topic Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A) in PCs & Accessories

CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

andrewdann — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 17:03:46 GMT

Hi,

I have a Sony VAIO with a DW-D56A which has recently stopped working.

I can see the drive in explorer, but when a disc is inserted it doesn't "spin up" and I can't read ANY discs.

If I look at the properties for the drive, it shows disc not inserted.
Everything else shows that the CD drive is functioning correctly and there are no error codes.

I have tried to re-flash the firmware (PFS3) with no luck - However at the end of the flash process it does a disc "Inquiry" and then I can read the disc that I left in the drive. If I eject the disc and re-insert or restart the PC I'm back to square one!

Any help would be greatly appreciated - Seems strange that I can read it just after the firmware flash process????

Thanks Andy

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

zina — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 20:19:00 GMT

have the same model that is faulty,after three repairs it still doesnt burn anything!
send it back

sony by now should have understanded that they shouldnt replace the faulty model dvd's with the same faulty models!

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

kee-lo_ — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 20:20:26 GMT

Zina's starting a new club - the broken DVD club

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

Blencogo — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 20:42:06 GMT

It's going to be a very big club LOL.:smileycry:

Just don't keep the membership details on a DVD Zina!

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

zina — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 23:37:16 GMT

Zina's starting a new club - the broken DVD club

im sure we will have lots of fans!

and dont worry guys,ill keep them on another laptop-not vaio!:smileytongue:

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

kee-lo_ — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 15:25:58 GMT

Club-Zina.Sony-Europe.com

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

amoss — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 16:49:14 GMT

Hi Andy,

I logged exactly the same problem as you (on 08.03/06). What do you mean run the flash process? I also installed the firmware update PSF3, whatever it is, but no difference. Sony have been calling me everyday since I complained to vaio-link last week. They asked me to recover my system and then they will pick it up, am reluctant as I'll lose my applications. Are you still under warranty? Its a real duff drive and I'll be furious if they put the same model in!!

all the best,
alison

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

kee-lo_ — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 19:20:33 GMT

Alison,

Do you have an external hard disk? If so you can use Norton Ghost they supply with the laptop to make an exact image so you can send it back restored - but when it comes home you can put the old image back on.

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

andrewdann — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 20:05:24 GMT

Alison,

By flash process I meant firmware update - sorry. PC is out of warranty so Im keen to resolve the problem myself is possible. Have been trawling the net and it appears that this CD/DVD is prone to failure!

Tried to get some help at numerous forums but no luck apart from "join the club" so looks like it might be a hardware problem and the drive will nee to be replaced.

Andy

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

kjdooris — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 00:41:07 GMT

We have 2 vaios - my cd drive broke a few days after warrantee period, and my friends cd drive went within a matter of weeks of buying it (mines nearly 2 year old now, his is 2 months) now we cant restore the systems without a lot of hassle.
Im upgrading soon and really wondering wether i should bother with sony this time.

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

zina — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 09:56:48 GMT

Club-Zina.Sony-Europe.com

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

browno — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 13:36:29 GMT

hi everyone,
joined club to find out more about my DW-D56A drive problems. original drive replaced when laptop was only 2 weeks old but new one no better. my drive cannt read original copies of software . i have to make a copy disc using my desktop pc in order to load any new software onto my laptop. when i put a disc into my laptop, the drive just seems to scan all the time but does not open up the disc. I thought i was alone with my problem.
Has anyone had a different drive fitted as an alternative by Sony.
thanks,
browno

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

kee-lo_ — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 14:38:44 GMT

Begs the question doesn't it? WHY CONTINUE FITTING A CRAP DRIVE WHEN THEY KNOW THEY'RE DODGY?

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

jamz — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 18:41:45 GMT

I've decided to join the D56A club ... my problem isn't as bad as some of the ones below, but if anyone can tell me ... why can't I burn DVD-R & DVD+R discs on this DVD burner. I can burn DVD+RW so at least I can copy videos, but the burner just spits out the other formats. It doesn't appear to be a software problem. I've got the latest version of Nero and have run lots of diagnostic tests using a friend's Dell and the same copy of the software and there are no problems burning the same material to DVD-R. Maybe I'll just have to live with it.

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

jamz — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 18:51:28 GMT

I've decided to join the distressed D56A club too ... my problem isn't as bad as the ones below as I can burn pretty good DVDs onto DVD+RW format, but I can't burn onto DVD-R & DVD+R. I've run a long diagnostic test on my software (latest version Nero) using both my Vaio A217M and a friend's Dell, and guess what, his burner works perfectly; knocking off DVD+R/RW & DVD-R/RW with no trouble at all. Do you think reinstalling the driver would make any difference? Or is it not worth going there?

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

dark4ngel — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 19:02:24 GMT

Hello,

Here is a new member for the DW D56a-Club from Germany ;o).
It still reads and burns cd's and reads DVDs. But from one day to next day it burns no DVD

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

Blencogo — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:56:19 GMT

There seems to be another epidemic of DVD writing problems with no apparent solution but replacement of the drive.

This is no longer cutting-edge technology and seems avoidable. Kee-Lo asks the obvious question - 'Why replace with the same rubbish?'

Does anyone else subscribe to the Conspiracy Theory that Sony may have contributed to this problem with their obsession about DVD copyrighting. Have they tinkered with the drivers or the hardware in an attempt to prevent copying of protected discs and accidentally destabalised these drives?

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

Sebby — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:50:16 GMT

Another one to join the club here.

My Sony DW-56A was painfully bad for a while, but I dealt with it as I didn't want to be without my VAIO. However, a couple of weeks ago, I had to send it off for repair.

I received it back today fitted with a Matshita UJ-831Da. I started a thread here about it as I don't know whether to be disappointed with the Matshita...

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

PHOTOSHOPKID — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 10:27:48 GMT

My A317 is fitted with one of these drives, it seems to work ok.
sometimes it has trouble reading home made dvds ( makes strange clunking noises) it only seems to like Verbatum Dvds

Having read about all the problems with this drive don`t we as consumers have a case against Sony? I mean it`s not just the odd one one that fails it seems to be all of them

It would seem likely my drive will fail (more than likely when the guarantee has expired) 3months left!

Would it be easy to fit a new drive? when mine expires, has anyone done this?

Re: CD/DVD Drive Problems (DW-D56A)

Blkadda2005 — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 19:01:01 GMT

....Same model CD/DVD drive.... Same problem.... Warranty recently expired.....
Upgrading laptop soon.... Goodbye Sony