InstantCopy turned off my DVDBurner.

Well gents, it appears as though InstantCopy has turned off my DVD Burner... permanently. I have a Sony DRU-500A, with the 1.0f firmware, was attempting to read a dvd-r in it to generate a .pdi file for use with a GUI based version (that I was writing) of the .pdi-xtractor code already posted... however, I noticed it was reading somewhat slow, so I decided to use my DVDRom instead, I clicked the cancel button, and InstantCopy hung. I tried to end the task, but it wouldn't work.. the drive light was no longer blinking, so I decided to restart. I restarted my PC, and upon reboot, the Drive is no longer detected, it won't power up on any of the power supply connections, and it of course, won't eject my disc. :P Anyone know how much of a hassle it is to get an RMA and such with Sony? (just out of curiosity)

this is a long shot...I have a liteon dvd-rom and I goofed up and flashed it with a lite-on cd-rw firmware. So the bios didn't recognize it at all ..nothing. It wouldn't eject or anything...crap. So I was gonna chuck it..then I thought wth..I'll try dos flashing it with dvd-rom firmware and voila it worked again. So try to find a dos util to flash the sony. I think the ones sony puts out are windows only. In that case it won't work. Hopefully someone has hacked together something. MKTFLASH or MTKFLASH is the name of the dos flasher I used.

mktflash just sits there in DOS (used a bootdisk) and doesn't do anything when I try to read the firmware... I assume it would do the same if I tried to write a firmware, but I don't have a copy of the 500A firmware in .bin form. :(

This may have already occurred to you by now but you say you just rebooted? I've experienced similar problems with both cdrw and dvdrw devices and usually (fingers crossed) a full power cycle (turn pc off.. wait... turn pc back on) sorts them out. Good luck! :) [edit] btw, I look forward to the gui version of pdiextract! Jamie

''If the store will take it back, go that route. Much easier.'' By LAW the store MUST take it back and repair/replace it, if it becomes faulty within 12 months of purchase. This applies to ALL new products bought in the U.K, the product MUST be able to perform the tasks as advertised for 12 months from date of purchase, if it fails then you are 100% entitled to a repair/replacement or a FULL refund. If they try to fob you off by saying you HAVE to go direct to Sony stand your ground and tell them that you bought the product from them and that its THEIR duty to contact Sony and not yours. If they still try to be funny about it start to raise your voice and threaten them with trading standards unless they sort it out quickly. Its the stores responsibility to sort it out NOT YOURS! LaterZ Leftfield_2k2:devil:

Heh, I wish we had laws like that in the US. You will get some stores that will take items back if they break under the manufacturer warranty, but the vast majority won't. Circuit City, for example, will only take back a PC product within the first 14 days. After that, you have to deal with the manufacturer, unless you bought an extended warranty, then they will handle it but only AFTER the manufacturer warranty expired. If you are lucky and the store will take it back, definately go that route. If not, bug Sony by phone, not email. You will get faster action.

4-6 weeks through Sony RMA :( And I bought it 34 days ago, so BestBuy won't take it back.

Just an update for anyone who cares... I noticed that I actually recieved the burner on the 21st of January, which meant it was only 29 days ago, I drove the 90 minutes to the nearest Best Buy, and returned it with no problems (SUPRISINGLY!). Now the question is, do I buy another Sony or get a Pioneer instead?

I can state that my Pioneer 105 is working GREAT ! Im really surprised since I have been reading about problems with all the brands out there ,almost everyone is describing somekind of troubles. But I have burned 20+ DVDs and non was faulty of them !! It was also about 6 diffrent media types from $1 - $5 the all worked great. Now its maybe just my luck 8=) !

I don't know if you'd rather use -R(W) or +R(W), but I have had great luck with the TDK indiDVD which uses "+" media. I have made several DVDs now and not a single coaster. It also seems very fast, rated at 4x, though I have only tried 2.4x media (Ritek) which works very well. I thought originally that the Sony would be great since it can do both media types, but after reading about so many problems people are having with them, I'm glad I went for the TDK! :D