problem with dvd drive functioning in Win7

D

Dan Konecny

PROBLEM SUMMARY STATEMENT: Windows 7 believes my DVD drive will only
burn approximately 2.5 GB worth of content to a 4.7GB DVD-R. DVD Drive
is recognized for read, but only incorrectly for write operations.



I have googled a bit and found solutions to dvd drives not being
recognized and other general problems, but nothing specific to the very
strange problem I have.

I have 64 bit windows seven installed on a reasonably new hp pc (about a
year old)

This is a special pc, for work only (primarily video editing, dvd
creation). I do not keep this pc internet connected as it is too
critical to my work. I only connect as needed to update drivers and such.

Originally PC was Vista, but I upgraded to Win7. Everything worked fine
for many months (including the dvd burner).

Then, suddenly the dvd drive began to misbehave.

The problem I have is that Windows does not recognize the size of the drive.

I first noticed the problem when I was using explorer to write some
large (roughly 4GB files) mpg files to DVD for backup. Windows DVD
wizard tells me the files are too large to burn. I rebooted the PC many
times, connected to the net and tried to update the driver, but to no avail.

I found imageburn would bypass the problem with explorer and allow me to
burn DVD's with large backup files.

Unfortunately, my editing/dvd authoring software (Pinnacle 14) seems to
defer to windows to report the size of the disk. Thus I cannot render
an ISO or VOB file using Pinnacle as it now seems to accept the new size
of the DVD burner (roughly about 2.5 GB) as Windows must be reporting it
through some API function.

What this means is that I can't create an ISO file to use with ImageBurn
since Pinnacle keeps telling me my project file is too large for the DVD
burner. Installing a USB external dvd burner did nothing to alleviate
this problem.

I am doing advanced dvd authoring that requires Pinnacle or another
robust product to generate my image file. Now I need to transport my
MPG input files via USB drive to a second computer, where I can
successfully author the disk. However as this is a regular tasks I
perform, this is a real pain.

I found what appeared a solution online. Using F8 I was able to
"Disable Driver Signature Enforcement" and create a disk image ISO file.
However when I tested a disk I burned from the ISO, the chapter stops
were not recognized.

Even worse, I rebooted and tried to "Disable Driver Signature
Enforcement" again to retry, but that solution no longer functions.

Once again, the machine worked with Win7 for months. I installed no new
software. Machine was not connected to internet at the time the problem
emerged.

Has anyone heard of such a problem before? Any help or advice?
 
P

Paul

Dan said:
PROBLEM SUMMARY STATEMENT: Windows 7 believes my DVD drive will only
burn approximately 2.5 GB worth of content to a 4.7GB DVD-R. DVD Drive
is recognized for read, but only incorrectly for write operations.



I have googled a bit and found solutions to dvd drives not being
recognized and other general problems, but nothing specific to the very
strange problem I have.

I have 64 bit windows seven installed on a reasonably new hp pc (about a
year old)

This is a special pc, for work only (primarily video editing, dvd
creation). I do not keep this pc internet connected as it is too
critical to my work. I only connect as needed to update drivers and such.

Originally PC was Vista, but I upgraded to Win7. Everything worked fine
for many months (including the dvd burner).

Then, suddenly the dvd drive began to misbehave.

The problem I have is that Windows does not recognize the size of the
drive.

I first noticed the problem when I was using explorer to write some
large (roughly 4GB files) mpg files to DVD for backup. Windows DVD
wizard tells me the files are too large to burn. I rebooted the PC many
times, connected to the net and tried to update the driver, but to no
avail.

I found imageburn would bypass the problem with explorer and allow me to
burn DVD's with large backup files.

Unfortunately, my editing/dvd authoring software (Pinnacle 14) seems to
defer to windows to report the size of the disk. Thus I cannot render
an ISO or VOB file using Pinnacle as it now seems to accept the new size
of the DVD burner (roughly about 2.5 GB) as Windows must be reporting it
through some API function.

What this means is that I can't create an ISO file to use with ImageBurn
since Pinnacle keeps telling me my project file is too large for the DVD
burner. Installing a USB external dvd burner did nothing to alleviate
this problem.

