HP Dvd Writer 840b - Dvd drive will not detect blank dvd's.

[tenshi yuki]

Alright so I have been having a problem with my 840b drive. Originally before, it was only being seen as a cd drive, and would not read dvd's at all. So I found online to clean my registry and it fix the problem. So I can watch dvd's now on the drive, but it does not detect burnable dvd drives. Here are the following steps I performed. (Note: This drive has no problem with CD's, or reading dvd's, just detecting burnable dvd's.)


1) Went to Device Manger, Suprisely I have two primary IDE channels and one secondary IDE channels, even though I only have two dvd drives. I checked all three IDE channels to make sure they were set up for DMA and they are.

2) I have tried cleaning the lense, no luck.

3) I updated my firmware to the latest, no luck.

4) I clean my registry again, no luck.

5) I have tried burning it with two separate media, one dvd-r and the other dvd-ram, both were unable to be detected.

6) Tried burning with Nero on both dvd-r and dvd ram, no luck.

7) Tried burning again changing the speed to 2x on both dvd-r and dvd ram, no luck.

8) Tried burning with two seperate programs (1clickokay and clone dvd) for each dvd, no luck.

And I believe that's it, below is a copy of the logs I saved for burning it with nero. Just in case it might help.

Windows XP 5.1
IA32
WinAspi: -

NT-SPTI used
Nero Version: 8.0.3.0
Internal Version: 8, 0, 3, 0

Recorder: Version: IMA6 - HA 1 TA 3 - 8.0.3.0
Adapter driver: HA 1
Drive buffer : 2048kB
Bus Type : default
CD-ROM: Version: HD08 - HA 1 TA 1 - 8.0.3.0
Adapter driver: HA 1

=== Scsi-Device-Map ===
CdRomPeripheral : HP DVD Writer 840b atapi Port 0 ID 0 DMA: On
CdRomPeripheral : IDE-DVD DROM6216 atapi Port 0 ID 1 DMA: On
DiskPeripheral : ST3250823AS atapi Port 1 ID 0 DMA: On
DiskPeripheral : Hitachi HDP725050GLA360 atapi Port 1 ID 1 DMA: On

=== CDRom-Device-Map ===
IDE-DVD DROM6216 F: CdRom1
HP DVD Writer 840b E: CdRom3
=======================

AutoRun : 1
Excluded drive IDs:
WriteBufferSize: 83886080 (0) Byte
BUFE : 0
Physical memory : 2047MB (2097151kB)
Free physical memory: 2047MB (2097151kB)
Memory in use : 26 %
Uncached PFiles: 0x0
Use Inquiry : 1
Global Bus Type: default (0)
Check supported media : Disabled (0)

9.8.2008
UDF/ISO compilation
5:06:23 PM #1 Text 0 File SCSIPTICommands.cpp, Line 424
LockMCN - completed sucessfully for IOCTL_STORAGE_MCN_CONTROL

5:06:23 PM #2 Phase 112 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1762
DVD-Video files reallocation started

5:06:23 PM #3 Phase 114 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1762
DVD-Video files reallocation completed (no file modified)

5:06:23 PM #4 Text 0 File Isodoc.cpp, Line 6668
UDF document burn settings
------------------------------------------
Determine maximum speed : FALSE
Simulate : FALSE
Write : TRUE
Finalize CD : TRUE
Multisession : FALSE
Burning mode : DAO
Mode : 1
UDF Mode : UDF/ISO bridge
UDF Options : automatic
UDF Revision : 1.02
UDF Partition Type : physical
ISO Level : 1 (Max. of 11 = 8 + 3 char)
Character set : ISO 9660
Joliet : FALSE
Allow pathdepth more than 8 directories : FALSE
Allow more than 255 characters in path : FALSE
Write ISO9660 ;1 file extensions : TRUE

5:06:24 PM #5 Phase 111 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1762
DVD-Video files sorted

5:06:24 PM #6 ISO9660GEN -11 File Geniso.cpp, Line 3345
First writeable address = 0 (0x00000000)

