burning problems with Aspire 4520

Hi,
I have an Aspire 4520 with the Simline DVD A DS8A1P ATA burner. Firmware is CA11. I have Windows 7 and use Ashampoo and Windows to burn. Although it will burn CDs, I cannot now get it to burn DVD+R or DVD+R dual layers. I have tried Maxell, Memorex, and TDK and in all cases the program prepares to burn and then it fails and the disc is ejected. I get a generic message with several vague suggestions which include updating firmware. I don't know if my firmware needs to be updated but nowhere on the net is there any update source or any easy explanation as to how to do it. I understand it is very complicated. It really sucks that my internal burner won't do what Acer promised it would do. Do I have to buy an external burner? I would appreciate any assistance. Thank you very much.

Also is is very weird that in Device Manager it doesn't even specify the manufacturer or model of the unit. It just says "standard CD-ROM drives". But I know it is a DS8A1P from the burning app.

Yes, yes I know Verbatim is the best but it is not available where I live. But I don't know if my burner would even work with that.

 

Now that's an interesting one.
I've had some experience with these in the past but it may sound scary at first for you if you didn't but bear with me.

Usually problems like yours are caused by old firmware and new media. Firmware contains strategies for known media (including calibrating, and laser power calibrating) and generic strategy for unknown media.
Your current firmware is from circa 2006- back then DVDs were mainly x8. You have to change the "base" of the DVD-media to be able to record faster so x16 DVDs have completely different "base" compared to x8 media.
Another words- your DVDs are newer than your firmware and your DVD writer doesn't "know" them and uses a generic strategy for different media which usually fails in the very beginning with a calibration error.

Firmware update may or may not help. I've tried this with Panasonic branded DVD+-RW drive and even the most recent firmware didn't work.
You may also try BenQ DVDs (silver ones, violet casing) - these seem to be more likely to work (meaning these are old )

If you decide to update firmware here's the hard part- here's the firmware- CA24 & here's the step by step guide on how to do it (last post)

WARNING: If something fails along the way your DVD drive is dead. So think about it and decide if you want to risk it or not. Your decission- not mine. I'm not responsible for any potential damages.

If it doesn't work or you decide it's too much trouble trying you can always buy an internal half height DVD+RW and swap it for your current one.

 

thank you downloads,
I believe my problem is a firmware problem. I appreciate your help. I went to the link with the instructions but although I consider myself reasonably computer literate, I really don't understand them. What is XSF? XSF at DOS? Then I have to program a flash drive somehow. Take out my hard drive? So many complicated steps and one misstep and your burner is toast. I could probably do it if the instructions were more user friendly and understandable. Elsewhere on the internet they explain things in simple language. Why don't they do this with firmware flashing? Thanks.

 

Mr. download,
I downloaded CA24. Isn't there a simple hassle-free program or utility I can run that will update the firmware? I've gone to all these links and there are so many different utilities and odd abbreviations and strange tools for Lite-On that I don't know where to start. It seems like the Code Guys forum is for people who are Cisco and Microsoft Certified.

 

I know it's complicated- it's meant to be flashed with boot-USB in DOS with a separate flasher not with Windows utility.
Unfortunately I can't do anything about that. You don't have to remove your HDD though- someone did it just to be sure but flashing a ODD can't harm the HDD.
Anyway- I can't make it any simpler than that. I used to do things like that and I know it doesn't look good but- there's a step by step guide to it and I can't elaborate on that anymore because I'd have to do it myself and since I don't have this drive I can't.

On the plus side- the ODD is basically not working anyway and if it dies in process you can always buy a replacement drive for $20 to $40 on ebay.

Also try to get hold of those BenQ media I mentioned or just go to the computer shop and buy different DVD media- one of each and test them.
I've had a case like that where the most recent firmware was still too old and I had to either buy a new drive or find media that worked with it. The latter was cheaper and I bought several packs of 25 DVDs each to be sure I've had enough.

 

Downloads,
thank you again for your prompt response. I've concluded that my burner is not broken; it works up to a point. It's just very selective with the brand of DVD it will burn. It seems to read/play DVDs and reads/plays/burns CDs ok. I've read in several posts that this burner pretty much only burns Verbatim brand DVDs. I haven't seen Verbatim or Benq for sale where I live. I live in Panama and Maxell seems to be the national brand here followed by Memorex. I don't know if flashing the firmware to CA24 would work or not. Even assuming I could do it successfully. It's way over my level of competence. I know squat about MS-DOS and all the fancy tricks you have to do. And I am not alone. I've read all the horror stories in the forums. Better to have a partially functional burner than a dead burner. I'll probably just have to buy an external USB burner to do what my built-in won't do. Thanks again.

 

Epilogue: I just bought a Samsung External DVD writer. It's slim, sleek, and beautiful with a piano glossy finish. $69 in Panama where I live but as cheap as $39 online in the States. Let me tell you, it is miles ahead of the firmware update technology of the Lite-On Slimtype built-in burner in my laptop. Whereas you have to be Microsoft or Cisco certified to understand how to flash your firmware with the Lite-On slimtype built-in, the Samsung comes with an application that automatically updates your firmware via the Internet. The difference is like night and day. Why can't Lite-On figure that out????? So now I use the Lite-On built-in for reading and the Samsung for burning.