DVD Drive will not write to DVD-R/CD-R.

[Waycap]

HP DVD A DH16ACSHR  will play DVD/CDs but will not write to DVD-R/CD-R. My OS is Windows 8.1 and product is HP Envy 700 PC Series. The HP Support App and diagnostic running from Control Panel says my driver is up to date. How can I fixed this problem? Another Solution I tried is re-dowloading the recent driver firmware update and SWsetup folder shows the current update is already existing on my computer. I have personal photo files currently on my computer that will not burn to a DVD-R. Please, I need some tech help.

Thank You,
Wayne

[TheOldMan]

It could be that the write portion of the DVD/CD drive has failed.  BTW: even if it can write to a CD, the DVD portion uses a different laser than the CD to write.

Anyways here is a document that might help

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03280697

If that does not help, then it could be a software problem or the method/sequence that is causing the problem.  Please description the steps that are being done and what happens to the disk, if anything.

[DGroves]

what program are you using to burn the files to disk?

windows 8.1 only has native support to burn a "image" to disk xxx.img

if you want to burn files, pictures, or any other file type  you need a 3rd party program like nero or cyberlink Power2go

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01877031

the HP ver of power2go can be found here  (will only work on HP systems)

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software10/COL27148/pv-67651-1/sp40994.exe

[Waycap]

I always use Power2Go to burn video file but yesterday the Power2go failed to complete a burn and P2G gave me this error code - #0xEB02B9C. I tried again with another DVD-R writable disc and it failed once more. I did a test with photos by dragging them to CD/DVD drive in file explorer and place a DVD-R again since the photos folder I wanted to burn was more than amount  of storage capacity on CD-R. It failed to write/burn again. I found information on my hardware that I can't find again that shows a drop down box highlighting The hardrive to write CD/DVD files to but under the drop down box for the hardware or system file (I'm not for sure) to use to write/burn to writable discs is entirely blank with not one single option or way for the computer to read this error or the error code from Power2Go. My computer won't even detect their is a problem with writing to discs when the drive is itself has no problems, it can read discs and the driver has no issues. I don't believe it's a program problem but a crucial file in the system missing.

[Waycap]

The step 3 and step 4 I cannot do because it says in step 4 that before clearing registry lower filters I first must remove any media software like Cyberlink Power2go and Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio. The former was preloaded with purchase of computer and unistalling it would completely remove it from computer and I have no backup disc of Cyberlink and I do not know if I am able to and how to save the necessary software files to a USB key or fileshare it to my labtop. With Sony, I have the software CD and orig. box but its stored somewhere in my home where I can not find it. Last problem I had with the DVD drive (The drive open/close pulley system failed) I was under warranty and I replaced it and through the tech support I did not have to remove any media software and only deleted lower filters. Do I truly need to uninstall the media software in order to complete step 4 properly?

[Waycap]

I have figure out what I think cause this issue. I remember yesterday using my computer that my anti-viral software McAfee has asked me to delete junk files. I have deleted or freed up space before but I think McAfee deleted a crucial file(s) involved in burning/writing to writable CD/DVD discs. Does this information help? I do believe this is what caused the root of the problem.
Any more feedback is appreciated, thank you.

[DGroves]

the power2go program is the SPxxx file i linked to, you also have it in the c/swsetup folder on your hard drive

problems burning can be caused by numerous things

slow drive xfer speeds, or trying to burn while running other programs, burning at a fast speed (select slower burn speed), brand of DVD-r used (switch brand)

and no mcafee did not delete a file(s) in the program folder, junk files is a term used to describe files older than xx days located in the "windows TEMP folder" which is where programs and windows place files that are only needed short term and can safely be deleted at any time

and a dvd-r itself can be defective from the getgo, i have bought disks in packs of 50 and usually will find that 3-7 disks will be bad in the pack and will usually be in groups of 2-4 disks in a row before i return to useable disks that can be burned

Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio, is a audio program and has nothing whatsoever to do with cyberlink pwr2go program

[TheOldMan]

There are free CD/DVD burning software that you can download and try to see if there is a problem with the hardware.  CDBurnerXP is one and ImgBurn is another.  Try one or both and see if you can burn with either one.

[Waycap]

I do believe McAfee is the possible culprit because the drive stop burning the DVDs after I hit okay to delete the junk files. I did this once on my laptop with McAfee and it deleted a file, the vcruntime that came with my HP laptop. I'm going to try a blank CD-R to test TheOldMan's theory DVD laser could have failed and the CD laser still works [and the icon for CD/DVD in file explorer is only showing for CD and it did burn audio to CD] and now I'm going to call HP tech support and hope I don't have to shell out dollars for a simple fix. Then if no solution I'm replacing the DVD/CD harddrive. Your comments are helping. I let you know what I find out and what the problem was so you can help others with tech problems.

This post has been edited.

Thank You!
Wayne

[Waycap]

I did some more investigating exploring and use links you and other community users have provided throughout all of the related forums and found some possible solutions. First, I tried the registry and added a LowerFilter code PxHelp20. It caused the drive to be completely unusable. Another suggestion was a restore point, unfortunately the resore point I needed could not locate the files but todays restore point (before registry edit) thank goodness worked. I tried burning DVD's again to a blank DVD-R and in discovery the message this time said to make sure the firmware is present. I'm paraphrasing but that leaves me to finally believe that the firmware is missing for DVD burning. I attempted to re-download the latest driver update but the computer would not accept it. It appears to be already on the computer. I can't yet find the files to delete them and redo the update. After research and amateur attempts of fixing this problem I came to the conclusion that it has to be a damaged or missing file component in the last driver update. I called HP and decline $50 14-day tech support and instead relied on the sales rep knowledge that buying an external DVD burner drive would be my next best option. I'm taking HP sales rep's word that installing the external device will have the necessary firmware with it.  I think if I can delete the current driver update files for the DVD drive and re-download them that might fixed the firmware if that's the root culprit. Any more suggestions?

Thank You!
Wayne