pingu Report post Posted March 6, 2006 Hi Guys, As if the kids wern't enough to give us problems... we invested in a new computer as we needed to get up to date and off a modem. We went for a Dell dimentions 110, It apparently came with a CD/RW DVD/CDRW Combo drive. Which if im assuming right means we can burn Cd's (which we can) and DVD's (which we can't) We have tried all day, and have now began niggling each other. Hubby's argument is "if it says it came with it then why doesnt it work".. i can play DVDs in the drive, and Cd's and i can download music and put that onto CD. But when i try to put a film/video clip on the drive refuses to recognise it. I put the dvd/rw disc in and nothing happens, yet when i put the cd in, it springs into life telling me its an audio cd. What im wondering is ... if its a combo drive (which it is) then maybe its set to read cds and not dvd's but i tried changing the media type and nothing happened Now the situation is, Kieran is on a high with all his downloaded sonic the hedgehog music blaring out, and im sat with hubby whos not saying much apart from what a piece of cr*p the puter is. I disagree and think it is a simple problem, if only i could work out why it wont recognise the dvd facility.. Hubs has already been into town (again) for different type of discs, (we have now spent a fortune on them as i said the other ones wern't compatible) OHHH help me someone please. shaz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pingu Report post Posted March 6, 2006 sorry should be a dementions 1100 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phasmid Report post Posted March 6, 2006 Have you tried looking in device manager to make sure it hasn't got an error code next to the drive? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pingu Report post Posted March 6, 2006 yes, and it doesnt. Anything else greatfully recieved Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mossgrove Report post Posted March 6, 2006 Your drive is called a Combo Drive because it READS DVD's and WRITES CD's. The term Combo is a throwback to the days when CD writers and DVD drives were alkways bought seperately. You need a DVD Writer to write DVD's, which will cost you about ?30-40 mail order from someone like Dabs. PM me if you need any pointers. Simon Hi Guys, As if the kids wern't enough to give us problems... we invested in a new computer as we needed to get up to date and off a modem. We went for a Dell dimentions 110, It apparently came with a CD/RW DVD/CDRW Combo drive. Which if im assuming right means we can burn Cd's (which we can) and DVD's (which we can't) We have tried all day, and have now began niggling each other. Hubby's argument is "if it says it came with it then why doesnt it work".. i can play DVDs in the drive, and Cd's and i can download music and put that onto CD. But when i try to put a film/video clip on the drive refuses to recognise it. I put the dvd/rw disc in and nothing happens, yet when i put the cd in, it springs into life telling me its an audio cd. What im wondering is ... if its a combo drive (which it is) then maybe its set to read cds and not dvd's but i tried changing the media type and nothing happened Now the situation is, Kieran is on a high with all his downloaded sonic the hedgehog music blaring out, and im sat with hubby whos not saying much apart from what a piece of cr*p the puter is. I disagree and think it is a simple problem, if only i could work out why it wont recognise the dvd facility.. Hubs has already been into town (again) for different type of discs, (we have now spent a fortune on them as i said the other ones wern't compatible) OHHH help me someone please. shaz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted March 6, 2006 Hi shaz - Simon's hit the nail on the head, I'm afraid... One other problem you've got is that if you've just bought the PC you'll need DELL to do the upgrade or it'll invalidate the warranty. If it's brand spanking new, and you're within the 'cool down' period, you can probably get the drive swopped at their standard upgrade cost (around ?20.00 I should think) and they'll do the Collect and return in the service agreement... If they haggle just tell them they can come and collect it and give you a full refund... If you're OUT of that magic 'cool down' period (30 days??) they'll have the upper hand - but if you bought it 'buy now, pay 2007 or some such you might be able to scare them a bit! Worst case scenario, you'll be looking at a maximum upgrade cost of ?50.00 if you want to keep the warranty,, ?30.00 if you are willing to ditch that and replace the drive DIY... Very best BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pingu Report post Posted March 6, 2006 so i can't burn a dvd?? Oh boy oh boy, it says on the specifications (just to clarify) sonic S/W - CD/RW - COMBO Cyberlink power DVD 5.1 48X/32X DVD/CDRW Combo drive - 48X DVD/CDRW Combo drive Have you any idea what all this jargon is. I apologise, i might have passed a couple of exams in computing, but when something goes wrong im no use !!. so what do ya think..? Cant burn dvd's?? do i need to get a dvd writer??? and where the heck will that