Anybody Own An LG-GMA-4020B?

Discussion in 'DVD / Blu-ray drives' started by lannigan, Jul 16, 2003.

  1. lannigan

    lannigan Regular member

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    I have had mega problems with this drive the LG GMA-4020B. I am pretty sure it is currently the cheapest drive on the market. I have used Princo discs(not the greatest, I know) I am just curious if other owners of this drive have problems with constant burning (the green light goes for hours) or what discs work well with this drive. Thanks.
     
  2. studiosi

    studiosi Member

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    I just got this drive, and after a couple of successful burns - got the same problem: burn never stops, the light is flashing forever.
    I thought that was a hardware problem and replaced DVD writer - got the same with the new one.
    Anyone knows how to fix it?
    Thank you!!!
     
  3. ken0042

    ken0042 Regular member

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    I have the same burner. Burned about 300 discs with no issues; maybe 1 or 2 coasters in all. I've been using Princo and Ho-Tan media.

    One recommendation; remove the DVD-RAM drivers. My drive had trouble reading discs with the drivers intact.

    Yes, it's a cheap drive; but it allowed me to get backing up my DVD collection.
     
  4. studiosi

    studiosi Member

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    Never installed them.
    Today I started my XP "clean" - nothing in Startup and switched off most services. Still the same problem.
    It has to be somewhere in DLLs, but I do not know which DLLs to check...
    Any ideas? Thank you!
     
  5. ken0042

    ken0042 Regular member

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    I does sound like the drive is bad. Perhaps there was a bad batch, and the stock your supplier has is bad. I'm assuming the computer finds the drive OK in the BIOS?

    My next step would be to try the burner in a different computer. I realize this isn't an option for everybody. You might want to check with where you returned the first one; they may have tested the old one already and come to some conclusions.
     
  6. DennisL

    DennisL Guest

    I have had this drive for several days and it works just great, backs up my DVD movie collection without any problems at all.
     
  7. fallen_br

    fallen_br Member

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    I've had it once. You sure it doesn't stop at double the "estimated" burn time + 10 minutes? I thought that the burner had slowed down and the software didn't "catch" it.
    Try writing at 1x; this seems to be caused by writing at 2x to media that can't handle it.
     
  8. BadSeed

    BadSeed Guest

    I have this drive. When I got it I installed everything that it came with including the ram drivers. Only had a problem with backing up a PS2 game. It was my first attempt. Didn't work so I have yet to try again. I've only used Prico to back up half of my 45 disc DVD collection. The only problem I encountered was when I recently did a fresh XP install without installing the Ram drivers. I got a coaster! After installing the Ram drivers, I'm back on track! Let me just say that having and using a dvd-rw disc has saved me a ton of cash!
     
  9. BadSeed

    BadSeed Guest

    P.S. Princo 4X at 2X. DVD Shrink with Nero.
     
  10. lannigan

    lannigan Regular member

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    yah, but you know what, princos really do suck. Try ritek, i have burned over 500 without 1 coaster.

    Trust me. They are worth it.
     
  11. fallen_br

    fallen_br Member

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    Nah, Princos rock with this recorder, at least A-grade ones.
    No problems, great compatibility, reliability and burn quality.
    And of course 4x Princos burn at 2x, it's a 2x recorder :)
     
  12. BadSeed

    BadSeed Guest

    I get my Princos for $2 each Canadian. If you can tell me where I can get Riteks in Canada for roughly the same price I would gladly switch brands without reget. In my opinion, 4X discs in a 2X burner could result in less errors. I've had problems in the past with my MSI 48X CD/RW when I burned at full speed. My Panasonic Shockwave CD player can be finicky with burned CDs.
     
  13. cofrpayne

    cofrpayne Member

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    Ritek 4X at www.blankmedia.ca around $2.00 a disk.
     
  14. lannigan

    lannigan Regular member

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    listen to cofyrpayne. www.blankmedia.ca. Tom Richter runs that site and he has wicked good disks for the best prices in canada.

    I always buy my riteks from blankmedia.ca.

    Good service and fast, they ship in 3 days.

    Ask him nicely and he might throw you a couple of testers of other brands. Trust me, when you see a ritek and smell a ritek, you will know what I am talking about. They have a undeniable smell to them. The smell of Grade A.

    PLUS, don't buy 4X riteks if you have an LGMA-4020B. The max your burner will write at is 2X so get the new firmware and buy the 1X riteks because they burn at 2X.

    Just trying to save you 30 bucks or so.
     

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