protected CD image fried my CD burner? 1

[joedoufu]

Hiya,
My laptop is officially 3 years old and the 3 year warranty expired last week! This week I downloaded a disk image that was apparently copy protected, and tried burning it to disc. It was an odd file format, CCD, so I tried various software - ISOpen and UltraISO - neither could use a CCD but one of them (i think the latter) could convert it to ISO then burn it.

During the burn process, it took an extra long time, like 20 minutes, before I realized it wouldn't burn, and it came out *hot*. Finally I discovered CloneCD, the appropriate program, but by then it seems my CD burner was fried, it was non responsive to that program or the Windows native CD burner.

After several reboots, a day of rest, and a check for updated drivers, my CD burner is still kaput, it attempts to burn the CD but makes funny noises and gives up after a minute. I don't know if I've fried the hardware or simply mucked up the software with all those installs. What can I do?

 

[joedoufu]

Sorry if I was unclear in the last paragraph. I've quit trying to burn *that* CD and am trying to burn test CDs with a single photo or single file on them. They don't work.

 

[garebo]

Does windows recognize the drive?
I would suggest you first uninstall and re-install first the actual burner and then the burner software.
Unhook the burner from the system and let it boot up and turn it off. Then hook the burner up and boot up again, see if windows sees the burner.
Then uninstall the software for the burner, reboot and re-install the software. Perhaps look for updates on the software mfgr website.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[joedoufu]

Thanks, but actually the burner is the DVD/CD-RW drive in the docking station to my laptop, not a removable or external piece, and the software I originally used is the built-in Windows XP CD burner.

I think I probably fried the hardware, but I was hoping I just screwed up the drivers and could somehow fix the problem. But I'm just not a hardware guy and I don't know how to be sure.

 

[firewolfrl]

sounds like the drive died...that is common
though I don't think the image did it

 

[rclarke250]

It is not possible for an image of any software to damage a drive while burning the image to cd or dvd. most docking stations have removable drives, most are made to pop out of the dock, and be installed in the laptop,in a universal bay. this is not to say that a software issue couldn't screw up in a way as to damage a drive, but the image itself can not. mostly this would result in unreadable media, not an actual damaged burner.

 

[garebo]

rclarke250 said what i would have said.

First off I would uninstall any extra burning software or programs related to that burner, reboot and re-install just the burning program and see if that does the job.
If windows sees the drive, try burning a different item and possibly using a different brand of media as well.

Trying to burn something to a disk will never cause the death of the burner. It had either failed before you tried to burn the files or failed during, probably before, but has nothing to do with what sort of files are being burned as the burner doesnt really care what files they are or what their file extensions are either.

If all else fails perhaps you could try the burner in another pc.





Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[joedoufu]

Garebo,
I don't think it's the "type" of file that killed it, but the copy protection was of a flavor that made the drive spin and spin for much longer than normal. When I finally canceled it after 20-30 minutes the CD that came out was red hot. Well not red, but certainly hot. Maybe it burned something inside.

The docking station is tiny, it's a Sony Vaio slimline model laptop, so I can't replace the drive. It's much cheaper to just get an external CD burner, which is probably what I'll do.

Thanks for all your advice.
Joe

 

[garebo]

I see what you mean now. You are saying that since the drive is so small (thin) and it was so hot that the it got damaged due to the fact that it kept trying and trying to burn and couldnt burn but kept spinning fast.
I didnt realize what you meant. I thought you were thinking the file itself caused the problem. But I see i was not alone in that thinking.
But i see i also dismissed the fact that its a laptop. I need to read and retain better before i type, lol. Sorry about that.
But, does windows see the burner at all in my computer or device mgr?
If so, it still might be worth a try to uninstall and re-install burning software?



Good advice + great people = tek-tips