fit?? wheres the alcohol, its going to be a long night shaz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pingu Report post Posted March 6, 2006 <'> One other problem you've got is that if you've just bought the PC you'll need DELL to do the upgrade or it'll invalidate the warranty. Oh. Darn !! ill go break the news to the hubby Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest flutter Report post Posted March 7, 2006 we went through similar, then found out you also need software? that the shops dont sell ! but i found it, has been withdrawn now tho Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clintess Report post Posted March 7, 2006 to burn cds etc you need nero and to watch dvds you need something like power dvd.if that also helps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lil_me Report post Posted March 7, 2006 (edited) sonic S/W - CD/RW - COMBO - combined CD and CD Rewriter Cyberlink power DVD 5.1 - DVD player software 48X/32X DVD/CDRW Combo drive - DVD player (reader) and CD Rewriter the numbers are the speeds 48X DVD/CDRW Combo drive - DVD player (reader) and CD Rewriter the numbers are the speeds Nothing on there says it has a DVD writer. It would say DVD+/-RW or similar. Software I just use Nero and DVD shrink usually. Edited March 7, 2006 by lil_me Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pingu Report post Posted March 8, 2006 Hi everyone Thanks for all your replies, And PM's <'> Once i had peeled hubby of the ceiling the other night i got my thinking head on and decided to get an external one for now. But i have emailed Dell to say that the description was misleading (especially to a novice like me) as it was wrote 48X DVD/CDRW Combo drive. yet in the national news paper the other day the exact same machine as mine, had an adjustment in the description stating 48X CDRW/DVD Combo Drive. I have pointed out And I quote ..... "that the internet version is ambiguous and can be misread very easily as a DVD/CD Combo with Read Write capability, as opposed to the paper one (advertisment) which is much clearer that it is in fact a CD Read Writer and DVD Drive. " Anyway top and bottom of it is, i was asking my poor puter to do something it wasnt capable of And now it is re-paying me by nicking off with my spell check capabilities.. Not a red squigly line in sight even though my MSword document is riddled with mistakes. All the right boxes are checked and ticked, so god knows whats up with it now.. Thanks again guys. Shaz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
invent 10 things b4 breakfast Report post Posted March 8, 2006 Sorry to hear about your dilemma Pingu <'> So ok then, I have also just ordered a Dell for my son's birthday later this month, it's sitting here unopened. It's a Dimension 5150 with a 16x max. DVD+/-RW Drive, apparently this does everything including burning cd's... is that right or have I been misled too? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mossgrove Report post Posted March 8, 2006 Sorry to hear about your dilemma Pingu <'> So ok then, I have also just ordered a Dell for my son's birthday later this month, it's sitting here unopened. It's a Dimension 5150 with a 16x max. DVD+/-RW Drive, apparently this does everything including burning cd's... is that right or have I been misled too? No need for concern, you have a DVD Writer! Simon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
invent 10 things b4 breakfast Report post Posted March 8, 2006 Thanks Simon, relieved! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pingu Report post Posted March 8, 2006 Maybe should have gone for this one No need for concern, you have a DVD Writer! Not to worry eh. these things are sent to try us. shaz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaisyProudfoot Report post Posted March 8, 2006 Especially when you buy a DELL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ksasnic Report post Posted March 9, 2006 What virus protection have you got ? just a thought as a by the by... I know most new pc's come with one attached - eitherway a very good free one is the avg free from grisoft.com... a must for pcs eh... I am just sussing out my new laptop and what a pain installing and updating it... I had a shock with my cd rewriter come dvd combo too.. - lady insisted I had the combo as it no longer comes with a floppy drive - one that would play dvds and write the cds... when I looked at it all it said was cd rw nowhere could I find where it told me what it was.. I was about to reach for the alcohol myself when I realised it was way to early !! lol (8am) when Nick piped up just put a dvd in and see what happens !!! obviously it was far to early for me to even be alive let alone have to deal with smug Nick repeating it over and over again.. ooh when you said that mum and I said this..... arghhhh... next time I will give him the remote control for the dvd video player and ask him to set it up for me... ha then we'll see who's smug then.....actually no doubt it will still be him..... doh to all out there good luck with your pcs, laptops etc and let us hope and pray nothing goes wrong ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
