Optical Drive Not Detected by Burning Software

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Kirbyarm

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Hey there experts,

About 18 months ago I bought this optical drive brand new for my desktop:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

It has always installed CDs and read my data DVDs and such just fine so I never noticed any problems, until recently that is. All this time I've been using my laptop to burn DVDs/CDs but I'm finding it inconvenient now to move data from my main rig to my laptop just to burn the data to the discs.

On the desktop, the DVD can be formatted/opened/viewed whether it is blank or not, shows 4.38GB/4.38GB free for example on a blank memorex. Seems to have no issue with this at all, but when I open the burning software, same program I've always used for several years that is on my laptop, it shows "Drive letter: []" and doesn't show the various disc types and capacities like it does on my laptop and refuses to let me burn anything. Dropdown menu for selecting drive is empty of choices, blank.

Any ideas on a fix for this problem?

If not I'll want to get an external optical drive but I don't want to spend money if I don't have to.
 
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Kirbyarm

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It has a drive letter in Windows and I can explore both CDs and DVDs without issue. I can copy data from them to other storage devices without issue as well. Only burning software does not want to recognize the drive and gives it a non-existing drive letter.

Just checked it right now, it's drive D: - just checked the burning software again, same problem. Multiple software tested. Same software works perfectly fine on my significantly older laptop's Optical burning capable drive.
 
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MrZoolook

MrZoolook

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This might sound patronising, but I don't mean it to be.

Judging by that picture, it looks like there's no disc in the drive. If not, could the burning software just not be reporting to drive in its drop down list because it's not actually ready RIGHT NOW for burning because there's no disc in it? Have you tried putting a disc in BEFORE running the burner?
 
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Kirbyarm

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I didn't have a DVD in there during that screenshot, my apologies. Here is another screenshot with a DVD in the drive and read, and the burning software was not opened until after the DVD was fully read.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/104490163/burner2.png

Having this software work on a good dozen other computers in my life with no issues I've become you could say comfortable or familiar with how it should work and detect, but this is the first time it won't let me click burn and asks me to insert a disc when even the operating system knows there's a disc with readable/extractable data on it. Has no drive letter in the program either which is another first.

Any ideas? Thank you for your time guys, any help figuring this out would be appreciated.
 
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MrZoolook

MrZoolook

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Please don't hit me, but in this picture, the disc is already used. So again, the software may not be listing it as it's unable to be written too. Have you tried with a known unburned and empty disc?

I will say, this is all speculation, and might just be a wild goose chase etc. But best to be thorough!
 
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Kirbyarm

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Haha I take it you're used to people taking your replies the wrong way! Don't worry I won't bite you haha.

I would say your efforts there for troubleshooting are worthy but I can tell even without a test that it's inaccurate. Basically this is because if the drive is detected, even if there is no CD/DVD in the drive on a computer where the software detects the drive, the drive letter still shows up and 4 color bars appear (700 MB for CDs, 4.7GB for DVDs, and 8.3GB for dual layers etc) down at the bottom with no disc in the drive, or with a disc in the drive whether it has data or not. But for some reason on this computer, which has never even used the burner as of yet, these bars do not load on the programs launch straight away like they should, no drive is found/selectable and asks me to insert a disc when there is clearly a disc in the drive, even according to Windows, fully explorable. I know, it's a bit of a mind boggler huh? hehe..
 
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MrZoolook

MrZoolook

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Well, I can be pretty direct, and some folks misread it lol

So this particular machine hasn't been used to burn discs before? Was the drive in the machine before the burning software was installed? I ask because some crazy ass software programmers love to store info in .ini files, and maybe if the drive was put in after the software was installed, you might need to refresh the software settings.

In fact, just go for a reinstall of the software, for shits and giggles :D
 
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Kirbyarm

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Well it is my very first custom built desktop, that I put together myself. I got a good deal for a standard Asus optical drive that reads and write CDs and DVDs, figured that would work just fine. I burned a few times since I got it but coincidentally used my laptop since that is where my DVD movie burning software is (different than my data and image burning software). So I never really noticed burning didn't work because I used the drive just fine to read, install driver CDs and grab data of CDs and DVDs with no problem. But I tried firing up the burning software to make my discs but I ended up having to move the 22 GB of data to laptop to burn onto 6 x DVDs, and it seems the drive I have in my beast desktop just doesn't want to burn stuff.

Drive was fully installed in terms of hardware long before even windows was installed. Same time as the CPU/GPU and everything else. I tried to modify the ini to the drive letter that Windows sees for it but there was nothing in there. It should auto-detect anyway.

I have re-installed the software quite a few times in attempt to fix it with reboots and all. You'll see what I mean if you download and install the program Burn4Free. You don't need a disc and the drive will just show up if you have a burner.

Is there a special cable I didn't see I need to connect to the optical from the motherboard for the burning capability? 'cause it won't burn CDs either. Reads 100% fine though, quite nicely actually.

I'm running out of ideas here. :[
 
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MrZoolook

MrZoolook

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No, just the two cables, power and data. And if it reads OK it's installed correctly.


Me too. But just out of interest, what make and model is the drive? You also seem like you know how to install drives OK, so maybe you can test the drive in another computer? Again, for completeness if nothing else.

To be honest, I'm starting to think the drive isn't actually a burner. So to be sure, check the model with Windows device manager or something, instead of what the box it came in says.
 
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Kirbyarm

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It says ASUS DRW-24B3ST i ATA Device. Does this burn?

I also don't have another computer to test it on unfortunately. It won't fit into my laptop and I'm too scared to open laptops anyway.

https://www.asus.com/Optical-Drives-Storage/DRW24B3ST/
 
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MrZoolook

MrZoolook

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Well, the link you gave was for a slightly different model than you gave, but they ARE both writers. So at this point I'm officially stumped.

Do you have a driver disc? The only other thing I can suggest right now is that you delete the drive from Windows Device Manager, and then make sure the right driver is installed from the disc. If you don't have it, you can try and find the driver from the Asus website.

Maybe windows is using a generic driver, which might not give the full functionality?


Ah, I figured you were OK with it by the way you spoke about cables. Never mind! All I can say now is try the driver thing. But other than that, I'm pretty stumped I'm afraid. :(
 
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Kirbyarm

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I typo'd the model at first, I have a 24B not a 28B, my bad. I edited it earlier though. I'll look into checking out an official driver for it if I can find one. Not sure the drive even came with a CD, hmm.
 
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