CF-29 dvd multi drive upgrade ??

Hi,

I just got in a dvd multi drive for my mk5 cf-29. It came with a floppy. the drive is labeled cf-vdm292u and the front panel says dvd multi recorder, rw dvd + rewiteable, compact disck rewritable.

I put it in my cf-29 and it recognized and asked me to instal "interactual player", I did and it plays dvds just fine. When I go to writ to the drive it only wants a cd and won't recognize the dvd writing feature. This is using what ever windows writing software is allready installed with xp..


Do I need to enable somthing or is there some panasonic software I'm missing or should I download a program like like sonic???

Thanks for your help guys. I'm not a computer wizard just a user.

The drive was on ebay for $100.

 

You need to install DVD writing software like Nero.... Some others are freeware versions that only allow the drive to do limited things. I recommend Nero though there are several on the market.

 

thanks! I was afraid it needed to be some propritary pannasonic stuff.

 

You can access a burner in one of two ways; by using a CD/DVD Authoring software suite which addresses the drive directly(Nero, Roxio, Sonic), letting you use "Wizards" to create your disc; you can also install a Packet Writing driver (DirectCD, InCD) to allow you to use Windows to write discs as if they were just a big floppy. I do believe that XP has a 1GB limitation on the filesize for the buffer file needed to do this; this means you can burn any CD type, since XP does support CDRW technology as well as regular CD-R/+R etc, but I don't believe it will support DVD discs the same way; I've never seen a driver for this. This is probably a deliberate restriction due to agreements with major movie studios.

mnem
Burn, baby, BURN!

 

So I got my drive from the ebay and installed a dvd burner software that would not burn because someone had put a dvd reader (ujda760) in place of the burner So the very nice seller sent me a uj-841s to put in its place. The swap went well thanks to the tutorial. So it will not burn anything, not even cd's. It plays dvds just fine.

Is there anything I need to instal software wise (besides burning software)??

 

Yes - you'll need to install an ASPI layer driver. Most RETAIL versions of popular burning software do this for you; but if you are trying to use a disc that came with a burner, you may need to find an ASPI driver online. Google it; you'll get a bazillion hits.

mnem
*My fixit motto: If the ladies don't find you handsome, make sure they find you handy!*:wink:

 

ASPI, PASPI that did it. Thanks

 

Yer welcome. Glad I could help.

mnem
Driven.to.the.edge.

 

Mnem and Huntler could be the Code Talkers in the war on terrorism.

"Come up two mils from ASPI, fire PASPI ON MY COMMAND!"

 

*Sigh*

Couldn't make myself do it... fundamental issues of conscience. As thankful as I am for the men & women of the Armed Forces going out there and doing their job in the harshest conditions I can imagine on earth, I loathe the people and the lies that put those soldiers in harm's way.

On a lighter note, I'm working on a Helium-powered bagpipe for Beltane's Day... It plays wonderfully and reduces shoulder strain by 40%, but it has the amusing side-effect of making the audience sound like Donald Duck...

mnem
*Excuse me, but if the VP is such a VIP, shouldn't we keep the PC on the QT? Cause if it leaks to the VC, he could end up an MIA and then we'd all be put on KP...*

 

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD MOOOOOOOOOORRRRRNNNNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
VIETNAM!!! Love that flik!

 

I just got a 29. Works great! But I want a dvd burner in so I bought one. Now what the heck do I do? I've been reading you guys (after the fact). Looks bad for me.

I need the cable and board to solder to. Where do I find it? Is this encluded with the caddy that you talk about or can I find it by itself? I'm sure i can make a container to hold the drive in place if I can plug it in. Never had a lap top before. I guess I'll learn pr the cf will die when I try.

Thanks
Shadowdog

 

Its included with the caddy
Just buy a cf-27,28 or29 caddy bare or with a basic cd drive

Alex

 

Welcome to the forum... You really need to buy the caddy. You would have a hard time making something that fit perfectly and I doubt you could make the required connector. You can buy CD Rom Caddys for as little as $40 online.

 

As Toughbook says, you must buy an existing caddy or complete drive.

It does not matter if it is a basic CD drive or CD/DVD combo etc., they all have the same casing and connector.

I've used Matsua UJ-850 and later UJ-851 (lightscribe) 'super-multi' drives and they work very well. (Plus they probably come out the same factory as the ones used in Toughbooks..)

The only soldering is to link two points to force the drive to Slave mode, as the original drives are set to this internally and generic drives default to master without the link.

Robert.