Is this an Aria version of Catch-22?

[familypotter]

I'm having a few problems with a DVD write I recently bought from Aria. Well to be honest, I'm having a big problem because it doesn't write DVDs, at least not on my system it doesn't. :cry:

As well as getting the valuable and valued helo of the forums here in Lucy's Lair, I thought it would be a good idea to touch base with Aria Tech support on this problem, possibly prior to getting an RMA. So off to the web site I go and find ....



• Product Information
Information on all products is available within the Product section of our website. Further technical information can be obtained by e-mailing the Technical Support Department.

For trade customers, retail customers and support for OEM software, a premium rate support line is offered.
Premium Rate Technical Support Line : 0906 470 0309 (calls are charged at 60p per minute) » Operating Times: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, Saturday 10am-3pm


You might have thought that that first sentence could end like ...
e-mailing the Technical Support Department at ts@aria.co.uk. BTW, that was a made-up example. But no, it doesn't end that way so you are left to wander the rest of the site in search of the elusive Technical Support E-mail address. I couldn't find it so if anyone could help me out in that direction I'd be very grateful. :D

I know it's just the Grumpy Old Man in me that thinks this is a cynical ploy to get everyone to use the Premium Rate Technical Support Line. But that's an unworthy thought that goes against the grain of every positive experience that I've had dealing with Aria.

[Firerat]

You could try tech@aria.co.uk
or PM Lucy ( on holiday ) , Robin, David, Sean, or myself ( on holiday ) but we finish at 17:30
i'll do my best,

[familypotter]

tech@aria.co.uk just came back as unable to deliver. I'm sure this board must be watched by the Aria techies so maybe one of them could get back to me on Tuesday with a real generic E-Mail address for Tech Support.

Thanks

[Aaron]

I'm sure Lucy/Firerat/one of the other Aria bods will help you get it sorted once everything settles back to normal after christmas. They are good like that ;) :)

[familypotter]

Hi Lucy or anyone of the Aria guys.

What is the E-Mail address of your tech support team please?

Thanks,

Bill

[Firerat]

Bill,
who is the Manufacture of the drive?
What Model is the drive?
Have you tried the latest Firmware for trhe drive?

is it set as Master or Slave?
is it the only drive on the Cable? if not is that set as Master/Slave and what is the relative position (end or 'middle')?

which OS are you using?
do you have the Latest Service Packs installed?
do you have the latest drivers for the drive?

What DVD writing Software are you using?
Is it the latest version?
Are there any Patches Available?
Does it attempt to write to the disk?
Do you get an error message, if so what is it?

What Brand of Media are you using?

Will the drive write normal cds?


I know it is a lot of questions but this information will help us determine the nature of the problem you are having and we will be able to advise possible resolutions.

At the moment I assume that the drive is detected, as you simply state that it will not write DVDs and have not said that it is not detected ( which probaly rules out the Master/Slave issues, but still it is useful to know )


Edit: Moved to General Hardware, left Shadow link

[familypotter]

Thank for the quick response - I hope you don't mind but I'm going to copy this over to the HW forum which is probably a more appropriate place to discuss the issue.

I hope you had a great New Year and your body is now recovering 8)

[Firerat]

[quote:3844c1ce58=\"familypotter\"]Thank for the quick response - I hope you don't mind but I'm going to copy this over to the HW forum which is probably a more appropriate place to discuss the issue.

I hope you had a great New Year and your body is now recovering 8)[/quote:3844c1ce58]

I have already linked it to General Hardware :D

Yeah had a great new year, still have time off to recover :)

Back in work Monday 8th Jan 2007

[familypotter]

(Note to self - always read posts down to the last line)

Can I also refer you to the thread with subject What am I doing wrong with my DVD? (http://www.aria.co.uk/lucy/viewtopic.php?t=1547) where I originally discussed the problem in greater detail.

Thanks again for the response. Let me try and answers the questions insofar as I can.

who is the Manufacture of the drive? - LITEON

What Model is the drive? - I believe it is a LH-18A1P but it would seriously help if LITEON would print the model number on the packaging.

