Blu-ray drive Mata BD-MLT UJ-220S

Hi guys,

I encountered a problem with my Blu-ray/CD/DVD drive after installing Windows 7 32bit (upgrade from Vista and also clean install). I cannot BURN discs anymore.

I've tried a lot of things with no success, so I'm not sure wheather is an Windows problem, a driver problem or a hardware problem.

My Vaio is FZ31Z model, but the drive Mat shi ta BD-MLT UJ-220S is also present in some other Vaio models.

So, any of you having this drive and who has managed to make it work on Windows 7, please be so kind and give me an answer.

Thank you very much.

 

What problems are you having with the disc and the drive? Did you update your graphic card drivers? Did you update and patch your blu ray software?

 

First of all, thank you for first sign of life I have received on this forum.

The drivers are the latest from Sony Vaio Support site for FZ31Z model(unfortunately, drivers are only for Vista as they don't support the FZ series for upgrading to w7). The graphic card driver is 7.15.11.6760 vers. from NVIDIA (does it have something to do with the burning?).

The burning software is NERO 9.4.26.0 (W7 compatible). I also tried ImgBurn with no result.

Very funny thing happened when I tried to burn a CD: Nero successfully burnt it for me but after this W7 wasn't able to read it. This gives me hope that I don't have a hardware problem as the moment when I try burning DVDs, I receive the message 'Track following error'. I also noticed that the Buffer of Nero had not been doing anything before receiving the message. So could it be a system memory problem?

About blu-ray software, I don't use such thing, but only VLC Player for reading the discs.

On the other hand, the drive reads flawlessly any kind of recorded media.

Thank you in advance for any suggestion.

I'd also like to ask some other Vaio owners with this type of burning drive to help on this. Thank you.

 

Freedom16,

Please be specific, what graphic card driver should I use on GeForce 8600M GS?
Maybe I've missed something, is there a direct influence on the burner?

Regarding the Nero Buffer, is it possible for the system not to allocate (enough) memory and thus prevent the burning?

Thank you.

 

Blu-Ray playback is dependent on certified software like PowerDVD or ArcSoft Total Media Theater 3. Now the inability to burn disks is interesting. Have you tried a firmware update on the drive if there is one? Install NeroTool and see what you're drive is reporting to Windows it can do.

 

The firmware is the latest as far as Sony Support website shows us: 1.04 vers.

I run Nero InfoTool and all seemed to be normal: the device is able to burn all kind of CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays excepting DVD-ROM, CD+G and, of course, HD-DVD.

I encountered this situation in the past sometimes when trying to burn DVDs in Vista. At that moment I used to defragment the hard-drive and clean the system with CCleaner or TuneUp Utilities and somehow the burner returned to normal. So, it used to be a sort of software conflict, but no hardware fault. That's why I considered that it might be a sort of lack of memory allocation to the Nero buffer because it used to be like this: after some failed attempts, the moment when I was seeing a move in the buffer bar I knew that the burn will be successful.

This time I haven't managed to make it work, the Nero's buffer bar doesn't fill at all, I receive the message 'Track following error' and the drive ejects the DVD.

Any suggestion would be highly appreciated.

 

If you don't mind me asking, what type of disk are you burning? Like DVD backup... or burning an ISO image...

 

Just a DVD backup, the way I used to do it many times in the past.

 

Is the windows explorer able to burn a disk like that correctly? If so you may have to update Nero to a new version or maybe reinstall.

 

No, neither Explorer is able to burn. Is it possible to be a sort of conflict between Explorer and Nero?

As for Nero, this is the latest version.

 

And you're sure it worked perfectly under Vista? If so I'll need to think about this for a little while.

 

Yeah, I burnt lots of CDs, DVDs and couple of BD-R and BD-RE (25 and 50 GB).

And this problem which I told you about happened at least 3 times with Vista.

Thank you.

