VGN -FZ21S Notebook BD ROM drive is not responding!

[Frozty]

This is my first post on this forum so first I wish to say 'Hello to all members of this community!

Now, the problem:

I own a Sony  laptop VGN -FZ21S approx 3 years now, however I've recently relised that my BD drive has stopped responding. Its been a while since i've attemeped to put a CD in the drive until recently, and relised that the BD ROM is not recognising the CD, Blu Ray discs or any disc for that matter.

Whenever  I insert a disk it start to click and boot up but then nothing happens? If i double click on the drive  I get the message 'please insert disc' eventhough  the disk is already inside the drive

.I have Windows 7 installed on my system but this model came with a Vista  OS. So i'm not sure if this can be the cause of the problem here.

I have checked in device manager and confirmed that all drivers are up to date, I did recovery, and checked VAIO's support page for all updates. I've googled this problem and still this issue persists.

Anyone has or had same problem and managed to fix it???

I really need to run this CD as its part of my work project  but the BD ROM Drive fails. I desperately need help with this!

Thanks very much in advance to anyone who can help

Regards

[Thalamus.]

Hi Frozty,

as you have chosen to do a clean install of windows 7 you'll have lost all of the pre-installed software, including WinDVD.

This may be the cause of your problem..

You have two options.

1 either restore your vaio to the sony supplied OS & pre-installed applications then upgrade to Windows 7.

or

2 install an BD player application something like win-dvd or power dvd make sure the version you choose supports Blu-ray..:smileywink:

[Frozty]

Hi Thalamus,

Thanks for your response, i;ve tried option 2, and installed Corel WinDVD Pro 2010 ( tiral version for 30 days), but still no luck

is there no other way? because bringing back Vista and reinstalling everything is really not an option for me at the moment.

Thanx

[Thalamus.]

Thanks for your response, i;ve tried option 2, and installed Corel 
WinDVD Pro 2010 ( tiral version for 30 days), but still no luck 

Hi Frozty ,

not sure if you noticed but it states on the WinDVD site -

Please note that Blu-ray and PureHD upscaling features are not available in the trial until after purchase.

So perhaps that could explain why..:smileyconfused:

However I'm not sure if power DVD trial has any Blu-ray restrictions, maybe worth googling to check before installing..:smileywink:

[Frozty]

Yea...:smileysilly: I didn't notice that actually.

In anycase, i've checked about power dvd but it wasnt really clear apart from them advertising that, to maximise your BD and DVD performance, please upgrade to full version. Well I still gave it a try and installed Cyberlink PowerDVD 11 Trial, however nothing's changed.

I just need to run this one disc...sigh*... so annoying...

[Thalamus.]

Hi,

did you use the CD/dvd drive to install windows 7.?

Have you tried booting up in safe mode to see if the drive works.?

Have you checked in device manager to see if there are any error symbols or codes next the CD/DVD drive.?

[Frozty]

Ok, here's the situation:

To avoid any uncertainties to confirm whether am having a software issue or a hardware problem here, i've gritted my teeth and did a whole recovery to the laptop, brought it back to factory settings, as it was when purchased. sigh, back to Vista... everything clean and smooth but....

after several updates, the problem was still there, the BD drive is not in my computer section, and its not reading any discs. That was infuriating ofcourse, out of options, i've to called my insurance company, ( yes thankfuly my laptop is insured, however they do not deal with software issues, so they claim). In anycase, after half a day on the phone with them, having 10's of reference numbers as they kept throwing me about different repair companies, eventually after several calls, they established the fact that I may have a hard ware issue (basically a BD drive isn't functioning properly )and needs to be either repaired or replaced, and it will take minimum two weeks. Left me with hardly any choice, but i  agreed...

HOWEVER!!!

this morning, when i turned my laptop on after doing another annoying never ending update to Vista, it SUDDENLY picked up a BD Drive and installed a driver, after which the BD DRIVE was visible in my Computer section and I could run my DISCs! well, it all worked!!! I was confused but, happy! So happy I called the insurance and cancelled the pick up!

HOWEVER (again!!!)) I just.... cant belive this... after turning off my laptop, it went through another series of updates, and when i turned my Laptop On earlier this evening. Guess what! ?? My BD Drive isn't there any more, and no DISCs can be read again! I HAVE NO IDEA what the hell is going on!!! I am however going through numerous, neverending Vista Updates, and past service pack 2 at this point! and just dont know what to expect! Now ofcourse I've established the fact that my BD Drive does actually work! But whats going on with it, I cant work it out! It seems that some updates from Windows keep on reverting it to the point where i have no BD Drive, and I just have my fingers crossed that once i go through all these updates, i get my BD Drive back! Seriously, What the hell????

Any Ideas of whats happening here, and what should i do, please????

- Thalamus

I've installed windows 7 from a file, no CD. I've purchased it online and downloaded it then installed. File saved on my external HD.

Checked Drivers ofcourse in Device manager no problems there ( However, at this point, I see no BD Drive or any Cd drive at all there. weird....

Message was edited by: Frozty

Message was edited by: Frozty

[Thalamus.]

Any Ideas of whats happening here, and what should i do, please????

Hmm how odd, the first thing that came to mind on reading your post was a possible loose optical drive connection..:smileyconfused:

[Frozty]

hhmmmm possibly....:smileysad:  not really sure what to do now....

Message was edited by: Frozty