DVD/CD Burner Combo only recognized as CD Burner

[jacksonkid]

Hello all. I currently have an odd problem that i can't seem to get to the bottom of. I have a Lite-On SOHW-1633S Dual Layer DVD Burner & CD Burner Combo drive that was working fine until recently. A couple of days ago i tried to burn a DVD and Nero wouldn't recognize my DVD burner. I looked in My Computer and lo and behold, it's there, but rather then being labeled a DVD/CD drive, it's only recognized as a CD Drive. I checked in Device Manager, and the proper driver is still installed.

LITE-ON DVDRW SOHW-1633S

This driver is correct, and i still have access to the DVD Regions tab. It also shows up as a DVD under the "Type" heading when i hit populate in the Volumes tab.

The only new software i had installed recently was a game called X2 and the new Nero 7 demo. X2 installed the Starforce drivers, so i grabbed the Starforce removal tool and got rid of them. I confirmed this under the Non Plug and Play devices tab under device manager and it was removed. I them removed Nero 7, i doubted this was the problem and it wasn't. It still only shows as a CD Drive under My Computer. I also tried removing the driver for both the DVD drive and the secondary IDE Master and rebooted. It detected and installed both of them and the driver for the DVD drive is still correct, but the problem still exists.

This one has me really confused. First time i've ever run into this one. Any help from anyone in the forum would be greatly appreciated.

My brain hurts...

[ripken204]

its gotta be the startforce drivers. try reinstalling you dvd drive drivers and see what happens.

[jroc]

my signs point to Nero 7 demo...if Nero has the issue..and you recently updated...then common sense would tell you to start there...Nero is getting more and more flaky and bloatware.....Prassi Ones is the best way to go in my opinion.

[jacksonkid]

I tried removing the dvd drivers and letting them reinstall after i removed the starforce drivers. It still shows up as a CD Drive. I tried a couple of times. Doesn't seem to work. The starforce drivers were installed previously with another game, before i installed X2, and didn't seem to cause any problems. But i thought since it was one of the only recent changes i made to my PC i would try removing them anyway.

This one has me stumped, and frustrated.

Could it still be the starforce drivers even though i've confirmed their removal? I've heard some horror stories about them. I personally dislike such an invasive from of copy protection, as do most in this forum i'm sure.

Thanks for your reply. I will probably try removing them again just to be sure.

[jacksonkid]

Tried removing the driver again and reinstalling and it's a no go. I have already uninstalled Nero and that didn't help either. Nero was not the only software with the problem. It doesn't show up as a DVD drive anywhere, with the exception of device manager. It shows up as a DVD drive there, and i even have access to the DVD Region tab etc... My Computer and any burning app only see it as a CD Drive though.

Surely someone else has had this problem? Or am i the first? I tried some internet searching and couldn't find anything relating to my particular problem.

Any more ideas? Besides a reformat i mean?

Thanks again everyone.

[Innocent Devil]

Try 2 upgrade or reinstall the drives firmware

try the mfg. site or rpc1.org 2 get the firmware and the firmware flasher

[KamiQuazi]

If nothing else works i guess u could reinstall windows... but I have installed Nero many of time and it has not made my DVD burner to a plain CD burner... but im leaning more to the startforce drivers... hope u figure it out soon

[LLXX]

It might be the Starforce.

Look here: http://www.star-force.com/protection.phtml?c=261&id=707

There have been a lot of rumors in the Internet concerning DVD/CD writers malfunction after installation and star-up of StarForce protected applications. Some have even mentioned that should such “malfunctioning” drive be placed in any other PC without StarForce protection installed it will fail to work as well.