 

Try updating your SATA/IDE drivers as this seems to fix a lot of disk burning problems for others I know. Try these..

 

I'm gonna try it and brief you later about the result.

Thank you.

 

Are you sure that I should install this?

Because my chipset seems to be Intel(R) PM965 Express Chipset, thus the mobile one, which doesn't appear in the list.

 

That download covers all 900 series motherboards on 32 and 64bit systems. ex.. 915, 945, 965...

 

Unfortunately, no result after the update of SATA/IDE drivers.

If you have any other suggestion please tell me. Thank you.

 

In the past when using my UJ220 the first thing that all of a sudden happened was I couldn't burn DVD's but could burn CD's. The head got dirty, I guess Dust. I couldn't see anything on the head. I blew the heads off with a can of air and that fixed it for a while. Then it seemed it wouldn't burn dvd's again. I changed brands and went with TDK's and it has worked ever since. I haven't been able to burn double layer discs. I haven't tryed different brands to see what would have.

Harold

 

Hi Harold,

I can confirm that behavior of the drive. Funny enough, right now I cannot write TDK DVD+R 16x anymore. Exactly the same DVD blank disks I used to write with.

I also used my vacuum-cleaner to remove any dirt from the head. It worked before but not this time.

I still presume of a compatibility issue. Can you tell me if you are able to write the DVDs with Windows 7?

Thank you.

 

Hi Mario - Yes I can burn DVD's. It's working the same as it was in Vista. This is on a FZ-480. I haven't tryed any double layer since Vista. I have been using Imgburn 2.5.0.0. I decided Nero was just to much in the overhead area. I bought the FZ-480 around July of 2008. I didn't realize the drive wasn't working right at one point since I didn't check to see if the disc's would play.i was burning movies. When a couple wouldn't play I started looking into what was going on and found the dust problem. I got a lot of drive speed errors as at one point. Cleaning and changing to TDK's has worked so far.

Harold

 

So, Harold, do you use the same drivers and firmware as in Vista? No specific ones for Windows 7?

I searched the net for new ones but I couldn't find such, as it seems that Panasonic, the Industrial Products Division, which is the producer of this Mat.SH.IT.a brand drive, doesn't publish the updates by itself and leaves the task to the laptop manufacturers, in our case Sony.

As for our beloved Sony, no news at all. They don't offer support and invite you to buy a new machine. AS.SHO.LES. Why should I buy a new machine as my FZ31Z has all the hardware capabilities for running Windows 7 instead of the faulty Vista? And by the way, I paid 1600 euros for it two years ago. Only for now to be forced to buy a new model cause they don't provide support. This defies common sense, for me to benefit from Windows 7 to be subsequently advised to throw out the window a laptop machine in a good shape (more than capable of running W7) and buy a new one.

But, guess what, if I were to buy a new one, it wouldn't be a Sony Vaio anymore. I'm gonna find a brand which is more supportive with their clients. I'm getting tired and I have better things to do then surf the net for entire weeks hoping to find a solution. And I'm more interested in a laptop which works properly than in a nice design.

In my humble opinion, to be a premium brand means to offer a premium support to you clients and not to try such tricks for looting them. As for Sony responsibles, they have no shame and don't give a sh.it about the clients. If they persevere in such attitude they will have the fate of their little sister Sony Ericsson company colleagues, another so-called premium brand which is technically bankrupt and way behind its competitors because of its technique of deceiving customers. Not all of us are imbeciles. So.. Sony, go ahead in this way and enjoy your future bankruptcy!

 

Try Roxio Easy Media Creator from Sony http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=VGNFW490&upd_id=5155&os_id=49

 

I used some drivers from the FW488 model. I looked for a system that had Ultimate 32 and most of those drivers work for win7 on the FZ. I did also update the firmware of the drive to 1.04 which i also found in one of the models I forget where since it was probably a year ago or so. I don't know if the firmware helped any with burning.

