PC Optical Drives: Gone With The Wind

[Crossbreed]

...

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(Funny YouTube cover! )

 

[Judge]

(Funny YouTube cover! )

Brite09 can be and usually is pretty brutal towards Microsoft. Particularly Windows 11. But they usually get things right over scandals like this.

I'd just prefer to see things quiet down for Microsoft given Windows 10 support is about to expire unless people want to pay $30 for a single year to extend basic security updates and little else. If they can get 25H2 to fix so many things that went wrong with Windows 11 I'd feel better about putting Windows on a separate drive, at least to play a few more modern games/simulations.

But I don't ever see myself using Windows again as a daily computer. That honor goes to Linux Mint.

 

[Judge]

Seems this has been pretty much confirmed as an issue of an unintended Phison firmware update so profoundly impacting certain SSDs:

 

[MildredHubble]

I'm glad I mostly use MacOS! I do have an install of Windows 10 on my MacBook on a small partition, mainly for stuff that isn't possible via Wine or PlayOnMac. Actually that reminds me, my cat walked across the keyboard while in Windows the other day and Windows is stuck on a black screen. Pretty sure she's managed to turn off the internal display but I can't seem to find a way to switch it back lol!

 

[Crossbreed]

I just spent the last couple of days copying my worthwhile installation discs to a flash drive purchased for this. It looks like autorun.exe has to be in the root directory to work properly, but setup.exe does not.

Sadly, my AutoCAD won't load onto my Win11 PC. My XP drive died a while ago, so this may prove to be a workaround.

 

[Judge]

I just spent the last couple of days copying my worthwhile installation discs to a flash drive purchased for this. It looks like autorun.exe has to be in the root directory to work properly, but setup.exe does not.

Yep. My experience as well with mixed results when it comes to using CD data through a USB flash drive. Not everything necessarily "translates" from one media to another. But then all you can do is try and see what happens.

Do you know for certain if your AutoCad program was 32-bit ? Then again Windows 11 may be even "pissier" than Windows 10 in this regard. Especially given motherboard requirements to run Windows 11.

With Windows XP reliably running most any 16-bit as well as 32-bit programs. I miss not being able to run all my 16-bit programs like Corel Draw 3. I suspect eventually even 32-bit programs may not run at all on modern hardware platforms.

I still kick myself for not considering installing Windows 7 (32-bit version) rather than the trendy 64-bit version I installed. Instantly killed any chance of running all those 16-bit programs I took for granted running Windows XP. Windows 7 (64-bit) ran fine on my hardware platform, but I lost a huge number of applications I enjoyed in the process.

In that regard it may make archiving such programs even on a USB flash drive pointless. On my workstation I keep two full CD trays, with about 90% or more that involve programs I can no longer run on Windows or Linux. Just there for aesthetics I suppose.

 

[Crossbreed]

Do you know for certain if your AutoCad program was 32-bit ?

It might be 16-bit.

On my workstation I keep two full CD trays, with about 90% or more that involve programs I can no longer run on Windows or Linux. Just there for aesthetics I suppose.

My XP's DVD drive does not eject but its CD drive still works. All but one of the "extras" discs are CDs rather than DVDs.

If the latter dies, I can still use the flash drive versions in XP (I hope).

 

[Judge]

It might be 16-bit.

My XP's DVD drive does not eject but its CD drive still works. All but one of the "extras" discs are CDs rather than DVDs.

If the latter dies, I can still use the flash drive versions in XP (I hope).

I've never had any problems with USB 2.0 flash drives associated with Windows XP. In the past I've sprayed silicone along the runners of my DVD drive tray to keep it from staying closed. Might help, unless it's the drive mechanism failing.

If you can't initially open the tray, use a paper clip to insert into that tiny hole on the front of the DVD panel. It will manually force the tray open a bit. Enough to then pull it out using your fingers. Then you can apply something like silicone for a lubricant for the tray.

 

[Crossbreed]

Then you can apply something like silicone for a lubricant for the tray.

Where?

 

[Judge]

Where?

The runners underneath the tray. On one side they will be "serrated"...like gearteeth . Carefully apply (spray) on that runner. Though a little more on the opposite side may help as well.

Depends on whether the tray is truly stuck, and if it involves a belt. If not, this may improve or solve the problem. Keeping in mind these are not devices intended to be repaired. Only replaced.

