DVDs are not recognized, but CDs are

MongooseOfPower · 2014-01-31 01:35:55

My main computer is a Thinkpad Z60t (http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:Z60t if you want an overview of the specs.). It has an optical drive that claims to be DVD-ROM / CD-RW. However, It has not ever worked for DVDs. I can mount data CDs and play and rip music CDs, but DVDs just have not worked. This has been true for both ubuntu and arch.
On the BIOS the drive is listed as "ATAPI CD0: MATSHITADVD-RAM UJ-832-(S" [and that is where it gets cut off...I wish I knew a command to run to find the name, but I haven't found one.].
Think wiki lists two possibilities for the type of drive:
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Ultrabay_ … ombo_Drive
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Ultrabay_ … o_II_Drive
I don't know which one it is, but both say that the drive:

May have problems reading DVD+R/RW. (Drive does not report DVD+R/RW read capability.).

I'm not really sure how to even approach this problem. I have been able to get by without using DVDs, but it would be cool if I could get it fixed.

Last edited by MongooseOfPower (2014-01-31 18:09:42)

Lone_Wolf · 2014-01-31 12:54:38

There are TWO dvd-formats in use : DVD-R & DVD+R . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD-R

Try to find a batch of blank writable DVDs that are listed as DVD-R .

ewaller · 2014-01-31 16:20:57

As a sanity check, try smartctl. You may have to install it.
What does smartctl -i /dev/sr0 report?

MongooseOfPower · 2014-01-31 18:29:56

Thanks for the replies.
I tried to mount blank DVD-R and DVD+R discs with sudo mount /dev/sr0 /mnt/CD.
I keep getting the answer: mount: no medium found on /dev/sr0.
On some discs it returns with:

mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sr0,
missing codepage or helper program, or other error
In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
dmesg | tail or so.

but I have not been able to find a pattern for when it will do this.
I ran smartctl -T permissive -i /dev/sr0 with a disc in the drive and got this response:

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Vendor: MATSHITA
Product: DVD-RAM UJ-832
Revision: 1.00
Device type: CD/DVD
Local Time is: Fri Jan 31 06:18:51 2014
device Test Unit Ready [medium or hardware error (serious)]
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Disabled
Temperature Warning: Disabled or Not Supported

My first thought is that the two thinkwiki pages that I posted have links to firmware updates far past 1.00. However, I still can't tell which drive I have.

MongooseOfPower · 2014-01-31 20:51:12

I actually was able to get the drive out of the laptop after having tried and failed several times.
The stickers on the drive list FRU P/N: 39T2573 and ASM P/N: 39T2572 in addition to the other information I have already found about the drive.
These pins and the model number that I have previously listed really do not turn up much information.
I can confirm that the two thinkwiki pages I posted before are not the drive.
The page that deals with a drive that is most similar to the one I have is http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Ultrabay_ … Plus_Drive but this does not match exactly in the pin, model, or manufacturing date numbers.

ewaller · 2014-01-31 20:55:08

I think you have a hardware problem with your drive. DVDs and CDs are read using different LASERs. I think one of yours has gone Tango Uniform. Sorry.

Arch Linux

#1 2014-01-31 01:35:55

DVDs are not recognized, but CDs are

#2 2014-01-31 12:54:38

Re: DVDs are not recognized, but CDs are

#3 2014-01-31 16:20:57

Re: DVDs are not recognized, but CDs are

#4 2014-01-31 18:29:56

Re: DVDs are not recognized, but CDs are

#5 2014-01-31 20:51:12

Re: DVDs are not recognized, but CDs are

#6 2014-01-31 20:55:08

Re: DVDs are not recognized, but CDs are

Board footer