Harold

 

Thank you Hendra for the link. Unfortunately, neither Roxio has worked. If you have some other suggestion please tell me.

In the meantime I think I'll follow Harold's strategy. Just hope not destroying the computer and have to buy a new one. If so it wouldn't be another one LIKE NO OTHER, cause they couldn't MAKE me BELIEVE.

 

Hello XGX2007 and sorry for being late with this.

I've recently noticed by verifying the Device Manager that the update was not installed. You gave me the link for the vers. 9.1.1.1025. I had on the computer the vers. 8.9.2.1002 which seems to be win7 compatible. The moment when I try installing the vers. you gave me (in normal way or manually through Device Manager) it returns me to vers. 7.0.0.1002 from 2007.

So, please help me, how could I install this?

 

Sony Vaio owners with Mata BD MLT UJ 220S Blu Ray RW drive who are having problems in reading wrting BD discs especially in Windows 7 32 Bit.

1. Downlaod and Install windows 7 orginal drivers/software from "http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=VGNFZ290N&SelectOS=48"

2. Download "Blu-ray Disc UJ-220S Firmware Ver.1.05" update program" from "http://vcl.vaio.sony.co.jp/download/EP0000203289.html"

3. Update the Firmware.

4. Make sure you install it properly, improper installation leads to drive to dead condition.

5. Install "AnyDVD HD 6.6.2.6"

6. Install "Corel WinDVD 2010 Pro"

7. Now you will be able to Read / Write your BD discs.

Vai wner

 

Hello Vai wner,

Thank you for your post and sorry for having been absent from here for some time.
I've tried your solution but with no success. Again, my drive is reading all media well but it's not writing.

Any other suggestions?

Thank you.

 

Hello guys,

I've done a lot of tries with my beloved Mat.SH.IT.a optical device searching for a software fault, including a system recovery back to Vista, but with no prevail.

So, I've run out of software tricks and I've come up to the conclusion that it's a hardware problem, as with both Vista and W7 the drive doesn't read CDs, seems to write them but after this doesn't read them and finds them as being blank CDs, while it reads DVDs very well but doesn't write them. Tried Nero, Roxio, ImgBurn, Ashampoo, etc.

Kinda weird, isn't it? When I try recording a DVD the soft appears to begin writing but it sounds as if the drive wouldn't be properly loaded and the noise is less powerful than normal, and after this the burning software gives me error message and ejects the DVD. Could this be somehow related to laptop's hard drive not being able to properly transfer the data?

I've surfed the net and found lots of somehow similar problems with this marvelous optical drive but not a single real solution. Also this particular drive seems to be quite hard to reach, as having been an OEM Panasonic offer for Sony, Dell, Apple, etc. There are some replacements, most of them refurbished, but I am not quite determined to try such ones.

In concluding this, I would like to ask you guys if anybody has dealt with such problems with this particular type of optical drive and has been able to solve them? And, of course, how could these be solved? Maybe a better built replacement perfectly compatible with computer hard drive or something else?

Thank you very much.

P.S. - If anybody would happen to know this, could it be achievable to FLASH or RESET the optical drive firmware, as the drive isn't completely dead and the problem might be a faulty firmware install?

 

Hi,

With continuation to my previous post,

Make sure you have Drive Bios Version as 1.05.

If not please update to 1.05 (How to - please refer my previous post).

I faced the same issue of weired sound and not reading the disc and tried the following,

1. Shut down the system

2. Remove the battery.

3. Wait for 5 minutes.

4. Remove the drive physically from the system by unscrewing the two screws.

5. Clean the connecting port in the drive and the system with clean cloth (Use some electronic cleaning liquids if possible). Make sure the drive and system ports are dried and liquid free.

6. Reinsert the drive firmly and then tighten the screws.

7. Insert the battery.

8. Start the system and check.

I hope this will solve your problem.

Regards,
Vai wner.

