DIGIT-ARC read-only archive · snapshot: July 23, 2026

Sony DVD RW Drive

30 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/sony-dvd-rw-drive.88192/

VarDOS
VarDOS Original post #1
May 18, 2008 at 7:50 PM
Hi. Friends
I Have Sony DVD RW (AW-G170A) Drive. I Had Purchased It An Year Before. But Now It Is Showing An Problem. It Refuses To Read Data From DVD-R Till Now It Was Working Fine.

It Reads Data From Branded DVD's i.e. Digit Dual DVD's etc. But It Does Not Read Writed DVD's in XP. I Tried It In Windows Vista It Worked Fine. But I Dosenot Work Fine In XP.

Earlier I Bought An Movie DVD. But It Says Blank Disc I Cannot Browse The Disc Through Explorer But I Can Watch Movies Through PowerDVD PowerDVD Reads That Disc Even Nero InfoTool Shows Me My Disc Name But I Am Unable To Read The Discs. What Should I Do? Any Suggestion?
desiibond
May 18, 2008 at 7:57 PM
Clean the DVD lens using the "Philips DVD lens cleaner". don't use those cheap liquid based cleaners. they will ruin the lens.
VarDOS
VarDOS #3
May 19, 2008 at 8:20 AM
Ya, I Tried It But It Didn't Work.
R
realdan #4
May 19, 2008 at 1:25 PM
i have faced this problem with the same writer..first it was not burning, then it cant read brnt disc...then it cant read digit dvd...
your writer lens has failed...most probably a lens replacement if possible might do the job..take it to the place where you bought it or service center to check it out..
fortunately mine was still in warranty and took it to rashi peripherals..and got a new boxed replacement sony dru-190A
desiibond
May 19, 2008 at 1:34 PM
Ya, I Tried It But It Didn't Work.

okay. if it's still under warranty, take it to the service center and get it replaced. should be a problem with lens.

and btw, did you check that by inserting it in any other PC. problem with IDE cable can also create such issues.
Roadripper
May 19, 2008 at 3:10 PM
Get it replaced if its in warranty ...:rolleyes:
VarDOS
VarDOS #7
May 19, 2008 at 3:54 PM
It's Not In Warranty. So What Should I Do
My Friend Told Me To Update Its Firmware?
So Will I Go For It Or Not?
dhanusaud
May 19, 2008 at 4:36 PM
If hv knowledge abt hardware then unscrew ur optical drive having problem & then clean dust with soft pc of cloth or air blower.....it will work fine.

Warning: Don't play with lens.
VarDOS
VarDOS #9
May 19, 2008 at 7:30 PM
But It Reads All CD Rom's.
Then I Do Not Think There Will Be Problem With Lens.
techtronic
May 19, 2008 at 8:11 PM
Unfortunately Firmware Upgrade only upgrades software features of the Drive.If the lens has gone bad, firmware update wont help.
A
May 19, 2008 at 10:54 PM
m facing the same issue.... sony roms are known to cause such probs... mostly the OEM ones..... nt the box packd...
VarDOS
VarDOS #12
May 20, 2008 at 9:40 PM
But My Parents Are Not Giving Permission To Break The Seal Of My Writer.

When I Asked My Bro Then He Told There Might Be Problem With Your OS.
And Told To Re Install The OS.
Will It Work?
A
acewin #13
May 21, 2008 at 6:33 PM
well, its like hit and trial, which can always be tried.

If your current installation has gone cukoo and is not able to check hardwares properly.
If you are instaling XP it wont take much time but to have all softwares back installed will take time. But if you reformat then surely tell us the result.
dhanusaud
dhanusaud #14
May 21, 2008 at 7:06 PM
But My Parents Are Not Giving Permission To Break The Seal Of My Writer.

When I Asked My Bro Then He Told There Might Be Problem With Your OS.
And Told To Re Install The OS.
Will It Work?

noway, os reinstallation won't solve hardware damage. use cleaners instead.
VarDOS
VarDOS #15
May 30, 2008 at 2:41 PM
Ya I Tried Cleaning The Lens. And I Found That Some CD's Are Reading When I Restart My PC Again And Again. I Tried My Adobe CS3 Master Collection DVD When I Inserted It, It Showed Me Blank Disc. But After A Few Hours When I Switched On My PC Back It Was Reading. The Same Happened With My XP DVD.
Y
Jun 1, 2008 at 9:50 PM
Time to change the DVD writer, happens all the time. Usually my DVD/CD drive only work for a year or so and after that I have to change them.
S
Jun 3, 2008 at 1:31 PM
Time to change the DVD writer, happens all the time. Usually my DVD/CD drive only work for a year or so and after that I have to change them.
one year is not the life time of a writer.i hav many pals who have used it for more than 3 years(noraml use).the problem must be with the ide cable.change it!!you have to use 80 conductor/ide not the 40 one.all the best:)
R
realdan #18
Jun 3, 2008 at 2:53 PM
i think it might have something to do with laser that are used for DVD reading and burning...since the laser for the CD may be a different one..

SO even if it can read cd, that doesnt mean that it should read DVD...and nothing is wrong with the unit

it shows that your unit laser component might have weakened and about to fail sooner or later. Instead of wasting further time, get it serviced or buy a new unit. That's it
VarDOS
VarDOS #19
Jun 4, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Hi
Friends I Found That The DVD-RW Media Has Me Croupt And So It Is Not Reading Discs I Got The Solution That Change The Drive
A
acewin #20
Jun 4, 2008 at 4:02 PM
heehe good going
damnthenet
Jun 4, 2008 at 10:04 PM
Look at this: The problem seems to be common for many sony 170 series writers

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=85073

The same problem happened to me. I got it flashed from official place and still didnt work. Then I got it replaced.

So...get it replaced if its in warranty. (I can help you out with the place and details if you are in Chennai)
Try flashing if its out of warranty.
R
realdan #22
Jun 5, 2008 at 8:34 PM
i have flashed it in warranty...and it doesnt work..then i flash back to the original firmware version..then took it to the distributor and got it replaced with a diff model...190
A
amir_aimt #23
Jun 6, 2008 at 3:36 PM
I Am Using Sony Dvd Rw Drive .from Few Days It Is Not Writing The Dvds ,it Shows The Message That Dvd Has Used Space= 0
Free Space= 0
Can U Plz Suggest Me Something.
VarDOS
VarDOS #24
Jun 6, 2008 at 7:18 PM
Hi amir_aimt

The Same Happened With Me

Which OS You Are Using
S
Jun 6, 2008 at 8:11 PM
my sony dru 830a dvd writer was not able to read dvd's .
i changed the 40 conductor ide cable to 80 conductor ide cable.
uninstalled secondary ide channel in atapi/ata controllers in device manager.my dvd drive is working again as usual.i havent tested the burning part though:D:)
VarDOS
VarDOS #26
Jun 6, 2008 at 9:17 PM
I Don't Know Weather I Have 80 conductor ide Cable Or 40 Conductor ide Cable.

Is There Any Way To Know It
A
amir_aimt #27
Jun 7, 2008 at 9:42 AM
i am using win xp service pack 2

It Is Reading The Dvd's But In Case Of Writing It Shows

Used Space =0;
Free Space =0;
While Tring On The Other Writer Dvd Is Working.
VarDOS
VarDOS #28
Jun 7, 2008 at 10:02 AM
I Think You Should Go For Vista
dheeraj_kumar
Jun 8, 2008 at 1:18 AM
Read this.... this is a very recurring problem.


*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89707


And post if you have any questions...