HP z2 SFF PC upgraded to Windows 10 21H1 can no longer read dual layer discs

[DouglasS01]

We have multiple HP Z2 computers and none of them can read a dual layer disk anymore. They start reading and about the time it is half way it fails.  Error messages in log indicate read block error for DVD. These same disks have been read before by the old system before the Windows 10 21H1 update. We have updated the DVD drivers and that makes no difference. We have connected an external disk to the machine and get the same results. I took the same external drive and disk and connected  Model HP EliteDesk 800 G6 Desktop Mini PC running Windows 10 20H2 and this machine has no problems reading the entire disk. Any suggestions on where or what to try next?

[BeemerBiker]

Does not sound good.  I can make a few suggestions.  You can obtain a newer model DVD recorder and see if it works.  Prices on DVD recorders had really dropped over the last few years.  You might also find a firmware upgrade.   You might be able to spot a problem by doing some tests.

Nero had an app "Infotool" that can give the firmware version, date, and sometimes the actual manufacturer of the device.  Firmware updates may be available for your DVD.  I check the drivers for your system and no firmware updates were listed but that does not mean they are not available.

You can go  here to get the tool.  I got my copy directly from Nero but I just downloaded the one from Major Geeks and did not see a problem.  I recommend you install it on the working and non-working system, run the speed test and see if there is a difference between the two systems in the report printout.

Make a note of the Firmware version, date, and any other info like "Sony" , "LG", "Pioneer"  etc and post it back here.

Some other thoughts.

It  is possible that previous Versions of Windows 10 retried when a block error was found  Possibly this version does not do any retries and just gives up.

What is on the media your are reading?   Does it contain any DRM or copy protection or video codex that might have been discontinued by the 21h1 build?   Just guessing.  I have had movies stop playing because an upgrade to the Blu Ray player started checking for Cinavia on my movie collection. 

use this to compare

[DouglasS01]

Thanks for the thoughts, I have now tried 3 different drives, one internal and two external. All of them produce error messages CDROM1 has a bad block. I take that same disk and same external drive and connect it to an HP Elite Desk 800 G6 Desktop Mini PC and it works just perfect. We have loaded the latest BIOS and CDROM drivers and nothing seems to help. I am thinking there is an issue with MS Windows 21H1. We have just recently updated to 21H1. We are in the process of getting our HP Support contract folks working on the issue. 😞