 

[Crossbreed]

Actually, the tray comes all of the way out when I use the paperclip trick. That leads me to believe that it has a corrupted driver, sensor or perhaps a disc trapped inside. My lens cleaner played but did not solve the problem.

 

[Judge]

Actually, the tray comes all of the way out when I use the paperclip trick. That leads me to believe that it has a corrupted driver, sensor or perhaps a disc trapped inside. My lens cleaner played but did not solve the problem.

All the way out? You mean literally falling out of its case, or only to the maximum extent that it would normally eject?

When I use the paper clip and push I've always been able to get it to retract to the maximum. That function is often used in the even a disc is somehow "stuck" inside. Something I've had to do once or twice.

Could it be possible that you didn't push the paper clip further in? The straight part of the clip should be at least two inches long. (I do the same to clean out my color cup on my airbrush, though I also sharpened the end of it to a fine point).

Though I suppose it's possible for a disc to truly get stuck to where you can't get it out without damaging the mechanism either.

Nope, the lens has nothing to do with the ability of the tray to fully eject. It's a sad reminder that this is technology of another era where it still relied on electro-mechanical components as opposed to solid state devices. I love being able to use removable SSDs and not have to handle them with the same care as a conventional HDD.

 

[Crossbreed]

All the way out? You mean literally falling out of its case, or only to the maximum extent that it would normally eject?

Its maximum extent.
And when I sent a disc in, it came right back out.
It did not load with the button, but it did with a tray push.
I had to hold it closed for the lens cleaner to start. (It plays an audio message during that process.)
When I closed the tray while it was empty, it went back to its original state (of not opening without a paperclip).

 

[Judge]

Its maximum extent.
And when I sent a disc in, it came right back out.
It did not load with the button, but it did with a tray push.
I had to hold it closed for the lens cleaner to start. (It plays an audio message during that process.)
When I closed the tray while it was empty, it went back to its original state (of not opening without a paperclip).

So the tray isn't making an electrical connection when going back in on its own power. Yet it will only when physically pushed back in.

I see. Geez, that's one I haven't experienced myself.

Have you checked the SATA connectors both from the power supply as well as the motherboard to make sure they are tightly plugged in? I know funky things can happen with SATA cables if they aren't fully plugged in, even when they may appear as such. (Same would apply to four-pin Molex cables/connectors.)

 

[Crossbreed]

Yet it will only when physically pushed back in.

Pushing the tray initiates a complete, powered withdrawal. Pressing the button does not. I am guessing that the button, like the OS, initiates a soft eject, but the mechanism reacts appropriately to a hard eject.

 

[Judge]

Pushing the tray initiates a complete, powered withdrawal. Pressing the button does not. I am guessing that the button, like the OS, initiates a soft eject, but the mechanism reacts appropriately to a hard eject.

Definitely check the DVD drive's power connections. With Windows XP I'm assuming they are molex connectors. It's possible that the button works fine, but that there's no juice getting to it.

Beyond that it sounds like an internal malfunction....the kind that may not be resolved.

 

[Crossbreed]

It's possible that the button works fine, but that there's no juice getting to it.

The LED acknowledges the button press but does not retract the tray. The same is seen for a button & OS ejection.

The DVD player is no longer mission-critical, but it would be nice if it is an easy fix.

 

[Outdated]

The DVD player is no longer mission-critical, but it would be nice if it is an easy fix.

The quickest and easiest fix would be to replace it now while they're still relatively cheap. Once a device starts playing up like that they only get worse and worse.

[Edit] I just went looking at prices in the US to give you an example, and was quite shocked. In Australia we pay less than Au$30 for an internal DVD/CD burner, that's about US$20.

 

[Judge]

The LED acknowledges the button press but does not retract the tray. The same is seen for a button & OS ejection.

The DVD player is no longer mission-critical, but it would be nice if it is an easy fix.

"If the DVD button lights up but the tray does not retract, it may indicate a mechanical issue with the drive, such as a jammed tray or a worn belt. You can try gently pushing the tray in or using a paperclip in the small hole on the drive to manually eject it." - Duck Duck Go Search Assist.

Finding a replacement belt some 25 or 30 years ago wasn't such a stretch. But now...it sounds like one of those "internal malfunctions" I mentioned above.

 

[Crossbreed]

I just tried the external DVD reader I have on my Win11 on the XP --and it worked!

I will call that a win.