DVDs and Windows 7

[gdn1947]

Hi

I have a desktop PC running Windows 7 Pro. I have just had to re-install W7 after a hard drive failure and now my two DVD RWs wont work. Another DVD R does work OK. The two DVD RWs show up in My Computer but if I click the icon I get a messge to insert a disc which I do but the disc doesnt play. What does happen is that the DVD light illuminates for about a second and then goes out. I note from the net that there are issues with certain DVDs and W7 but the Samsung SH-222AB/BEBE is supposed to be compatible. I have downloaded a firmware update from Samsung but when I run it I get the message "cant find suitable drive for firmware". I have tried Microsofts Mr Fixit without success and also the ALPM "fix" which is on the net. Is there any way to force the drive to start up so that the firmware fix can be applied. Any thoughts or further advice will be very much appreciated.

[ApPy10]

How old is this dvd writer? Have you checked whether it is working on another computer? If it doesnt work then it surley seems to be a drive problem and not the windows 7 issue. In any case, download the firmwares for the drive that you have from here and see if that works out or not.

[gdn1947]

There are two dvds involved actually.The Samsung is about 6 months old, the other one older, maybe 18 months or so. Both exhibit exactly the same problem now having worked ok previously. We dont have access to any non Windows 7 PCs. I already have the firmware file but as I said previously it just says cannot find suitable drive for firmware which might be as expected as the drive has been shut down! Am talking to Samsung but experience to date suggests that a solution is not likely from them. I am pretty much convinced that this problem is exactly as described on numerous web pages and is a W7 compatibility problem. One thing I am going to try this morning is to boot into XP using Windows Virtual Machine with the DVD drive as first boot device. I'll post what happens.