Read Problem with some CDRs

I just built a new computer for a nephew. I ordered an AOPEN CRW 5232. I
went to boot a copy of a WinXP Pro installation CD, and the drive wouldn't
boot from the CD (I don't have the original CD with me unfortunately)

I grabbed another CDROM drive from another computer, installed it, and it
saw the WinXP Pro CD just fine. So I installed WinXP.

After installation, I put the new AOPEN drive back in. It's able to read
most disks. However, when I put in the copy of the WinXP Pro, or a CD that I
burned with Office XP SP1, it's as if nothing is in the drive at all. Just
doesn't see the disks. Again, it will see other CD-R disks that I've
created, and manufacturer CD's as well.

I know there's no problem with either of these CD-Rs since I can see them in
other drives.

Can anyone tell me what's up? I also updated the firmware on the AOPEN drive
to the latest. No help.

If responding to me directly, please take out "REMOVE" from my e-mail
address.

Thanks!
Doug

Doug wrote:
I just built a new computer for a nephew. I ordered an AOPEN CRW 5232. I
went to boot a copy of a WinXP Pro installation CD, and the drive wouldn't
boot from the CD (I don't have the original CD with me unfortunately)

I grabbed another CDROM drive from another computer, installed it, and it
saw the WinXP Pro CD just fine. So I installed WinXP.

After installation, I put the new AOPEN drive back in. It's able to read
most disks. However, when I put in the copy of the WinXP Pro, or a CD that I
burned with Office XP SP1, it's as if nothing is in the drive at all. Just
doesn't see the disks. Again, it will see other CD-R disks that I've
created, and manufacturer CD's as well.

I know there's no problem with either of these CD-Rs since I can see them in
other drives.

Can anyone tell me what's up? I also updated the firmware on the AOPEN drive
to the latest. No help.

If responding to me directly, please take out "REMOVE" from my e-mail
address.

You have also determined that the drive works. So you have found an
incompatibility of the medium (or media) you used for the XP Pro disc
and the other which failed.

That's unusual unless both of the failing discs have high error rates,
but it is possible for the discs to be good, the drive to be good, and
the two to be incompatible.

Mike
--

http://www.mrichter.com/

On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 02:43:30 GMT, "Doug" wrote:

I just built a new computer for a nephew. I ordered an AOPEN CRW 5232. I
went to boot a copy of a WinXP Pro installation CD, and the drive wouldn't
boot from the CD (I don't have the original CD with me unfortunately)

You didn't say how long ago these CDR copies were made, but many CDRs
have a relatively short lifetime once burned. Some drives are more
sensitive to this than others.

You could test where the problem is by burning a new disk on the same
media (assuming you still have some) and seeing if it will read in the
drive. If not, the drive's not very compatible with the media you've
used. If it does read, your CDRs may be dying.

IME, you can improve the lifetime of a CDR by burning at half your
drive's rated max speed (12x for a 24x drive, 26x for a 52x drive,
etc). This has helped my CDRs last longer, but it certainly doesn't
keep them from dying eventually.


Neil Maxwell - I don't speak for my employer

Thanks for the responses. I agree, that everything points to a compatibility
problem between the media and the drive. The CDs were burned about 8 months
ago or so on a Kangeroo duplicator (that's not the right spelling for it).
Not that long ago, but it's the second time I've seen an incompatibility
with those disks.

Also, thanks for the suggestion on burning at half the rate. Makes sense.

Doug