New Panasonic UJ240 won't work but is recognized

lbeck · 20 Jan 2017

I purchased this BD-RE drive and hooked it up to the cables from my Acer Predator AG3-605 desktop machine to replace the OEM DVD-RW. Device manager recognizes the drive and says that it is working properly. Also that the best drivers are already installed (even though they have a 2006 date).

My first test is to see if the LED lights. It does. Pressing the front-panel eject button won't open tray. Then I right-click/eject and nothing. I run troubleshooting diagnostics and it claims everything is fine.

This is a gray market item with no accompanying software or other CD/DVDs - just the bare bones drive. I don't need more software so I opted to not pay the additional $10-20 for the drive from a Panasonic dealer.

I think that the drive is probably okay and that I'm missing something simple that someone here can help me with. Does the drive have to be actually mounted in the case for proper grounding? My thought is that the wiring provides sufficient grounding. The case is very difficult to disassemble and I'd rather not remove the DVD-RW until I have a working unit to replace it. I don't believe in-case installation is necessary.

Any suggestions?

Caledon Ken · 20 Jan 2017

Any chance it is just stuck? Can your release drawer with paper clip a couple of times just confirm it at least opens?

If it opens you could place a DVD in ans see if it reads. If it does and release on front panel still doesn't work I going to suggest DOA.

lbeck · 20 Jan 2017

Well Thank you. It wasn't stuck but once I got the tray open mechanically and inserted a disc it is recognized.

This is the first optical drive that I've experienced (of many) that will not operate on first use w/o a disc inserted. But after first use it now does operate as expected with or w/o media.

Thanks for your suggestion - it worked.

Caledon Ken · 20 Jan 2017

That is what the forum is here for, tons of ideas. Glad it worked.

lbeck · 15 Jul 2018

Caledon Ken said:

That is what the forum is here for, tons of ideas. Glad it worked.

Well it still works, but now requires the paper-clip to open the drive. I've done a Google search for an updated driver and find a plethora of adds for driver downloads - of which I'm skeptical.

Is there a way to find a safe driver to download? my paper clip is getting worn down. Explorer "SEES" the device but won't react with it, See the right-hand pictorial and the left-hand choices to see e.g., a way to access contents.

New Panasonic UJ240 won't work but is recognized-image.png

Caledon Ken · 16 Jul 2018

You should be able to enter properties and uninstall device and when asked software. Then reboot and windows will reload.

Most CD / DVD don't need vendor drivers. If they do they should be on a cd with purchase or documented in manual (paper or virtual)

You said new so if I were you I would head to store and tell them it doesn't work. Let warranty kick in.

I would not discuss paper clip, maybe say you heard about this but were unsure. Then let them prove it works.

CountMike · 17 Jul 2018

Tray should open and close using button even if connected only to power, no data cable, computer or OS. If it doesn't even if it works otherwise, it's not in good working order. Not all ODD drives have feature to open and close from software but must open using button.