In reference to a prior post by copycat, I have had 6 optical drives fail in 5 computers. I am going to follow up on the suggestion about removing inCD packet writing software, however, I wonder about the durability of optical drives.

1. Do optical drives fail?
Failure 1: old macintosh;
Failure 2: Soyo Ultra Dragon P4 MB with both CD writer and DVD rom failure;
Failure 3: Abit MB, both CD writer and DVD rom - this could be packet writer situation;
Failure 4: Apple G4, Sony CD writer - burned one CD and then quit.
Failure 5: ASUS MB, Dell cd writer/DVD rom - can burn but will not read, only drive in machine

Various platforms trigger the durability question.

I'm not out of money for drives, nor out of platforms, nor patience, but I am running short on answers. Any further suggestions would be appreciated, or even the experience of others with possibly the same situation.

Hey, maybe we'll all find that "We can't taste our beer".

Thanks,
Chris

Welcome!

Sorry I don't know to which post you are refering.

Anyway the truth abut packet writing software is that they always causes problems.

What do you mean by fail?

What about firmwares, do you have the latest for each drive? Have you tried with different media brands?

(in reply to ojeda)

quote:

ORIGINAL: ojeda

In reference to a prior post by copycat, I have had 6 optical drives fail in 5 computers. I am going to follow up on the suggestion about removing inCD packet writing software, however, I wonder about the durability of optical drives.

1. Do optical drives fail?
Failure 1: old macintosh;
Failure 2: Soyo Ultra Dragon P4 MB with both CD writer and DVD rom failure;
Failure 3: Abit MB, both CD writer and DVD rom - this could be packet writer situation;
Failure 4: Apple G4, Sony CD writer - burned one CD and then quit.
Failure 5: ASUS MB, Dell cd writer/DVD rom - can burn but will not read, only drive in machine

Various platforms trigger the durability question.

I'm not out of money for drives, nor out of platforms, nor patience, but I am running short on answers. Any further suggestions would be appreciated, or even the experience of others with possibly the same situation.

Hey, maybe we'll all find that "We can't taste our beer".

Thanks,
Chris

A common cause of optical drive failure is tobacco smoke. If the computers are in a place where people are allowed to smoke, the chances are that the sticky tar residue in the smoke has coated the laser lenses with a brown deposit. This would have to be cleaned off carefully and gently with something like isoprol or surgical spirit.
So many drives failing like that is unusual (unless they are very old/have been used to death), so smoking may well be the cause. Other than that, it could be a problem with dust on the lenses. Are the drives in a dusty atmosphere?

(in reply to ojeda)

dust? i had not considered that - i have considered lens cleaning - the computers all do seem to get dusty - that will be the next thing i check

(in reply to Mender)

If smoke can't reach the inner corners of a room how can it affect the deep inside of a CD/DVD-RW drive?
I find that a little hard to believe unless you're using the drive just for holding your ashtray on its tray.

(in reply to ojeda)

well the truth is that optical do tend to be a little bit more sensitive than any other hardaware in a comp, but then again, i haven't really ever cleaned a drive's lens cause of this..
I've cleaned the lens of my Sega Mega CD(for those that remember) once, many years ago..the flippy tray was because of the dust on the lens..
who knows? but smoking? that i find to be a little bit off. well....

(in reply to Leibniz)