Clicking on the ISO gives me a File Manager page
pretending to be drive I:. I can't quite see how to get to the installer to put the system on the flash drive,

Regards

Nordland

Hi,
From the tutorial this didn't work I use it
Universal USB Installer - Easy As 1 2 3 | Pen Drive Linux

ThrashZone said:

Hi,
From the tutorial this didn't work I use it
Universal USB Installer - Easy As 1 2 3 | Pen Drive Linux

Thanks, I'll try that later.

Regards

Nordland