I'm just about at my wit's end.

I have a Nu Technologies DDW-082 DVDRW drive, Windows XP running
Service Pack 2; I did have CD/DVD-writing software RecordNow which came
with the drive, but I since replaced it with Nero which also came with
the drive.  As far as I know, I have the latest firmware in the drive,
which is only a couple of months old, being a warranty replacement for
a similar drive.

RecordNow doesn't do .bin/.cue files, just ISOs.  So I attempted to
locate program which could do ISOs.  I downloaded Alcohol 120%.
Installed it.  And the DVD writer promptly stopped recognizing blank
CDs.  It would recognize blank DVDs, and CDs with stuff on them, but
no blank ones.  Windows wouldn't pop up the "what do you want to do
with this type of disc" dialogue, and programs (including Alcohol and
RecordNow) wouldn't see them.  I uninstalled Alcohol, and suddenly I'm
recognizing CDs again.

I downloaded ISOBuster, a .bin extractor program that would let me
extract the files from the .bins so I could burn them with RecordNow.
I extracted some files, attempted to burn them.  RecordNow said that
ISOBuster was using my DVD drive, so I closed ISO buster and attempted
to burn.  The burn failed partway through the disc, and RecordNow
stopped recognizing blank CDs again.  I uninstalled ISOBuster...and it
started recognizing them again.  Until my next burn failed and it
stopped.  Nothing I could do would convince it to notice blank CDs
again, including uninstalling the drive and letting Windows redetect
it.

And then I reinstalled and uninstalled Alcohol...and suddenly the
thing noticed blank CDs again...until I burned one CDROM successfully.
Then the next one I put in, it wouldn't detect it anymore.  The drive
light goes on and nothing happens.

I even tried uninstalling RecordNow and the other software I'd gotten
with the drive originally (figuring that perhaps one of their DLLs had
gotten corrupted or something), and installing the Nero software that
I got with the replacement when I sent in the original drive for a
warranty replacement because of a similar problem.  Still, I can't get
the darned thing to recognize any blank CDs, though it recognizes full
CDs and blank DVDs just fine.

Is this likely to be a SP2 issue?  Should I try uninstalling SP2?
When I select SP2 uninstallation, it gives me a long list of programs
which "may not work right".  Is this just a scare tactic; should I 
try uninstalling SP2 anyway?

Payment will go to the answer that gets me burning CDROMs again.

---

Request for Question Clarification by feilong-ga on 10 Nov 2004 04:33 PST

Hi Robotech_master_2000

From what you told us I'd say that the problem just became more
complicated when you installed several cd burning software. The
trouble with that is there is a big possibility that there is conflict
between one or two programs. To make sure that this is not the case I
suggest that you remove all of them first and install just one
software.

Now, from your first paragraph, it seems the problem started when you
tried to use Nero. I think I know what caused the problem because I
too use Nero to burn CDs and had a similar problem. When you uninstall
the CD burning software make sure you remove (uninstall/remove from
startup) any trace of Nero InCD. Make sure you only install the Nero
CD Burning software so please read the installation instructs very
carefully.

Please let me know if this solves the problem. Thank you.

-Feilong

---

Clarification of Question by robotech_master_2000-ga on 11 Nov 2004 20:26 PST

I didn't actually have In-CD installed, but I removed Nero anyway. 
Still no change.

I removed Service Pack 2.  Still no change.

I obtained Registry Mechanic and used it to clear out or correct over
400 invalid registry entries.  Still no change.

When I put a blank disc in, the drive light goes on for about a
minute, then nothing happens.  iTunes doesn't detect a disc is there
either.

I don't have any good way to try Linux on my computer and see if that
fixes it...I have a Knoppix CD, but I don't think that includes any CD
burning apps.

Any more suggestions?

Interesting sounding problem.

My suggestion would be to try a version of linux perhaps mandrake. 

If you can burn a cdrom in kb3 then you know your Xp system software is
the problem.

I had a similar problem with my Toshiba DVD+R burner.  It would
recognize blank DVDs and CDs, but when I would burn something to them,
it would not recognize the disc in the drive.  I knew the DVDs and CDs
worked, because I tried them in DVD players and other computers.  My
DVD drive will only read DVD+Rs burnt in UDF/ISO mode, so I always use
Nero Burning Suite to burn new DVDs now.

Make sure that when the wizard pops up at the beginning, you select
"DVD" and "UDF/ISO" mode (it's at the very bottom), and if your
problem was the same as mine, it should be solved.

Hope that helps!

I'm having a similar issue - 
Nero, Alcohol, XP SP2 CDRWin 
are all installed. When I insert
a blank CD, be it Fuji or Sony,
XP will not open up the default
"What do you want to do?" prompt.
Nero will tell me no disc is inserted
as will Alcohol. Yet these discs are fine,
they burn in other computers. When I put
a retail cd, with content, in the drive
spins up and reads it fine. Blanks all I
get is a blinking light.

I've figured out a work around - its silly
but it works for now (until I get my NEC DVDRW)
Put a retail CD into your drive, turn off the computer.
Boot it (with cd still in drive) when you're in windows
eject the retail cd and put your blank in. wha la, XP
detects the blank, nero and alcohol do too, and you
can burn again.

I think the problem is with the ATAPI drivers.

Hi, the same thing happened to me. Almost identical!


I also have "Nu Technologies DDW-082 DVDRW drive" and it worked fine. 
I put Alcohol 120 on an now it does not recognize DVD's in any format.
 I sees CD, CD-RW fine and burns as well.  Just no DVD's or DVDRW.

I uninstalled Alcohol but the problem stayed. 

I checked the Driver and it says something like "Generic CD ROM" - so
I think I lost my driver!

I've lost my software

(Sorry dog stepped on enter key)

I'm not using SP2 - I think it must be something to do with alcohol!

Cheers

Mark

PS Could you let me know the date and comment of your driver?