 

Hi guys,

I've decided eventually to change the drive. First I contacted Sony Support and one bloody bast.erd told me with no shame that it would cost me no less than 260 euros just to evaluate the issue plus 432 euros the replacement. So, I'd rather buy a new laptop. He also tried avoiding to provide a clear answer about the S termination in the drive name, i.e. what's the difference between UJ-220 vs. UJ-220S vs. UJ-220B, and after lots of insistence told me that one UJ-220 should PROBABLY fit my laptop, but you know, this is on my own risk. No more words about the guy's stunning incompetence as I got tired of Sony Support marvelous service.

So, I've taken the risk, searched for alternative offers on the net and found a couple of. I've bought the unit from China, and it has cost me, you wouldn't believe your eyes, 145 USD with transport up to Europe included. They say this is a brand-new unit and not refurbished one, and I think they are right, at least for first sight. This is theirs website:

BlueHost.Com: This website is temporarily unavailable

And about the compatibility sh.it, it even appears in Device Manager as UJ-220S, as exactly as my old unit. It seems to have been produced in august 2008 while the firmware is 1.00. I've already written / recorded in Win7 one DVD and one BD-RE and everything went flawlessly.

I've also found it on a US website and a UK one and it's more expensive but not so much compared with the offer of Sony looters.

Thank you Vai wner for your answer, but it came too late and I'm sure that my old unit had a hardware fault.
Thank you all, guys, who have tried to help me and I hope for somebody having the same problems to find the remedy inhere and not to waste so much time as I've done.

As for Sony fck.ers, well, as I'm not the type of guy who likes to be cheated, you've just lost another client. For good. FOREVER. I'm gonna tell this story to all people I know, to stay away of Sony looters. Doesn't matter that the product could appear attractive when buying, they're gonna steal you after this anyway. The products use to embed unreliable components which are incredibly expensive at their awful service support and quite difficult to be found somewhere else.

Kind Regards.

 

Well, for the website, it seems to be temporarily unavailable, but here's an alternative of the retailer:

Wholesale-NEW Blu ray Player Burner BD R Drive UJ 220

US: http://www.netcomdirect.com/pamaujblopdr.html

UK: http://www.pcupgrade.co.uk/productdetails.asp?ProductID=6334&categoryid=322

And a couple of others from China.

 

P.S.: Updating the firmware is not necessary, I've written lots of CDs and DVDs in the meantime with Roxio, 1.0 firmware version in W7 32bit, and no problem has arisen. So, as updating the firmware is a dangerous operation and could make the unit unusable in some circumstances, I'd say that it's better not to be pursued. It's unnecessary and has nothing to do with the operation system.

 

I was happy with this drive.
But i was using Virtual CloneDrive ( SlySoft Virtual CloneDrive) and it appears to have made this drive totally unstable. (I had tried everything to fix this issue before I found this to be the issue. It was frustrating because I could hardly use the drive and it was brandnew)

It would not read cds 3/4 of the time, just endless seeking, constant dvd/cd burn errors.
More than a few months later I uninstalled clonedrive, and as soon as it was uninstalled all problems dissappeared. Drive runs great now, reads/burns everything perfectly.


I would suggest if your having issues with this drive uninstall any iso mounting software you have installed and reboot then try using it.


regards
michael

 

It is now some time ago and with a different laptop, but when I installed Nero the dvd drive went crazy. It wasn't recognised as a dvd drive at all. Only a cd drive. It would read dvd's but not write to them. It would read and write cd's though. As soon as I uninstalled Nero and rebooted everything returned to normal. I haven't been anywhere near Nero since.

 

o, Harold, do you use the same drivers and firmware as in Vista? No specific ones for Windows 7?

I searched the net for new ones but I couldn't find such, as it seems that Panasonic, the Industrial Products Division, which is the producer of this Mat.SH.IT.a brand drive, doesn't publish the updates by itself and leaves the task to the laptop manufacturers, in our case