Unable to write CD/DVD...Still no solution?

[PricklyBear]

System:
Dell Inspiron 1501
Windows XP

I dont know whats important to you guys and whats not, so Im trying to dump everything I have experienced with this problem. I have yet to find any final solution to any of the number of posts concerning this problem( though I understand that while they appear similar, many of them may be entirely seperate problems having to do with seperate parts of the system),

Symptoms:
-When a DVD is not in the drive, My Computer identifies the tray as empty, and the drive as a DVD-RW (as it should be- DVD-RW Drive D
-Once a DVD/CD is inserted into the drive, all of a sudden My Computer identifies the disk as a DVD-RW, but the drive as
CD-ROM Drive Dregardless of what is put into the drive)

-When "Write these files to disk" is selected, it does not recognize that there is a blank CD/DVD in the drive and it asks me to insert a CD.

-Now, when I attempt to transfer a file into that "writable" folder (to then write to disk) it wont even let me copy the files to the folder (as per "windows is having a problem with copying these files") and it doesnt matter how many files I try...

Attempted solutions:
-Deactivating SPTD (per the suggested registry hunt, change "Start" to value 4)
- Uninstallation of DT
-Reboots
-wiped and reinstalled drivers for DVD-RW drive.
- Tried different brands of both CDs and DVDs.
-ran three different virus/maint. programs, and everything is said to be running fine...

Things I know, (so please dont suggest...)
Its not the friggin drive
Its not the friggin wires or connections
Its not in my head
It reads DVD/CDs fine.

Now, I am ignorant, so THIS is an assumption... When I mounted with DT, additional drives popped on on the My Computer window... and of course, when I quit the process, the secondary drive icon went away, but DVD-RW Drive D: was affected... It seems to me that somehow the mounting process might have screwed up my computers understanding of what its actual hardware drive was?.... I dunno...

Heres another assumption... as since everything is said to be running fine, could it be that some setting was changed automatically by DT or SPTD, that I am not aware of? Which is more likely the culprit?

Heres how the process went down..

ok, a friend gives me an .ISO (intended for my wifes computer, but Im handling this issue on my Dell Inspiron 1501) and says all you have to do is dl DT and mount this file. I have no other cloning/burning/copying/etc software on my computer other than simple drag and click windows based transfer (ie, double click DVD-/+R drive, opens writable folder, drag and drop, write to disk).. I have done so many many times, always with the same Imagine DVD-R rewritable DVDs.(though I have tried different brands of CD/DVDs)

I DL SPTDinst-v152-x86 and install first, then get DT latest version and install that... from there, I open DT, I mount the program, and the program opens, but I do not install.. seeing that everything is working properly up to that point, I close everything out, package the DT installer, and the ISO, and follow the above process to attempt to write it do a Imagine DVD... But when I drag and drop, windows says its having a problem copying and asks me what I want to do... retry doesnt work, neither does anything else, so I cancel...

Once, after fiddling in between hardware manager and the basic windows property option on the drive under My Computer, it actually transfers, upon which I try to write to disk, and get that standard windows message saying to Insert a writable CD... but wait, im trying to burn a DVD, and of course, its in there and of course its blank... try another blank DVD, no go... Try writing different kind of file, No go...

So now, as with so many others, my DVD writer drive is $#&@*(.

[pseudo555]

Are you sure that all "hide cd-r" option in all your programme is desactivated ? (DT, alcohol and clonecd have this option, maybe some other).

[PricklyBear]

"Are you sure that all "hide cd-r" option in all your programme is desactivated ? (DT, alcohol and clonecd have this option, maybe some other)."

Dont have DT anymore, never had alcohol or clonecd.. Chances are good that I dont have any of those programs otherwise I would know, right?

[DevX]

Maybe you have installed also some packet writing software
like InCD etc. Try to remove it and reboot.

Also check this and try to remove any filter drivers you may
have.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060/en-us

[PricklyBear]

How/With what would I isolate such programs for removal? I don't have offhand knowledge of "packet writing programs", though at first glance I would assume (ACK theres that word again..) it might be some form of spyware you refer to? I looked pretty extensively through the package that the original .iso was delivered in, scanned, disected, and searched through, and nothing was readily evident... so as Im sure you would be aware if such software came with the Downloads from this sight, how likely is it that I had such "packet writing software" already installed before installing DT (and thus creating this problem), if I only download maybe, at the most, one or two things every few months, and install consumer bought programs even less often?

As I mentioned, I runn Norton (please refrain from explaining how many holes Norton has :P) and spybot on a regular basis, and got a free scan from Mcafees(yeah, i know those "free scans" arent worth much), after this happened, but im clean according to all of those..

I will explore filter drives, find a better understand and report back, but a short explanation of what exactly these filter drives are and do would probably benifit both myself and others who may be as ignorant... for now, I can tell you that per your hyperlink reference...

