halp plz: DVD drives not recognizing blank DVDs

[1337m4n]

http://www.geekosophical.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/halp-cat.jpeg

PC: Dell DIMENSION E520 Desktop

OS: Windows Vista Home Basic

DVD drives:
--HL-DT-ST DVD-ROM GDRH10N
--TSSTcorp CDRWDVD TS-H493A



My problem is that neither of my DVD drives will recognize blank DVDs. I don't get any error message, it just acts as though nothing is in the drive. If I try to open the drive or burn a file to it after inserting a blank DVD, it just says "Please insert a disk" into the drive.

The device manager says that both DVD drives are "working properly".

My computer can recognize any type of CD as well as written DVDs just fine. Just no blank DVDs.

Halp please?

[Shoogar]

1. Has it always done this?
2. If a new problem, did you install any new software?
3. Have you restarted the computer since it began?
4. Have you been to Dell's website to download all the latest updates?
5. If you remember when the problem began, you can use Windows System Restore to put your computer back to a previous point.
6. Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling the drives?

Shoogar

[Gravy]

Your drives aren't DVD recording drives: they can read but not write to DVDs, and so will not recognize blank DVDs.

[1337m4n]

1) This is the first time I've tried burning onto a blank DVD with this computer, so I'm not really sure
2) I don't have much more than what the computer came with...although with regards to disk burning, I do have Roxio and ISORecorder which I had installed before I noticed a problem. There's also AVG Antivirus and Google Desktop, but I don't think they affect burning in any way.
3) Yes
4) I didn't find any updates for these specific drives on the Dell site. I tried Windows' update-checker on one of the drives but it says it was fully up to date.
5) See 1
6) I'll give it a shot; how do I do that?

[1337m4n]

Oh.

[Shoogar]

Good job Gravy

I missed that they ain't dvd burners.....ooops....but my first question still applies.
1. Has it ever worked?

[Gravy]

Oh.Bummer, huh? :(

[1337m4n]

Bummer, huh? :(

Indeed...

Any idea where to find the cheapest burners?

[Shoogar]

Fry's Electronics?
Pricewatch.com


I can't post links, but one Best Buy page I found had numerous models between 50 & 100 bucks.

[Skeptical Greg]

Here is a nice list from NewEgg Starting at $23.99 ..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010100005%204808&bop=And&Order=PRICE

[Gravy]

Here is a nice list from NewEgg Starting at $23.99 ..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010100005%204808&bop=And&Order=PRICEGood golly, that's cheap! I wonder if the "Inspected by" label consists of the bloody fingerprint of a Chinese slave laborer?