Question Where can I find a driver and/or firmware for a Panasonic UJ 232A drive?

[kmcderm133]

I'm having trouble with this drive, a Panasonic UJ-232A 9.5mm Blu Ray/DVD laptop drive. I can't find a current driver or firmware anywhere for Windows 8.1. Here is the information from Device Manager>properties>details>Hardware Ids:
SCSI\CdRomMATSHITABD-MLT_UJ232A___TC02
SCSI\CdRomMATSHITABD-MLT_UJ232A___
SCSI\CdRomMATSHITA
SCSI\MATSHITABD-MLT_UJ232A___T
MATSHITABD-MLT_UJ232A___T
GenCdRom

I can't find the Vendor or Developer ID's from the information in Device Manager.

 

[SchizTech]

You shouldn't need drivers for disk drives (either optical or hard disks). What is the problem with the drive - can you post a screenshot in disk management?

 

[kmcderm133]

Here's how the drive shows up with a DVD in it:

https://imgur.com/aj5vtFw

View: https://imgur.com/aj5vtFw

(I'm sorry, the page is giving me trouble and won't let me insert the picture in the usual way.) Right after this screenscot was taken I tried playing the disc in VLC, it wouldn't load and Disk Management is stuck on "connecting to virtual disk service". The drive is still trying to read the disc from the sound of it. If I'm very determined I can get a disc to play by repeatedly inserting and removing the disc over and over until it takes. This doesn't always work. After taking the screenshot my second attempt to load the disk has Disk Management showing No Media in the drive. I hope this is a software issue and not a bad drive. I installed this drive as an upgrade, the machine originally came with a DVD drive and I wanted to upgrade to blu-ray. (I just tried a blu-ray in the drive for reference. It won't play, but that could be a codec issue.) This is a Toshiba Satellite C55D series laptop, they were probably never offered with a drive like this, but the size is correct (9.5,, thick) and it has the standard SATA connector.I think I remember it working better when I first got the drive. There could be dust or debris in it, it came without a faceplate; I purchased one separately and installed it. The faceplate fits but I wonder if it couldn't be causing a mechanical issue? I'd rather rule out software issues first. Is there any useful information that I've left out? Please let me know.

-kmcderm133

 

[SchizTech]

Well it'd be unusual for a driver problem to cause this but disk drive drivers are so basic they aren't offered as downloads; Windows detects and installs them automatically. To more conclusively rule this out, right-click the drive and the SATA controller driver in Device Manager (the latter under "IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers") and uninstall them then reboot the laptop. As to the drive itself, it may help to blow any dust from the drive and wipe off the laser gently.

How old is the drive and how heavily has it been used?

 

[kmcderm133]

I've uninstalled both devices and rebooted. So far it has played an audio CD and can 'see' a blu ray disc, I can look at the files and directories but VLC doesn't want to play it. I have a DVD in there now and it doesn't see the disc at all. Trying the audio CD again it doesn't see it anymore. I have a cleaning disc with the brushes on the bottom, I don't think the drive wanted to run with this in it (should show up as an audio CD) but I think it's made more for desktop disc drives. What do you recommend cleaning the laser with? I have access to: alcohol wipes, q-tips, kleenex, paper towels, and 99% isopropyl alcohol, as well as 70%. I also have an old tooth brush I use for cleaning contacts and the like but I think that would be too harsh here.

I can't answer as to how old the drive is or how it was used, I bought it used on ebay. It arrived with no faceplate, so I don't know f anything could have gotten in that way. No explanation as to why the faceplate was removed was given, and the seller didn't have it.

 

[SchizTech]

Those faceplates are often removed on those because every laptop has a different one. Since the drive itself can be moved from one laptop to another the plates are designed to be replaceable to accommodate different laptop cases.

As to the cleaning, an alcohol pad should do. However, the symptoms can be those of an old drive on it's way out.

 

[kmcderm133]

Oh no... The faceplate for my laptop didn't fit the new drive, so I bought one that would. I wonder if it isn't pushing the disc tray askew? That would explain quite a bit. I'll try removing it later and see if that helps.

 

[kmcderm133]

OK. I've tried taking the faceplate off, no improvement there. I've swabbed the lenses with 91% isopropyl alcohol, and no change. There's some up/down play in the tray when it's all the way out, I think that may be a symptom of something "unfixable". You may be right that it's on it's way out. (😢) Do you have any other suggestions?

 

[SchizTech]

Can't think of any more, sorry. IIRC I used the same model drive as an upgrade too but it was new, and I had excellent results.

 

[kmcderm133]

It hits all the marks for me, on paper. Is there any way to test the travel or read on the laser assembly? Maybe it just needs lubrication? I ran into a similar problem with an Xbox 360 drive a few years ago, but I can't remember what I used. The problem was afterwards the laser height had to be adjusted after reassembling the drive and I scratched a disc.

 

[SchizTech]

Aside from taking it apart and re-assembling it, looking for any faults, I can't see a clear way to test the components therein. The beating heart of the drive is of course the laser assembly, so any diagnostic test starts there. Most DVD/BD software I found was for date recovery but this software tool offers actual diagnostic capability:

Opti Drive Control website

Opti Drive Control

www.cdspeed2000.com