Re: OT - Help with CD/DVD drive problem, please

On Sat, 03 May 2008 20:20:19 -0500, Janet Wilder
<kelliepoodle@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I have a problem with my CD/DVD RW drive on my Dell Optiplex 320
running Windows XP SP2.

It uses Roxio Creator to burn disks, the Dell version. The last few
times I burned a disk, there were error messages when I closed it (3).
Today I went to burn a disk and the computer will not recognize that the
drive is there. It reads just fine. It shows that there is a disk in the
tray, but it will not write to the disk. It will not even work in the
"my computer" area, which is the Microsoft program.

I called Dell and the Dell Dude and I went through a whole bunch of
things including going to a restore point but nothing works. I have
uninstalled and reinstalled Roxio. No go.

The Dell Dude says that it is most likely a corruption in the microsoft
software and I will have to reinitialize the HD. AGH!!!

I have an "e-book" and I use it for backup. I just copied folders and
files to it like Kodak (a downloaded program) Firefox, Thunderbird, and
from Applications the Profiles, plug ins, bookmarks, etc. I copied my
documents, McAfee and McAfee.com as well as all my cookbook folders. I
think all of my data is secure. The programs that I still had the
*.exe files of like McAfee, McAfee Download, Flash Player and Quick Time
were also copied.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to reload the programs from the E drive if
I don't have the downloaded *.exe files for them. Will I?

On April 21, I did the McAfee " full archive" thing which created 2
DVDs, but I don't have any idea what this is or how to use it. Does
anyone know how to use this? I stuck it in the drive and it contains a
folder and an index but I can't make heads or tails of it. just that the
folder is 1.80GB

Most of my other programs are on the manufacturer's CDs so I can reload
them.

If anyone has any clue what might be the reason my drive won't write,
please help.

Also, if I am going to have to reinitialize (wipe the HD), what else
should I copy? How can I reload the copied files to the HD once it's
redone? Just copy them and paste them to the related file on Drive C?

I really don't want to do this, but I have to be able to write to CDs as
I share pictures and stuff.

Please help. I am desperate.

TIA,
Janet

You are getting the stock answers. Before you wipe your HD tell Dell
that you CD drive is no longer detected in BIOS. Hit F2 on boot and
it does not show up as a drive. IT DOES NOT READ OR SHOW UP UNDER
WINDOWS. They will send a tech with a new drive. That is probably
the answer as the laser in the cd is probably dieing and has enough
power to read but not write.

I don't want to start a religious war but Roxio took a turn for the
worse several years ago. If you can aquire a copy of Nero 6 or so I
reccomend it over the junk that comes with your computer.


Computer Backup:

Assuming you keep your stuff where MS wants you to just drag your
documents and settings folder over to your external drive. It will
copy all the profiles with more stuff than you need but everythign you
want that you can copy.

You cannot copy installed files from the program files folder
hierarchy as they have to be reinstalled to be registered to run as
well as to load dependent files in other places. You can, and should,
keep the installer files you downloaded to do th eoriginal install. I
also keep a text file with all my license numbers that have to be used
if I do a rebuild. That will not be a big file so keep it in several
places including a thumb drive.

hope this helps,
nothermark
.

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