problem burning cd's

just before i installed vista on this pc, i installed x3, a starforce

protected game and the first/last starforce game that my newer Plextor dvd

drive experienced. since then i've done a complete format and installed vista.

i have not installed any starforce crap in vista btw, first i noticed several

of my games an error message informing me to please insert the orginal cd

(all legit and worked fine with this drive before) pretty much all my games

with cd checks or copy protection do this under vista. however if i use a

nocd cracks they work fine.

then i noticed i cannot burn anything

i tried to burn a linux distro to cd, vista tries to format it and later

says it cant.

so i install 3rd party apps that work in vista...none can burn to it, some

ruin them with disc being blank after attempted burn yet no freespace

virtual drive 11 couldnt burn the linux data to it neither, said for me to

please insert a blank disc despite there being one in.

i tried a different brand cd...same results

i tried a dvd +r...same results

finally i tried update firmware...nope, same problem

its a plextor 755sa btw

i've heard starforce can damage some drives, but cannot know if its vista or

if my drive is no longer able to work properly.....it does install games

fine, i can read files from it fine, it can play dvd movies.