T42 and DVD-R **11KB PIC**

[Tony Vella]

I have a bunch of PDF files which I burnt to DVD-R on my Windows Vista desktop.
For some reason my Windows XP ThinkPad T42 refuses to read them.
I am sure that the T42 should read DVD-Rs. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks in advance.

[rkawakami]

Welcome to thinkpads.com!

What is the model number of the T42 optical drive? By model number, I mean the IBM FRU/ASM number(s) and possibly one on the sticker from the bottom of the drive. It could actually be manufactured by Panasonic (M a t s u s h i t a), Sony, LG. And can the DVD-R disks still be read on your desktop?

[Tony Vella]

Hello Ray. Thanks for the welcome.

Well, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed (I'm 67) so I thank you for your patience.
The bottom label says:
Model no. UJDA765
Panasonic Communications Co.
Manufactured May 2005.
FRU P/N 39T2505
ASM P/N 39T2504
REV : 101
I hope this is the information you requested.
The two DVD-Rs (Memorex) with the PDF files still read perfectly and fast on my desktop.
Incidentally, I copied all the PDF files onto a flash drive (what a wasted use of 8 gigs) and my PDF reader reads them as quickly as on my desktop.
Thanks in advance.

[rkawakami]

(Sorry for the slight delay... during composition of this post I got ahold of the wrong link and it took a few minutes to find the right one)

Yes, that's more than enough . The UJDA765 appears to support DVD-R disks as far as I can tell but there's a firmware update that's available from Lenovo:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-62296

This program will update your drive's firmware to the latest version (1.70) but before you go that route, a couple of questions:

- Has the T42 ever been able to read a DVD-R disk?
- If the answer is 'yes', then three things could be happening:
--- The laser for the DVD has gone bad (solution: replace the drive) or
--- The lens is dirty (possible solution: clean the lens)
--- The Memorex disks are incompatible (possible solution: try a different brand of DVD)
- If the answer is 'don't know; it's the first time a DVD-R has been tried' then:
--- It's possible that the firmware upgrade can fix the problem
--- Or there's another problem

In order to perform the firmware update on the drive, you'll need to download the file at the "fwod08.iso" link on the web page I posted above. You will also need a program that can burn an ".ISO" file onto a CD-R or CD-RW. It's a special format that can't simply be "copied" to the blank CD (like you did for the .PDF files). One free program that can handle .ISOs is CDBurnerXP and is available from here:

http://www.cdburnerxp.se/

edit: I also found this: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-50676 Look on the front bezel of the UJDA765 and see what logos are there and match it up to the one at this site.

[Tony Vella]

Hi Ray.

Once again, thank you. And, guess what? Problem solved. Thanks to your mentioning CDBurnerXP.
Stupid is as stupid does: I let someone convince me that there is an "easy" way of writing files to a cd or dvd: simply use the Windows Explorer, select the files and send them to the cd drive with a right-click.
I did this and I remember now that the process for some reason used the Windows Media Player to burn.
Well, I took a new DVD-R and have just burnt it using my CDBurnerXP (which I already had) and lo and behold my T42 reads the DVD as quickly as my desktop.
Problem solved.
Thanks again and again.
Regards.

[poshgeordie]

@Tony Vella - Welcome!

Stupid is as stupid does

I completely disagree with that! It's this sort of information that people need when sorting out these kinds of issues, so I personally appreciate knowing what not to do so to speak.

A related but off topic question about "cleaning the lens".

Do you mean the fragile clear plastic dome over the laser, or the glass-like cover under that dome? I've got loads of duff CD-RW's here and would like to get one working.

[rkawakami]

"Cleaning the lens" is a delicate, and generally final attempt that I make when trying to revive an optical drive. The only "lens" that I know of is the clear plastic (?) cover over the laser diode:

Click on the image for a larger (800x600; 100KB) photo.

A cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol and gently brushed across the lens has recovered a couple of drives for me.

[poshgeordie]

That's brilliant Ray. I've always wondered which bit it was since some of my duff drives don't have that lens and I guess is why they don't work.

After looking at your photo it's got me thinking about how easy it is to do a laser transplant from a known mechanically broken drive.

[Harryc]

t how easy it is to do a laser transplant from a known mechanically broken drive.

I'd guess that even if it looks easy the tolerances involved would have to be almost exact to allow it to function normally in the transplant target drive. We are talking about aiming a very fine point laser beam right?

[rkawakami]

My understanding is that the laser assembly is "floating" and that it is controlled by a servo that maintains the proper focus. After all, the distance from the laser to the surface of the disk that has the pits and lands is continuously changing while the disk is spinning. As long as no damage happens to the servo mechanism, I would guess that such a transplant is possible.