blank CD-R and blank DVD-R not recognized by Vista 64 Ultimate

I built a system (for a client) with a LITE-ON DVD+-RW (PATA) with
Lightscribe, and so far, Windows Vista 64 Ultimate will not recognize any
blank CD-R or DVD-R disk.

Nero StartSmart software (based on Nero 7) - which was bundled with the
drive - does recognize those same disks, and successfully burns files to them.

Is there anything I can do to get the imbedded burning working in Vista 64
Ultimate?

System specs:
Intel Q6600 Quad-Core
4GB RAM
nVidea GeForce 8600 512MB
dual 150GB Western Digital 10,000RPM SATA HD (in Raid 1 array)
Lite-On DVD+-RW with LightScribe
Windows Vista 64 Ulimate (FPP)
Windows Experience Index 5.0
(5.9 CPU, 5.5 memory, 5.0 Aero, 5.2 gaming, 5.8 HD)
[note: HD dropped from 5.9 to 5.8 with Raid 1 established]

 

If you look through the MSDN forums and various google paths, you'll find
that Vista and Lightscribe have issues working together.

Lightscribe has modified and updated their drivers (including x64) and
provide diagnostic tools to help, but use words like "should work with
Vista."

http://www.lightscribe.com/DownloadSection/windows/index.aspx

http://search.microsoft.com/results...0=Search&FORM=QBME1&l=1&mkt=en-US&PageType=99

What normally happens is Vista cannot seem to resolve that the Lightscribe
function and the CD drive are the same device and usually when there is a
problem the drive simply fails to be recognized.

Regarding Nero 7:
I'm not sure it supports x64 versions of XP or Vista.
http://www.nero.com/nero7/enu/FAQs_TOP_20.html#11

That said, once installed, it may override Windows innate ability to burn.
So, you may need to remove it to re-enable Windows burn capability.

(I'm sure you've tried different blank media regarding the failure to
recognize blank disks.)

 

What do you mean by will not recognise? I have Roxio installed and when I
insert a blank disk into my Lite-On drive (SATA) the disk shows up (auto
start) under the control of Roxio (copying a file will be formatted by Roxio
with a Roxio disk id). If I close the panel, open computer and click on the
drive, the drive has the Windows options presented (requests disk name and
presents the current date and file options). This is Vista64.

 

What I mean by "not recognize" is that, when a blank CD-R or blank DVD-R is
inserted in the DVD+-RW drive, although the icon in "Computer" for the drive
changes (from DVDRW to CD-R or DVD-R), the built-in burning software of
Windows Vista 64 does not present a window acknowledging that a blank disk
has been inserted, files cannot be copied to the disk using Windows Explorer,
and any attempt to access the disk results in a message that the disk may
need to be formatted (which of course is a bogus message).

 

Thanks, Mark.

While I did search Microsoft newgroups and forums (including MSDN and
TechNet), I failed to search on Lightscribe. Ugh. At least the Nero works
with it.

You're probably right, that Nero might have to be removed in order to get
the Windows burning to work. I am reluctant to remove something that works
(Nero 7) for a nebulous built-in Windows Vista function (which could break
with a future Windows Update).

Besides, the Lightscribe feature is only going to work with a 3rd party
product (like Nero), so enabling Windows burning is a distant second choice.

I'll try the updated drivers from Lightscribe (after I back up first), just
in case.

 

Greg,

I had a very similar problem to what you are describing when I first set up
my Vista x64 system. I had a Sony PATA DVD-RW burner which, ironically,
had the Works with Vista sticker on the box. Anyway, Vista wouldn't
recognize anything or burn anything. I ended up taking the drive back and
got an LG GSA-H62L (SATA). It made a WORLD of difference, suddenly Vista
recognized everything and I also have Nero installed which didn't cause any
problems for me. Also, LightScribe works flawlessly through Nero.

I know this isn't exactly a solution except for buying new hardware, but it
made everything work on my system.

- John Adams

 

Thanks, John.

That is what I suspected, that having a PATA drive might make a difference,
which is why I included that in my description of the problem.

Buying another drive is not an option at this point, as I don't see any
definitive HCL for Vista 64 which would guarantee that this feature (Windows
imbedded burning) would work. I'm going to wait awhile for this to play out.


As I told my customer, there's no sense in even trying to uninstall Nero 7,
just to try to make this work -- he'd be giving up the Lightscribe feature,
for a marginal benefit.

There certainly are enough newsgroup & forum postings to bring attention to
this issue. Hopefully, Microsoft and Lite-On and Lightscribe can all get
together and fix this permanently, and soon.

 

What is the marginal benefit you see to having Vista write a disk when you
have installed Nero and it has more functionality and works? I can use
Vista64, but never intentionally do as Roxio does more of what I want to do
including packet-writing when desired.

 

The "marginal benefit" is this: with the embedded burning feature in Windows
Vista (and for CD's, in XP Pro), one can right click any file or folder,
point to Send To, click on the drive letter of the burner, and with a click
on the popup balloon in the system tray, you're ready to burn the CD or DVD
with one more click.

Alternatively, you simply drag the files or folders onto the burner's icon
in (My) Computer, and you're again ready to burn with another click.

It makes the burn process simple for non-techs.

You (and I) might think Nero is easy, but for someone who's never used any
disk-burning software, it's another process of steps to learn, and not as
visually intuitive as the embedded burning.

 

I'm not sure that the PATA is the issue. But I do know for a fact that my
newer drives work flawlessly (Windows burning, Nero burning, and
Lightscribe) under Vista x64.

The reason I selected this specific drive is because on the box it actually
lists Vista x86 and Vista x64 under compatibile operating systems. It also
carried with "Works With Vista" logo, but as I said earlier so did the other
drive. The only difference is that the other drive only said "Vista" on the
box, it did not specifiy 32 or 64 bit.

If you want a drive that works, I know that at least this one does.

- John Adams

 

I can do that with Roxio, or just drag and drop to the icon on the desktop.
Personally I never had any luck with Nero and their lack of support for
packet writing (InCD) was a cincher for me.

 

I have exactly all the same problems with my LITE-ON DVDRW LH-20A1P under
Vista x64 Home Premium. No Lightscribe drive and no Nero installed, so both
can't cause the failure on my computer. Any new knowledge or information to
solve this 'Vista x64 blank media" bug available?

 

Do you have the latest firmware for the drive?
http://us.liteonit.com/us/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=153

 

Yes, I use the latest drive firmware from LITEON.
Auto-Play settings are checked and the "Shell Hardware Detection" service is
started and set on Automatic.

Any more ideas?