I have a Sony DVD RW DW-U18A which is now acting queer.
In my computer screen I find the drive labelled DVD-RW Drive
(E:)
when I put in a DVD-RW or +RW disk the icon changes to read CD
Drive (E:) click on it and I get a message saying E:\ is not
accessible, incorrect function [OK]. Put a CD-R into the drive
and I get the same message. The drive plays my previously
recorded DVD+RW and previously recorded CD-R disks with no
problems. The machine is 2.5 years old and runs Windows XP
home edition.
Has anybody any suggestions,for remedy or has the drive packed
up?
Any tests I can do to check out the drive?
Any help would be appreciated

Gordon 

Have you installed (or uninstalled) any CD writing software around the time that this started happening?

"How to troubleshoot issues that occur when you write data to a CD-R or CD-RW optical disc in Windows XP"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324129

"You cannot write to a DVD-RAM disc that is in a DVD-RAM/CD-RW combination drive"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/826510

Hi THERUBE,
I have recently installed Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 but I have removed it just in case.
Thanks for your reply giving links for CD problems,however, although the specific error messages are shown, both the drives are shown as recorderable. The resolutions shown are for drives not showing recording tabs.
I have tried a new DVD rewriter drive with no difference,it still shows on my computer as drive E DVD rewriter but on putting a DVD+rw in it changes to CD drive.
However, as I am about to re-install windows XP for other non linked reasons, do you think this will solve the problems I am having with the CD & DVD drives? Will the registry revert to it's original state ?
One further point, which of the two drives should be set enable CD recording on this drive in properties, as only one drive at a time can be set ?

Gordon

Have you tried replacing the data ribbon cable?

Shelly

>I have recently installed Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 but I
>have removed it just in case.

I suspect your problem was caused by the Roxio uninstall. You can read about a possible solution here: MSKB #314060. Although the MSKB article may not deal exactly with your problem, it would be worthwhile to check out the solution. I went through this quite a number of years ago when I uninstalled Roxio and this solution worked for me.

Jeff
simul iustus et peccator

Sorry Jef, The problems were there long before I uninstalled Roxio, I only took it of in an effort to cure my problems, so I dont think it could be caused by the uninstall.
Gordon.

Would anybody like to answer my questions asked in reply 2
Gordon

Did you do the re-install? Outside of maybe running sfc /scannow to see if that helps, I'd go ahead and do the reinstall since you said you had other reasons for doing it.

As to which, I'd use the newest, fastest to do the writing.