Have you tried the latest Firmware for the drive? - There is none offered on the LITEON site.


is it set as Master or Slave? - It, and the other drive, are both set on cable select

is it the only drive on the Cable? - No there is also a DVD Reader / CD writer drive that came with the Dell system. I removed a DVD reader drive and replaced it with the writer in question. Both original drives were set to CS and I kept to that. As I don't believe this issue has anything to do with Master / Slave / CS, I have not tested that. Is it really worth it?

if not is that set as Master/Slave and what is the relative position (end or 'middle')? This drive is middle and the other drive is at the end of the cable. As it was previously with the original drives.

which OS are you using? Windows XP

do you have the Latest Service Packs installed? Yes

do you have the latest drivers for the drive? - I am using the drivers from the Nero 7 Essentials CD supplied with the drive. I have searched for newer drivers but not found any (yet).

What DVD writing Software are you using? - Nero 7 Essentials (but also tried Sonic and Burn My Files unsuccessfully).

Is it the latest version? - Yes

Are there any Patches Available? - I don't think so.

Does it attempt to write to the disk? - Yes

Do you get an error message, if so what is it? - Either Nero hangs or I get a message about an 030C00 error. The other software gave the same 030c00 error. It appears ot be a generic write error.

What Brand of Media are you using? - Panasonic Single Sided DVD+R (in reality made by RICOHJPN). These DVDs have been successfully used in another drive on another computer that I have.

Will the drive write normal cds? - Yes (and very quickly - I'm most impressed).

OK - That's the questions answered. My question is ... Is there a simple test I can perform to determine whether the drive is duff or whether I am? This is my first play with DVDs so I am claiming no expertise or previous knowledge. All I will say is that when I took the DVDs to my other computer (new Dell E521 with DVD burner) I had no problems in either using the software or burning the DVDs. I don't want to return the drive only for your guys to perform a test and tell me it is OK. I'd rather do that here in my machine and try to get it working.

Thanks for any assistance you may be able to suggest.

[Firerat]

http://www.google.com/search?&q=030C00
top hit
http://forum.digital-digest.com/showthread.php?t=57052

ATAPI errors explained page link (http://www.cdr-zone.com/articles/atapi_error_codes_page_1.html)

3 possible solutions offered on that table, 4, 5 and 6
they start here
http://www.cdr-zone.com/articles/atapi_error_codes_page_1.html#4


The only firmware I could find ( took a while ) was 'Stock' on
http://codeguys.rpc1.org/firmwares.html#cat_dvdrw
http://codeguys.rpc1.org/firmwares/dvdrw/stock/18A1P.GL0C.stock.rar

This can be flashed using the LiteON Flasher found here
http://codeguys.rpc1.org/utilities.html


Hope this helps

If this fails to reslove the issue, then I would request an RMA

[Firerat]

A little Update

[quote:5b5417dddf=\"cdfreaks http://club.cdfreaks.com/showpost.php?p=1597994&postcount=62\"]
Here's an unlocked flasher version of ZB34, which also allows crossflashing from the LiteOn LH-18A1P:
http://codeguys.rpc1.org/firmwares/....ZB34.stock.rar (http://codeguys.rpc1.org/firmwares/dvdrw/stock/DW1800.ZB34.stock.rar\")

Note: Make sure you make a backup of the EEPROM, using the EEPROM Utility, before flashing from GLxx to ZB34.[/quote:5b5417dddf]

so if the GLOC doesn't work out for you this may work

NB LiteOn and Benq Optical are now one and the same ;)
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/video/display/20060414123856.html

http://www.liteonit.eu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=169&Itemid=124

[familypotter]

Even before I can test out all your suggestions you're back with more - that's what I call service.

Anyway you solved the problem - the upgrade of the firmware from GL05 to GL0C seems to have fixed the issue. I have now burned a DVD with data and made a Video DVD so I guess I can now say that its working. I'm now going to try to burnb a DVD which would be nearly full as a final test.

:D :lol: :D :lol: :D :lol: :D :lol: :D :lol: :D

Thank you - thank you - thank you. I am in awe.

:shock: :o :shock: :o :shock: :o :shock: :o :shock:

I had previously found the pages about the error code and come to the conclusion I had a drive problem. But I had not found the firmware page. BTW the downloaded RAR contained a self-flashing EXE.

I had a minor panic after rebooting when the system detected a new CD-ROM device! (gasp) But by the time I had got control of the keyboard, that had become a DVD-RAM device and, as they say, the rest is history.

On a side note - I heard that BENQ (ex-Siemens) had gone into receivership in Germany. Or was that just the cell phone part of the company. :(

You've made me one happy customer! Aria, give this man a pay rise!

[Firerat]

:D

Happy it is all working

Firmware usually sorts out Media issues

I must say I was suprised that Lite-on didn't have any firmwares listed.