Cannot burn Cd's

[alunrw]

Anyone help please ? Using windows XP and Nero, no problems until yesterday whereby i just cant burn CDs Ive made no alterations to the system - have tried several brands of CDR and strangel I CAN burn DVDs ??

Also when I look at the "my computer" icon if theres a CD in there the drive will show blank, if however theres a DVD it will show - surely (he says hopefully:-)) this couldnt be a hardware issue if it burns DVDs, Im just a little baffled as to why it doesnt recognise CDR of CDRW (all of a sudden??) any help would really be appreciated please, I have now run out of ideas:-)
Thanks

[yellowjohn]

i know this is obvious but have you changed your selection in nero to cd,if dvd is still selected then obviously it will not see the cd.also i am afraid that your writer might be on the way out as i had a simular prob where it wouldn't see cd's only and had to get a new drive.the other thing is you could try updating your writers firmware/driver from the manufacturers website.

[alunrw]

Thanks Yellowjohn, I think youre right - I had tried everything the DVD still works, but not the CD ,it appears that the CD burner is no more - looks like a new combi is needed as it doesnt even recognise a CD under the "my computer" option.Thanks anyway appreciate your help. 

[wideboy]

This seems to be getting more common (sorry commoner!). One of my drives did the same, luckily I got it changed under warranty (and got a better one into the bargain). Am I right in thinking that they use different lasers in the same drive - hence one can go?

[alunrw]

Wideboy,thanks for a response, I put this to another forum and was told they do have separate lasers apparently - Computers about 3 years old now, so no warranty appliesmbut I did see a decent looking USB one today for about �60 so may check that one out? Thanks anyway.

[wideboy]

Alunrw, I use a Liteon USB 2 external DVD Dual Format/Dual Layer 16x writer on a laptop and it is excellent.

[alunrw]

Cheers again wideboy, ive made a note and will have a look on the weekend, really appreciate all the help on this.