New Optical Drive?

[Jewels]

My current LITE-ON DVDRW LH-18A1H seems to have trouble reading certain discs, leading to the "[Program] is not a valid win32 application" error message. Interestingly enough the two games I encounter this problem with are both published by Atari (Baldur's Gate 4-in-1, The Witcher: EE), although other files on the discs can be read. I've had problems with the drive from the very start where it couldn't even read any DVD until I messed with the manual eject hole one day when a disc refused to eject.

Anyway, I'm looking for a new drive (DVDRW) with the best compatibility, and was wondering if anything was recommended. Should I go external?

(Note: UK resident)

 

[eyeCpc]

You could go for a new sata model dvd burner by LG, Nec Optiarc, Sony. 20x speed drive to replace the problem drive there. Prices have come down quite a bit for drives in general. Where do you order from there?

 

[Jewels]

I usually choose either scan.co.uk or ebuyer.com, though if they can't beat the Christmas rush I may just go to my local store and choose the best available product.

 

[eyeCpc]

If you end up in a local store you would buying retail there instead of simply being able to order any oem deal. But you wouldn't be seeing any wait for delivery.

Lite-On itself has always had a good rep however. They were at one time making drives for Sony until that got switched to Nec-Optiarc recently. Some also look at Samsung as other brand there.

If you need the drive right now and not at the end of the year then you will simply have to buy locally and see what the stores have instock. Have any spare cables to try in the mean time or another brand of blank media? Sometimes you can run into a bad batch of disks or are just seeing a bad cable needing replacement.

 

[Jewels]

I only seem to encounter problems with certain discs, with the aforementioned games being the primary problem. I can burn blank discs with no trouble, and films and other games are fine, both CD and DVD. Considering the initial problems I had with the drive I'm guessing it has always been a little faulty, though it has tarnished my view of Lite-On in general, so I'm going to go with either Samsung or LG.

 

[Dauntae]

A while back I was having the same sort of problems with a LITE-ON IDE drive and ended up replacing it with a LG and I have not had an issue since, I always use two different brands of optical drives that way if a certain brand doesn't work well with a certain brand media (it does happen) then I just plop it in the other drive I now have another LG on the way but this one is a SETA drive so my last IDE in my system will soon be unplugged, I also have a ASUS drive that seems to be better at reading scratched or lightly damaged disks better than any of my other drives. Just so I don't sound crazy mad buying these like a fool, I have 2 systems with 2 burners each so they all get used a lot.

Dauntae

 

[kmote]

I usually buy either Samsung and LG. Both are good but I find the mechanism on the LG faster on the other hand the samsung is particularly quiet.

 

[eyeCpc]

I only seem to encounter problems with certain discs, with the aforementioned games being the primary problem. I can burn blank discs with no trouble, and films and other games are fine, both CD and DVD. Considering the initial problems I had with the drive I'm guessing it has always been a little faulty, though it has tarnished my view of Lite-On in general, so I'm going to go with either Samsung or LG.

I think that would be a good move if you are having too many problems with that brand. Certain drives tend to be touchy about what media will work with that brand.