Strange DVD drive problems

[Ish]

For no apparent reason my XP installation has decided that it doesn't want to recognise that I've put a new CD in.

I eject one CD, put another in, and the PC still thinks it has the old CD or DVD in it i.e. if I double click the CD drive I see the directory structure of the old CD.

I have to 'force' Windows to acknowledge the change by ejecting the CD, trying to open the CD, have Windows tell me there is no CD present, stick the new one in and then it works.

Its damn annoying.

Anyone got any ideas as to what might be wrong?

[Ian(not Ian)]

Are you using a DVD/CDRW combo ish? Like wot I am.

[Ish]

I've got two drives. A DVD drive and a CD/DVD read/writer. They both suffer from it.

They didn't up until a day or two ago and I've installed nothing new

[Ian(not Ian)]

I get similar problems with my DVD\CDRW combo. I would seem to me that your drives need a BIOS update. Interestingly also visit the FarCry website for details of 'unsupported' DVD drives. It would seem older BIOSs are considered 'pirate' friendly are deliberately locked out by Ubisoft!!!!

It isn't unreasonable to assume Billy's boys are doing similar things in XP, but not letting on.

Try stopping the Gear Security Service and see if it helps. (The GSS is used when writing CDRWs)

[Ian(not Ian)]

Also irritatingly from my point of view is.....
I can copy / write CDRs at work, confirm they work in other PCs at work, bring them home and BOTH my XP PCs announce these discs are blank.
My neighbours XP PC also show the discs as blank!!!!

I have taken to using a memory stick to transport data these days as my XP machines are none too reliable at reading discs.

[Chadruharazzeb]

I had the same problem actually a while back... DVD drive just refused to read DVD's and my CD Writer refused to write. Both read CD's ok though.

Looksie heresie http://ntsc-uk.domino.org/showthread.php?t=14498

[Ian(not Ian)]

In that thread Mid says...
"Stuck any music CDs in your drive recently? The latest "copy protection" from Sony can kill LG drives."

Both my Shuttle XP-ridden PCs are using LG drives! ****ty death!
The one my lad uses has recently been refusing (9 out of 10) to read an original Diablo II CD.

So it's definately looking like Copy protection / prevention which is messing up my drives. But why on earth should I not be allowed to copy my CDs to MP3 on my PC? It's what the MP3 format is all about.

Pissing me off now. Back to Win2K methinks.