I am doing advanced dvd authoring that requires Pinnacle or another
robust product to generate my image file. Now I need to transport my
MPG input files via USB drive to a second computer, where I can
successfully author the disk. However as this is a regular tasks I
perform, this is a real pain.

I found what appeared a solution online. Using F8 I was able to
"Disable Driver Signature Enforcement" and create a disk image ISO file.
However when I tested a disk I burned from the ISO, the chapter stops
were not recognized.

Even worse, I rebooted and tried to "Disable Driver Signature
Enforcement" again to retry, but that solution no longer functions.

Once again, the machine worked with Win7 for months. I installed no new
software. Machine was not connected to internet at the time the problem
emerged.

Has anyone heard of such a problem before? Any help or advice?
Just a guess. Your drive is (somehow) in DVDRAM mode. Are
you using DVDRAM media by chance ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD-RAM

"Single-sided, one layer discs with a capacity of 2.58 GB"

I don't know how such a thing is triggered, but the capacity
you name is suspicious.

I'd start looking at the software on the machine, and see
if some third party program has added its own burning capabilities.
For example, iTunes adds third party burning software. It could
be something quite innocent you've added, that is doing it.

Also, if you post back, try to include the model number of
the optical drive itself.

Paul
 
D

Dan Konecny

Paul said:
Just a guess. Your drive is (somehow) in DVDRAM mode. Are
you using DVDRAM media by chance ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD-RAM

"Single-sided, one layer discs with a capacity of 2.58 GB"

I don't know how such a thing is triggered, but the capacity
you name is suspicious.

I'd start looking at the software on the machine, and see
if some third party program has added its own burning capabilities.
For example, iTunes adds third party burning software. It could
be something quite innocent you've added, that is doing it.

Also, if you post back, try to include the model number of
the optical drive itself.

Paul
I am not using dvdram media. Do you know how to access this mode or
change it in win7?

Also as I said, a work only computer. Not internet connected. Software
is kept deliberately stable. Haven't installed anything since early
2010, nothing since win7 except adobe dvd software, whcih didn't work
and was uninstalled.


Dan
 
E

Ed Cryer

I am not using dvdram media. Do you know how to access this mode or
change it in win7?

Also as I said, a work only computer. Not internet connected. Software
is kept deliberately stable. Haven't installed anything since early
2010, nothing since win7 except adobe dvd software, whcih didn't work
and was uninstalled.


Dan
Look in Device Manager for the DVD unit; see what drivers are installed.

Ed
 
W

Worn Out Retread

?Much snipped---------------------
Look in Device Manager for the DVD unit; see what drivers are installed.

Ed
While in the Device Manager and click on the Volumes tab to see if there are
entries there especially in the Capacity field.

In any event, I would just delete the drive from the Device Manager and
reboot the computer. Windows will install the driver again.
 
R

relic

Worn Out Retread said:
?Much snipped---------------------


While in the Device Manager and click on the Volumes tab to see if there
are entries there especially in the Capacity field.

In any event, I would just delete the drive from the Device Manager and
reboot the computer. Windows will install the driver again.
Usually, it's necessary to delete the controller instead of the drive. IDE,
SATA, or USB.
 
E

Ed Cryer

?Much snipped---------------------


While in the Device Manager and click on the Volumes tab to see if there
are entries there especially in the Capacity field.

In any event, I would just delete the drive from the Device Manager and
reboot the computer. Windows will install the driver again.
Would that get rid of 3rd party drivers? I'm quite new to W7, but with
XP when I tried that it reinstalled the lot. I had to uninstall the
things manually.

Ed
 
R

relic

Ed Cryer said:
Would that get rid of 3rd party drivers? I'm quite new to W7, but with XP
when I tried that it reinstalled the lot. I had to uninstall the things
manually.
What 3rd Party drivers? Windows 7 doesn't need any 3rd party drivers for
DVDs... It has everything your drives need.
 
E

Ed Cryer

What 3rd Party drivers? Windows 7 doesn't need any 3rd party drivers for
DVDs... It has everything your drives need.
Quite so, but that doesn't stop filter drivers getting installed when
you install new software. And the OP has a strange problem which could
be driver related.
GEAR Software DVD filter drivers, for example, are installed by many
apps. and they are liable to corruption.

Ed
 

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