5:06:24 PM #7 ISO9660GEN -11 File Geniso.cpp, Line 3345
First writeable address = 0 (0x00000000)

5:06:24 PM #8 Text 0 File Burncd.cpp, Line 3520
Turn on Disc-At-Once, using DVD media

5:07:39 PM #9 Phase 40 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1762
Aborted by user

5:07:39 PM #10 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 319
Write in overburning mode: NO (enabled: CD)

5:07:39 PM #11 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 2972
Recorder: HP DVD Writer 840b
Medium not present

5:07:39 PM #12 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 493
>>> Protocol of DlgWaitCD activities: <<<
=========================================
Insert empty disc to write to.
(Medium in drive: Unknown. Medium required by compilation: DVD R/RW, DVD R DL, DVD-RAM.)

5:07:39 PM #13 Text 0 File SCSIPTICommands.cpp, Line 424
UnLockMCN - completed sucessfully for IOCTL_STORAGE_MCN_CONTROL


Existing drivers:

Registry Keys:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\AllocateCDROMs : 0 (Security Option)

[Kim Monroe]

I am having the exact same issue and have tried all the same fixes. Have you since been able to resolve this?

[Sheri Meek]

I'm haveing the Same problem with mine as well, could you let me know if you find anything as well? Thanks!

[S Becker]

I have the same problem. It use to work but I am not sure how I got it to work with my media center. Then it just quit not that I used it much. Now I want to use it again and it wont work. I took the computer down to day 0 with no luck. I am stumpted & just about ready to buy new. Can anyone help?

[Preston Jimno]

I am having the same issue with TWO HP M7248n PC's the DVD R/W drive on BOTH are having the SAME ISSUE!!

[S Becker]

I just recently found out my brother in WI, who bought the same system has the same problem. Stated it never worked but it does for CDs????

[Kenneth Howell]

I'm having a similar problem. Trouble shooting programs say that drive test ok. If I try to copy a CD, or read anything I keep getting a message that says "please insert a recordable cd" I'm ready to buy a new drive and hope that I have no further problems.
D.

[Susan Boudreau]

HP Dvd Writer 840b - Dvd drive will not detect blank dvd's. I have tried + and - formats. I have tried Sony, Memorex and FIFI media, WR and R. I can play DVD's, burn and play CD's. (I have an HP Media Center PC m7248n). I only tried to burn one DVD since buying the computer, and it was sucessful. That was a year ago. I was told that having more than one burning program on the computer, corrupts them as they compete. I removed all the burning softwares (Add and remove programs) including program files going through C:. I then went to Start, all programs, PC help and tools; HP Application Recovery. One at a time I reinstalled the 2 Sonic Applications. I then did the Drive Firmware update sp26721.exe; followed by the fix Mediahub.exe file errors sp34919. Next I got the unknown error write 2130906240 -4. Apparently this means a media incompatibility issue, related to the burning happening too slowly. Repeated the steps above getting fresh downloads, in case something had gotten corrupted. After the firmware update, no instructions came up. I still rebooted the system as per the instructions with the burned iso disk in and out. Read on a blog how perhaps the problem was a IE version 7 and Window Media Player version 11 or Sonic incompatibilty. Downloaded and installed "the patch" sp34679. It asked for me to uninstall RecordNow Data and then the Roxio Set Up Data Module Wizard took me through re-installation.
I have had some on-line chat sessions that have created me more problems than what I had to begin with. I am happy to report that I am now back to having just one problem. "Recordable media was not detected in DVD Writer 840b. Any help short of System Recovery ideas? I take it by reading some of the submissions that even that was not a solution.

[Atanu_1]

My problem is similar... CD gets detected and DVD not...

Solution: First put a CD into the drive, it gets detected automatically. Now put the DVD by replacing the CD, the DVD gets detected!!!


Haven't tried Burning DVD for long... will check and revert...

[Susan Boudreau]

My computer ended up at the shop where I was informed that the firmware update fried a chip in the burner. I had to replace it.