DVD burner not seeing CDs??

[Jeroen Wenting]

I recently installed a DVD burner (Philips DVDRW416) in my PC replacing an old CD burner which broke down.
It burns and reads DVDs just fine, but it won't even recognise that a disc is inserted when I put in a CD of any type (pre-recorded audio or data, CD-R or CD-RW (either blank or recorded).
According to the specs and manual it should function with CDs as well.
Does anyone know this problem and its resolution? Don't want to get me another drive AGAIN...

[Eric Pascarello]

Did you check their website for the latest driver?

[Jeroen Wenting]

I did, nothing at all. Only downloads are pdf versions of the manuals which are also included with the drive).
Did find an update for Nero but that doesn't do anything either.
Sent them an email which should generate a response within 24 hours but nothing yet after 36.

[Damien Howard]

One possibility is that the dvd read write head and the cd read write head are different and that the cd one is damaged. I had this problem with a dvd player I bought. It could read and play everything ok except for dvds. Real useful huh.

[Jeroen Wenting]

that's what I fear may be the case. Still waiting on the human reply they said would come in 2 days max according to the autoreply I got 4 days ago...

[Jeroen Wenting]

OK, got a response telling me to flash the BIOS with the flasher from their website.
Only problem: there is no BIOS upgrade available for my drive (only for a different sub-model, which for some reason doesn't work with mine).

Let's see what they respond to that :roll:

[Damien Howard]

Why are you going through all this. Return the stupid thing and buy from a different company. I like HP's cd burner. Don't know if there DVD burners are also good. Philip's has never been a big company in US, now I see why.

[Jeroen Wenting]

this is already the 2nd burner and brand I got.
The equivalent HP is some 40% more expensive which is more than I'm willing to spend on one right now and is the only other brand the store carries that I haven't tried yet...

[Damien Howard]

what about plextor? Buy one online, stores always jack up prices.

[Jeroen Wenting]

Got me an AOpen burner, worked immediately.

Now to see if I can get my money back on the Philips, I'm not hopeful...

[wout boo]

hoi ... i also have an philips dvdburner model dvdrw416 and have the same problem with cd's as mentioned in early messages. I am curious if you did get a response from philips after your last message?

[Jeroen Wenting]

I had the dealer send it back for repairs and got (after about a month) a new unit in return.
Haven't tried it yet, got me another brand and model in the meantime which works fine.

Philips support seems to have gone the way of so many, down the drain.
In the past you'd have a reply (and often a replacement unit) in 2-3 days, not months.