New LG DVD-R burner won't read blank DVD-Rs

Hey guys,

I just bought a new LG GMA-4020B drive a few weeks ago and I got around 10 good copies out of it using DVD X Copy Xpress before this problem started.

When I insert a blank DVD-R, the read light blinks about 15 times and finally goes off. If I try to access the drive through 'My Computer' or elsewhere, the read comes on and my whole system freezes. I have to eject the blank DVD-R from the drive to unfreeze my system. I have tried three different DVD-R brands: Verbatim, Memorex, and Maxell. I have a new Dell Dimension with a 2.2 GHz Pen 4 and 512 MB RAM.

The drive will read any other type of media. It will read blank DVD-RAM and CD-R, and it will play regular DVDs, regular music CDs, and copied DVDs. I don't know what the deal is here. I only have a few more days to return this thing, so any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jessica

 

Have you inserted a DVD-R x4 speed disc into the drive?

 

I have the same drive and have had no problems. If Discmania's suggestion doesn't work, then I'd say there is a problem with the drive.

 

take the piece of crap back, before your warranty is gone.

 

I have the same drive and have never had any trouble - far from a "piece fo crap". You must have changed something in your system setup, and I am sure that the shop you purchased it from would be happy to set it right since you purchased it so recently.

 

I suppose it is all a matter of opinion I guess. I own that very drive and it has been nothing but headaches. I am also into advanced dvd plus r editing and stuff the average burner dosent do.

It's capabilities as a drive are limited because of when it was manufactured (the model hasn't changed in 2 and a half years)and the media that is coming out now is even more less compatible with it. Try to get a new drive altogether, maybe a newer pioneer or something.

That is just my opinion.

 

Just remember eveybody, this is an old thread, so she likely has it resolved in her own way.

Just curious though lannigan, you said you are using this drive for DVD+R. Did you do some sort of firmware update? My drive only supports -R; well it can read +R, but that's about it.

 

really? I have a107 firmware and I have been editing maxell dvd +r for months. They have newer firmware but I haven't used it yet. I have even checked the specs and it says that it only supports dvd+r reading too. Wierd. Maybe I got a lucky laser? Funny because it is the dvd-r's and -rw's that give me problems. Guys in manufacturing smoking dope on the lunch break? Mine is still under warranty too. I'm going to take ie in.

 

Hmmmm. You've now peaked my curiosity. For anybody else who's looking I found the firmware here: http://forum.firmware-flash.com/dl_firmware.php?category=4&manufactor=16

Now I've always been of the mindset that if it's not broken then don't fix it. I really don't have a need for dvd+R, but I'm curious. I might give it a try later on this week if I get bored.

 

I recently bought the same drive and I´m having the lockup problem. The strange thing is that the drive worked fine for some days.

Has anybody solved the problem or have an advice?

 

What kind of operating system do you have? And what version of firmware? Is the master slave jumpers set up right? As well, I have a problem with the drive when I installed the dvd-ram driver. I have to uninstall the dvd-ram driver and it reads and writes fine. Hope this helps, (don't know too many people who use dvd-ram anyways.) Maybe try uninstalling the ram driver and just let windows detect the drive.

 

I had trouble as well once I installed the RAM driver. It wouldn't always read discs. Maybe it's a flaw with the drive. Anybody else with this drive get this?

I guess we also need a better definition of a "lockup problem." Are you talking about the system freezing? Or the drive not ejecting discs?

 

Sorry for the little info.
My system is a Win 98 in a Compaq Laptop.(Lots os HD and memory)
The drive is in a USB enclosure.
All ASPI are the most recent, even though they are not usefull for USB (I Think)
I dont, and never had the RAM installed.
The drive worked fine with DVD x Copy and no other DVD or CDR burn soft installed, however, when I installed Easy CD 6 everything went down.
I formatted the HD and reinstalled everything I had before, and then the DVD Drive, but no success.
The system locks up and the drive does not eject the disk. If I turn off the power for the USB enclosure, everything goes back to normal.
The drive reads original software CD, no audio CD, no blank DVD media and no CDR media, although I could burn some CDR after I turned the USB enclosure off (after putting the CDR inside and the system lockup) and on again.
As for the DVD, this "technique" did not work.
Thanks you all in advance

 

If you are using an internal desktop drive as an external one and are using some sort of USB adapter, then that could easily be your problem. You probably need to buy an external DVD burner.

 

I forgot to tell that the firmware is 107 and it is very complicated for me to update it to 108 since the drive is tha USB port

 

let me get theis right. You have an gma-4020b lg drive hooked up to a laptop through a usb port?

 

Exactly. The drive is in a external USB enclosure

 

Interface Type: E-IDE/ATAPI
see this link
http://www.lge.ca/computer/prodSpecification.asp?p=3225#

Even with usb 2.0 I still don't think the drive will support usb data excahnge even if you go throguh an ide cable. The fella earlier said you will probably need an external burner, I'll say the same.

Dvd burners are so touchy, this drive especially. Do you have a regular tower you can try it out on and see if it works there?

 

I´ll try it in the tower.
However, the funny thing is that it worked for a couple of times

 

Hey, it's me again. My drive was in an external USB enclosure as well. After the problems started, I installed it internally, and it still didn't work.