I can access the drive just fine.. if I put in a CD/DVD that has content/data, I can access the content/data...Its only when I attempt to transfer data into the writable folder (true, SOMEWHAT like accessing the drive, but the article describes it somewhat differently), or when I attempt to write to the disk..

and

I have never recieved one of the 3 error messages stated within that article... the only message I have ever recieved is...
"Windows is having problems copying these files. Would you like to Retry/Ignore/Cancel"
and of course, the only option that has any affect is cancel..

Keep it coming, and Ill keep trying, dont give up on me and my drive!

[PricklyBear]

Hey, just trying to keep this thing alive and get some support... Hope this isnt going to be just another forgotten thread by a first time user... show some love people.. as far as I know it, I do not have any packet writing software..

[evlncrn8]

packet writing software is not malware/spyware/whatever, its simply an interface in window allowing u to treat the cd/dvd as a 'floppy' drive, writing whenever you want....

i'd suggest (while you are waiting for support) you read up on packet writing and filter drivers before you throw wild accusations about malware/spyware...

and yep, norton is a piece of crap...

it really sounds like you have 'hide cd-r ON' in the options in daemon tools (or alcohol if you have that installed too).. check the configuration settings, either from dt pro agent (if you're a dt pro user) or the dt program itself...

[PricklyBear]

ok, most important question in this reply... DO I NEED TO REINSTALL DT TO CHANGE THAT SETTING, OR WOULD IT HAVE RESET/TURNED OFF HIDE CD-R ON THE REINSTALL???
Now onto the rest...
"packet writing software is not malware/spyware/whatever, its simply an interface in window allowing u to treat the cd/dvd as a 'floppy' drive, writing whenever you want...."
This was very helpful. Thank you.Can I get an answer for any of these as well?
How/With what would I isolate such programs for removal?
How likely is it that I had such "packet writing software" already installed before installing DT (and thus creating this problem), if I only download maybe, at the most, one or two things every few months, and install consumer bought programs even less often? Is it as common as spyware or is it so unique that I would have to seek it out specifically and DL it?
"i'd suggest (while you are waiting for support) you read up on packet writing and filter drivers before you throw wild accusations about malware/spyware..."
I will read up on packet writing and filter drives, but I gotta say this is pretty wack. I made no "accusations". Are you refering to me saying (and yes, im paraphrasing so that its simpler for you to understand) that I was pretty sure this site DIDN"T have any of those "packaged research/data gathering software", because it wasn't in the UELA, so I was pretty sure it WASN'T Daemon tools? Because many free and good programs have those... then I went on to say... well whatever, my point is, please don't make me out to be a jerk accusing DT of malware when Im just looking for looking for a better understanding...
"it really sounds like you have 'hide cd-r ON' in the options in daemon tools (or alcohol if you have that installed too).. check the configuration settings, either from dt pro agent (if you're a dt pro user) or the dt program itself..."
So does this mean I need to reinstall the software??? As I have already said plainly, I uninstalled Daemon, I have never had alcohol, nor any other... oh for chrimey sake, go back and read the first post I posted...
Now, I did a complete and proper uninstall as per your forum's articles suggested (including changing registry to assure that SPTD wasn't functioning) Why wouldn't these settings have been erased or reset on the uninstall? Answer this for me, so i know for certain that I have to reinstall, otherwise, I would rather not risk further errors, but if it sounds so obviously like this problem and I must, then I will reinstall.

[evlncrn8]

hmm uninstalling should remove the dt drivers etc, so i doubt 'hide cd-r' is a problem here, from the sounds of it you might have messed up your filter drivers somehow... have you tried booting in safe mode?

imgburn as far as i know reports these filters and allows you to add / remove them... which could be useful for you

windows comes with packet writing software installed... its how windows 'burn files to disk' crap works... it also requires some services to be active

i didnt directly try and make you out to be a jerk accusing dt of it, your posts did that... or made it look like the 'dt has spyware' thread all over again... (dt lite etc has bundled adware.. which usually raises this 'issue')... (just to clarify).. so im not pointing fingers etc.. its also doubtful malware/spyware disables burning on cd/dvd drives...

one approach you could do is..

1. go to device manager, remove the cd/dvd drives that are playing up
2. go to the %windows%\inf folder, right click on 'cdrom.inf' and select 'install'
3. reboot, and hope windows finds the devices again, if so, then everything should go back to normal...

you say you uninstalled dt.. did you also uninstall sptd?

[Jito463]

To clarify, evlncrn8, Windows does NOT have packet writing software. It does use Roxio's Easy CD Creator burning engine, but not their Drag-To-Disc software (which is the actual packet-writing software). In fact, the Windows burning feature actually takes the selected files, creates an image from them, and then burns said image to disc (which is why it takes twice as long as normal burning software). A far cry from what packet-writing software does.

Just to clear the air of any misconceptions.

[evlncrn8]

weird, i thought it had packet junk installed by default too.. oh well.. cheers for clearing it up...

[PricklyBear]

Hey, still here, still working on it and thanks for the further explanation and suggestions. I'll give them a try and come back with something. thanks again.