We had post news on 8/12 about possible serious bug in the latest firmware for the PlexWriter 4220. Today we got another email for his subject :

"..I'm an owners of PlexWriter 4220 with firmware 1.02.... I confirm the bug, but "A firmware upgrade for this drive will be available in a short time." wrote me Gert Poelmans, Support Engineer of Plextor Europe. The following are the two e-mails (with respective answers) I have sent to Plextor support:

1st e-mail:
Dear Sirs,
I bought the Plextor RW4220T SCSI internal cd-writer about 8 months ago. It came with firmware revision 1.01 that I successfully upgraded to 1.02, but here is the problem. Now, the first time I insert a cd-rw the orange light flashes. The only way to help the Plexwriter to recognize the cd-rw is to eject and re-insert it again (the green light is now on "disc"). So, I have to insert the cd-rw two times before it runs correctly. This problem doesn't affect cd-recordable. What are the solutions? Downgrade to 1.01 firmware, losing cd-text feature?

Answer to 1st e-mail:
It looks like your drive is defective. For returning the device, please mention your details on the request page of our website.We will gladly make you an RMA (Return Materials Authorisation) number and send it to you by email. There is a two-year warranty on our drives and one year on the Plexwriter. For any further information we are always at your disposal.

2nd e-mail:

Dear Sir,
since I have received your e-mail, I made some inquiries on the net and discovered that all the owners of a Plexwriter 4220 with firmware 1.02 have the same problem (difficulty to recognize cd-rw, as described better in the previous e-mail). So, either ALL Plexwriter 4220 are defective or, in my opinion, more realistically, there is a BUG in firmware 1.02. I live in Italy and the airfreight expenses to and from Belgium are too high, especially if the defect can be solved with a downgrade to firmware 1.01, as suggested from Plextor Support to someone else. If there is a bug in firmware 1.02, why Plextor does not release a new firmware? Of course 4220 model is going out of market....but do not forget that, in future, all owners of 4220 would be loyal supporters of the Plextor brand, if happy with their present model.

Answer to 2nd e-mail:
A firmware upgrade for this drive will be available in a short time.
Gert Poelmans
Support Engineer
Plextor Europe
Excelsiorlaan 9
B-1930 Zaventem
Belgium.."