Optical Drive Problems Vista Bugs and Problems Discuss Optical Drive Problems in the Windows Vista forums; I can not directly access files stored on a DVD formated disk. I can run a DVD through a program like media player with no problems or skips. I have ...

[Juggernaut]

I can not directly access files stored on a DVD formated disk. I can run a DVD through a program like media player with no problems or skips. I have two optical drives (ASUS DVD-E616A3T and TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-S182D) and both have the same problem.

If I try to open either D or E drive (there directory letters) there are one of two results: I am prompted to insert a disk over and over again, or if I use the explore option it opens a blank folder telling me that no media is stored on the disk. The name of the drive is renamed (ex: DVD Drive D:CNC3) to the name of the disk, and it displays the size of the disk (ex: 0 bytes free of 5 GB).

I have the newest firmware updates I could find for both drives, as well as all the current updates for Vista. I am running Vista Ultimate 32 bit with an Asus P5B Deluxe Wifi-AP motherboard (http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?l1...8&modelmenu=1).

Sometimes when the auto launcher starts the install files or the autoplay file, I will get a blue screen error that says "A thread has tried to release a resource it does not own" and then goes on to tell me to remove any newly installed hardware. After it does a memory dump, it restarts.

I have had problems with a game called Supreme Commander where sometimes after launching the shortcut I would get this error, but a recent patch has fixed it for that game. When trying to run a game called Medieval Total War II I get that error message if I tried to install the game from the disk or play the game after it was installed (used another computer to copy the files from the disk then put them on my HDD to do a manual install). Another game, Command and Conquer 3, just launches the autoplay and asks if I want to install the game, I select yes and it just closes the program (manual install does not work).

I believe that they are all related to why I can not access files stored on a DVD formated disk (Regular CD-Rs work fine). I have tried to update the drivers for both devices and the update programs show that they have been changed, but if I look at the properties of the device it still says that it is using the Microsoft drivers for a CD-ROM drive.

I have installed and played other games with no problems, and I know that the disks are ok because I have gotten it installed on another computer that runs XP.

I feel I should mention that I only have SATA connections with no IDE connections, and I have seen similar issues with not being able to read disk being resolved by using an IDE port.

This is a forum post about my issue in one of the the games support forum if anyone wanted to read through it for more info I may have left out.

http://shoguntotalwar.yuku.com/forum...4620/master/1/

Thanks for any help.

[Snuffy]

Welcome to Vista Babble.
I will try to answer at least one of your problems.
DVD drives have different color laser lites... some have RED some have BLUE some have GREEN. No sample: Generic DVD RW player with RED lite, was used and everything works GREAT.. all media works great. I had some DVD-RW disk, which were quick formated using the Sony "BLUE lazer" , the generic DVD would no longer read any of them... sounds like you have the same problem.

solution: Insert one good DVD with info on it that can be read, use program to say your recording... click FULL ERASE ( yes takes about 20 min) but before you click yes, use the pin to open player remove good disk, insert the bad none readable disk, then close case and click yes... making sure you FORMAT (FULL) the DISK using the OLDEST PLAYER you have...

Full format uses more power and makes the lite hotter to melt the media used, where as the quick format only erases a portion. it also limits the ability
to record properly. (PS: Vista does not read PACKET Formats unless you have specific 3rd party program).

Answser 2.

Sometimes when the auto launcher starts the install files or the autoplay file, I will get a blue screen error that says "A thread has tried to release a resource it does not own" and then goes on to tell me to remove any newly installed hardware. After it does a memory dump, it restarts.

when you copy media from one game to another disk, you then need a CRACK to use - which is illegal. Need I say more.

[Juggernaut]

The disk I am using are the game disks, not ones I burned myself. If I format the disks that will remove all the information on the disk correct? Then I would have wasted the $60 I spent on it. This also happens with both DVD drives, and them being completely different makes and models I don't think it is the drives themselves.

[Snuffy]

what media are you using?
what info are you burning?
what method to burn did you use?

did you by chance burn .ISO as data? for an example
did you burn as packet info?
what program did you burn with?

sample: I have Silent Hunter I - II - III - IV.
all of them I have made backup DVDs. I can install any versions with the backup disk ..I can not play any version with the backup disk... only if I use the original disk. where as I then add the required SN.. to play.

some programs need ISO 9660
some programs need ISO 9660 + Joliet
some programs need UDF
some programs need UDF + ISO

If you did not record correctly it is very hard to read unless you have a diagnostic program to tell you exactly what "method" you burn with... the DVD/CD is not readable in every player

[Juggernaut]

I am not trying to burn anything, I am just trying to get the information that is stored on the disk to install the game. If I try to open it in lets say explorer, it will tell me to insert a disk or just come up blank telling me that there is not media on the disk (even though it says 0 bytes free of 5 Gigs for example).

[Juggernaut]

I really think this is a problem with Vista's SATA drivers, anyone suggestions for what I should do?

[Juggernaut]

It has been a while, but I solved my problem sometime ago... I reinstalled Vista because of a seemingly unrelated problem and it has been running perfectly ever since. Zero problems what so ever. So if anyone finds themselves getting random crashes and blue screens, I recommend you reinstall Vista.