DVD burner: Won't burn DVD. Reads and plays them fine. CAN burn regular CDs

Do you know when this problem began?  Try a System Restore to a point in time BEFORE the problem began.  Here's the procedure: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/using-windows-vista-system-restore/.  Be sure to check the box to show more than 5 days of restore points.  If the first attempt fails, then try an earlier point or two.  NOTE: You will have to re-install any software and updates you installed between now and the restore point, but you can use Windows Update for the updates.  Use the recovery disk if the system prompt doesn’t work. The recovery disk works a bit different from the above procedures but if you follow the prompts from the System Restore menu option with the above information you should be able to restore with no problems.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

No a restore won't help. I had reformatted the hard drive and started from scratch so there are no restore points previous to the reformatting available. The problem began immediately after the reformat of the HD and the reloading of all the SPs and updates and software, etc.

Thanks for the suggestion though!

Try using different burning software and see if that makes any difference (there are many freeware options available for download on the internet if you don't have more than one already installed).  If the other software allows you to burn DVDs then it's a probem with the original software and I'd just uninstall it (unless it is Vista's feature then just don't use it and use the new software and the problem is solved.

It still sounds like either a driver problem or a hardware problem.

Go to Device Manager by going to start / search box and type device manager and enter and then double-click on the program icon that appears.  Check each device for a red x, yellow ! or white ?.  These identify devices with problems (probably drivers, but also conflicts or something else).  Click on each for further details and troubleshooting tips.  If you need to get drivers, firmware and/or software (and you should for at least the CD/DVD drive), do so from the computer vendor or device manufacturer (NOT from Microsoft Updates).  In fact, you should turn off automatic driver updates from Windows Update as follows: http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/how-to-disable-automatic-driver-installation-in-windows-vista/. Proceed as follows to get the drivers: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/driverssupport/ht/driverdlmfgr.htm.  Once you have the drivers, you can install them through Device Manager as follows: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/193584-device-manager-install-driver.html. 

If that doesn't help, then there's a good chance the CD/DVD drive itself is defective and needs to be serviced or replaced.  Burning DVD's is slightly different in the device than burning CDs or reading DVDs and that may be what is wrong with it.  If it is still under warranty, make an immediate claim.  If not, decide it you want to service it at a reputable local computer repair shop, the device manufacturer, the computer manufactuerer (if it came with the computer) or it you just want to replace it.  If the new device also doesn't work in the same way, return it for a refund because the problem is then probably something else.  In that case, post back and we'll try to check it out further.

I hope this helps. 

Good luck!

As I said in the original post I've already tried other burning software and they have the problem as well. I've already gone through all the steps you suggest. There are no hardware problems detected. All the loaded drivers show as working with no problems although it being Vista I don't actually believe that. I've already made sure the drivers are current and up to date from the drive manufacturer. Even so I've uninstalled them and reinstalled them to no effect. I believe this to be another of the myriad problems Vista presents software-wise but am at a loss to explain this one as everything was working great until that reformat and the reloading of all the software. I'm wondering if maybe the stack wasn't assembled correctly or in the right order (for Vista) when I was reloading software. I had another issue some time ago that was caused by one of the Vista updates messing with the execution order and resolved that one by reloading the problem drivers in a different order. The only issue with trying that here is figuring out what to load in what order since it was a full refomatting and absolutely everything got reloaded. That's a lot to try and figure out by trial and error. I was hoping maybe someone here on the forums had hit the same problem and could zero in on it for me without having to go through all that.

I don't believe it to be a hardware problem with the burning array because it is just TOO coincidental that the problem occured immediately upon the refomat and reload of the HD. That being said I'm going to confirm it with a buddy's external burner as soon as he brings it over here. If I  have the same problem with a completely different burner then I'll definitly know it's not the hardware at fault and I can go back to Vista bashing LOL.

Anyone else have any ideas?

The issue I have with it being Vista is that I know of no programs that control how the CD/DVD drive operates (other than that provided by the drivers, any software that came with the device, or any third party burning software).  There are no settngs in Control Panel or anywhere I know that control what functions a CD/DVD drive is permitted to perform.  I wouldn't know how to shut down DVD burning within Vista even if I wanted to do that (and that includes modifying the registry though there may be a hidden seeing there that I didn't see which does provide this level of control but I sincerely doubt it).

I understand that the coincidence is hard to swallow, but it is still possilbe.  I'll be very interested to learn the results of you testing another drive on the system and seeing if that works - that will indeed be very revealing information.  Please do let us know what happened with this test.  It would be good if you could test your drive on their computer as well to see if has the same problem on a different machine but that may not be necessary depending on the results of the test.

In the meantime, perhaps  someone else will reoly with a suggested we haven't considered.  I hope that happens and that it works and that the drive isn't bad (as I still suspect despite the coincidence).

Good luck and best wishes!

Well when trying the external burner on my system I hit the same problem. Reversed the test and tried MY burner on his system and it worked just dandy so now at least I know the hardware is good.

What I was referring to above ARE the drivers. Drivers from different sources (and sometimes even from the same source/company) can definitly interfere with each other. Looks like I'm left with only one option and that is to reload everything again and keep trying different load combinations till the dang thing works. Arg. Was really hoping to avoid all that!

As for controlling the burner from within Vista: You can control the burn speed but as far as I know that's all.

Any one have any other last minute ideas before I shoot myself? =)

You may also want to try the Driver Verifier Manager to see if you can identify the driver or device responsible:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/244617.  This may at least cut down on the time to check every combination individually (assuming it works like I think it does - I've never actaully tried it before). 

Sorry it took so long to get back to you, but I've been looking for an answer off and on and this was all I could come up with that might help.

If you have a genuine Vista Installation Disk, we could try a system repair/upgrade to see if that resolves the problem.  It's a fairly radical step, but it might solve the problem and it will certainly take less time than the procedure you were proposing when last we talked (IF that procedure would even work given that you aren't getting any error notifications in Device Manager).

Anyway, I thought I'd post that link and let you know I haven't forgotten - I just haven't been able to find anything else of use except the re-installation.  If it were my machine, I would almost certainly re-install by this point.

Then again, maybe the problem is already resolved in all this time - which would be great.  I'd love to know how it was done if that's the case.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

I have had the same problem under Vista using DVD RW+ disks which I like since they are the most

compatible disks with most machines and have the most robust format.  I use the mastered format as

opposed to the "Live Files" format since a 4 GB DVD under "Live Files" takes about 13 hours to

write.   The "mastered" format is much faster (when it works).  I have found "sometimes"

that erasing the disk first solves the problem.   Also writing smaller amounts of data to the disk using

the mastered format sometimes fixes it.   The problem is rather erratic and unpredictable.   I would

recommend having as few other processes running as possible and having lots of free disk space.

I have found no guaranteed solution to this problem and would really like to find one since I like to

write disks with the mastered format since writing 4 GB to a RW+ DVD with the "Live Files" format takes

several life times.   Let me know if you find a solution.   I would be delighted to hear one.

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