And now - another computer problem

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:23 pm

Well, I've reloaded what I can on my home pc (did think of calling it Lazarus, but it's died and come back so many times it's now known as Optimus), but I simply cannot make it recognise that I want to burn CDs and put songs onto a portable MP3...

Can play discs, including DVDs, and play/move music from the MP3. Systems in place are Windows Media Player and RealPlayer.

It's the drivers, isn't it?

Oh, and I want to connect a VOIP headphone set to the pc as well as having the speakers still in. Can anyone suggest a good splitter product?

Post by **Denyer** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:17 pm

If you mean the drive's being detected as a normal DVD drive rather than a writer, run regedit.exe, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} [there may be several, look for one with 'DVD' listed under it] and remove the upper and lower filter entries. Reboot. This may require reinstallation of burning software afterwards.

http://searchwinit.techtarget.com/tip/0 ... 65,00.html

If you just mean you haven't got burning software, try CDBurnerXP or similar.

VOIP... well, you could get a USB soundcard, which sticks into a USB port and has headphone/microphone sockets. I've found from experience that a noise and feedback cancelling desk mic is a much better bet, and Logitech do a USB one that's extremely good for this -- silver base, black mic stick. Less hassle than messing around with separate audio channels; just plug headphones in when you need them, and the mic is good enough at preventing feedback loops that you can use speakers as an alternative. (Beats having stuff on your head, IMO.)

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=logite ... microphone

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 10:36 pm

Denyer, many thanks, but CDBurnerXP does not appear to work and nothing appears available on the run. Suspect potential FUBAR.

At end of limit of my knowledge of DVD drives and how they can be made to function. At least I know more about them than I do telephones, which is nada.

Post by **Denyer** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 10:46 pm

Clogs wrote:nothing appears available on the run

i.e. No drives it can use to burn?

Did you try the filters thing in RegEdit?

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:29 pm

Yup.

Yup.

Wahhhhhh!

But, if it can be done, I'll find a way. After all, I'm going to need a bit more skill than I have now come the new computer! If you hear a large amount of cussing from the central Midlands area, it'll probably be me...

Post by **Denyer** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:37 pm

What CD burning software is currently installed?

Have a try with DeepBurner, ImgBurn and InfraRecorder, see if any of them can see the drive. That should establish whether it's a general Windows / hardware problem.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:35 am

I wonder if you'll need to do an OS rebuild to get it up and running. After working on some many student machines over the years, I find it is easier to just format / reinstall the Operating System.

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:23 pm

Jim wrote:I wonder if you'll need to do an OS rebuild to get it up and running. After working on some many student machines over the years, I find it is easier to just format / reinstall the Operating System.

That's what my friend recently did for me - after killing my OS stone dead..

Burning software = Acoustica. It tells me that it cannot find the device when asked to burn, which is odd considering the pc is telling me I have a writing device installed. This is the illogic that's doing my head in.

secretcode · Post by **secretcode** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:34 pm

Do all computers hate you or something?

Ackula · Post by **Ackula** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:56 pm

If the PC detects the drive, but not the software, I'm guessing it is a software problem. I had similar problems once and ended up needing some aspi shell or something with my CD burner, perhaps its something similar? I'd give other softwares a go and see what happens. I'm not familiar with the one you have, but I tend to use Nero, imgburn, and Roxio for DVDs. Oh and one click dvd copy...but thats for more clandestine operations.

Post by **Denyer** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:58 pm

Clogs wrote:Burning software = Acoustica. It tells me that it cannot find the device when asked to burn, which is odd considering the pc is telling me I have a writing device installed. This is the illogic that's doing my head in.

Try some of the other software I mentioned. Removing filters may break existing burning software if it's the type that puts hooks into the OS (eg, Nero, Roxio, etc -- suites rather than standalone apps, which anything that comes with a drive is likely to be) and require it to be reinstalled. But since those hooks may well be what the problem is, them clashing with the operating system, I'd suggest seeing if other software can see the burner.

I've seen this problem or similar on two systems I admin recently (after installing XP SP3), and Cliffy's also having issues with a writer. I'm wondering if it's something to do with Windows updates that've come down the pipeline over the last year or so.

slartibartfast · Post by **slartibartfast** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:23 pm

heu... thought I'd hijack one of Clogs' PC problems threads with this curiosity. At first I thought it was a joke, until I noticed I could plug the two parts together:

So does anyone know what 2 usb sockets, some audio i/o, a ps2 mouse port and a socket with a strange pictogram of a square with a baseball bat, leading into a really big plug actually is? Either that or its' CD bay-mountable counterpart for that matter...

Apologies for any inconvenience.

Post by **Denyer** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 12:00 am

Just a pass-through box by the looks of it. For people who... uh, really hate having most of the wires going into their computer neatly out of the way...

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 1:24 pm

Have just re-installed Nero and I am using that without any issues as a burning tool. All's well, except with the son's new reddmango mp3 player which insists it's write protected and nothing - but nothing! - will convince it otherwise.

Can I borrow that strange device to pummel the mp3 player to pieces, please Slart?

Oh, and the pc decided last night that it had no RAID utilities for some strange reason. Re-installed, rebooted and reswore when it did the same again.

Post by **Denyer** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 6:29 pm

It's a fairly unusual consumer motherboard if it's packing RAID features. Where'd you get this kit exactly?

Any switches on the MP3 player? Does it work on other machines?

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:16 pm

Denyer wrote:It's a fairly unusual consumer motherboard if it's packing RAID features. Where'd you get this kit exactly?

Custom build (read Frankenstein) by my mate Neil. It was meant to all go round the stonkingly fantastic graphics card that blew out last August and took everything to hell with it.

Any switches on the MP3 player? Does it work on other machines?

mp3 player is terribly basic with an on switch and a vol+/- only. It won't work on any machine. Found some moans online about this particular type, but I'd like to fix it if possible since it was a Christmas present from Scraplet1's Nanna.

Post by **Denyer** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:21 pm

What capacity is it? If it's a small as the feature-set suggests, "accidentally" get it lost in the washing machine and snag one of these type from eBay?

For gaming I'd seriously recommend just getting a console. Few upgrade worries and PS2 stuff is cheap these days.

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:02 pm

Denyer wrote:What capacity is it?

1GB. First player he's ever had bought for him and killing it is not an option unless it's the only option.

I do have access to a PS2, but it's sited in the living room and involves either evicting the Scraplets or trying to play on the dedicated tv while the Beloved is watching the proper tv. Neither recommends itself, hence I play games on the bedroom-located pc - at least until the Beloved comes bed...

Post by **Denyer** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:43 pm

http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:aK ... clnk&gl=uk

i had the same problem all you have to do is unlock the mp3 player there is a little switch once you have done that you can use it normally

http://www.fixya.com/support/t1514638-m ... _protected

Well-hidden, perhaps?

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:12 pm

I have removed my specs and peered at the player - and found this tiny, weeny 'iddle switch in the battery compartment which allows me to take off the write protect. That's cool. It's completely unmentioned in the guide and is helpfully black-on-black (but without the black sign lighting up etc).

Solved.

Thanks, Denyer. I will never ever ever touch that switch again now it's set.

And the RAID is behaving itself to date.