Plextor DVD-RW drives do not detect DVDs properly until an audio CD is inserted

[Barry Shilliday]

After a fresh install, if you insert a video DVD, the system detects it as a
DVD-ROM and pops up a 'do you want to burn' window. It's impossible to play the
DVD in Totem. The /dev/dvd link exists and is correct, and there is an entry in
/etc/fstab.

However, if you insert an audio CD, the problem goes away.

With no configuration changes at all, after inserting the CD, a video DVD is
detected correctly and plays fine in Totem.

[Barry Shilliday (teppic74)]

At least one other person has noticed the exact same problem, and I can
replicate this on a new install.

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=97717

[Barry Shilliday (teppic74)]

Additional note for clarification: the bug is temporarily fixed by inserting a
CD, but after a reboot the problem returns each time. This wasn't clear in the
original report.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

Can you please do

  lshal > hal-before.txt

after a clean boot with the video DVD, then eject it, insert an audio CD, then reinsert the video DVD, and then do

  lshal > hal-after.txt

and attach both hal-*.txt files here? Thank you!

[Barry Shilliday (teppic74)]

Clean boot, video DVD inserted.

(This is on Dapper with all the latest updates applied.)

[Barry Shilliday (teppic74)]

Video DVD ejected, audio CD inserted and ejected, and video DVD put back into the drive.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

Usage:

python cdcaps.py /dev/cdrom

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

Veeeery strange; this almost seems like a bug in the CD-ROM's firmware. Do you get this with different CD-ROM drives, too? Or with a different DVD?

I attached my standard CD capability testing script. Can you please execute it twice again (before and after the audio CD) and copy the outputs here? I don't think that it'll help much, but it's worth a try...

[Barry Shilliday (teppic74)]

I don't have another drive spare to test with unfortunately. The problem exists with all video DVDs (I haven't tried with a data DVD though). I am able to use mplayer/xine to play the DVDs without having to insert an audio CD, it just seems to be Hal that gets confused.

Results from the script:

$ python cdcaps.py /dev/cdrom
CDO_USE_FFLAGS returned 13
got drive capabilities: 39ffef
CDC_DVD_R support
CDC_DVD support
CDC_CD_RW support
CDC_CD_R support
got disc status: 0

And after an audio CD is inserted:

$ python cdcaps.py /dev/cdrom
CDO_USE_FFLAGS returned 13
got drive capabilities: 21ffef
CDC_DVD_R support
CDC_DVD support
CDC_CD_RW support
CDC_CD_R support
got disc status: 101

[Daniel Elstner (daniel-elstner)]

I have had exactly the same problem for ages (Debian unstable, breezy, dapper). The audio CD trick works here too.

Does your drive happen to be a Plextor DVD writer? Because I never had this problem with my old Pioneer DVD ROM. My current drive is a PX-716A with firmware version 1.09 (the latest).

I can also confirm that the problem occurs with Video DVDs only. Data DVDs, or any other kind of medium I tried, work just fine.

[Daniel Elstner (daniel-elstner)]

Output of "python cdcaps.py /dev/cdrom" on my system:

Before inserting any disk:

CDO_USE_FFLAGS returned 13
got drive capabilities: 39ffef
CDC_DVD_R support
CDC_DVD support
CDC_CD_RW support
CDC_CD_R support
got disc status: 0

After inserting a video DVD, nothing changes. Particularly, I still get:

got disc status: 0

Also, the following message shows up in the syslog:

cdrom: This disc doesn't have any tracks I recognize!

Then, after replacing the video DVD with an audio CD, the capabilities don't change but the disc status does:

got disc status: 100

If I now again replace the audio CD with the video DVD, the disc is finally recognized:

got disc status: 101

Again, the capabilities did not change, unlike in the report posted by Barry Shilliday. From there on, the drive works just as it should until the next reboot.

[Daniel Elstner (daniel-elstner)]

I just discovered that real DVD-ROM media (not self-burned) with data content are also affected by this bug. The DVD-R media I burned myself work just fine, my Fahrenheit PC game DVD-ROM does not. However, the audio CD trick still makes it work.

[Barry Shilliday (teppic74)]

I can confirm the previous too: trying to access a data DVD fails until an audio CD has been inserted, after which it's fine.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

Thanks for the cdcaps.py debugging output.

So, either this is a bug in the kernel's device driver, which might have uninitialized data of some kind, or it is a bug in the CD-ROM drive's firmware.

[Daniel Elstner (daniel-elstner)]

I contacted Plextor technical support and referred them to this bug report. Hopefully they will be able to give us some insight.

[Daniel Elstner (daniel-elstner)]

Reply from Plextor Europe:

"We don't provide any official support for Linux based operating systems.
All we can advice here is that you check this further with the manufcaturers from that OS."

Well, they did not provide inofficial support either. I wonder why they let me choose "OS: Linux" on their web form in the first place then...

Now I just hope it's a kernel bug. Or if it's a firmware one, that it may be made visible on Windows somehow with appropriate tools.

[Simon Law (sfllaw)]

Barry,

Does this still happen to you with recent Dapper kernels? Support for
Plextor DVD drives has improved since you first reported your bug.

Thanks.

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

I have a brand new Plextor PX-740A here, attached via a USB enclosure, and it does not seem to have this problem. It has never had an audio CD in it, and the first time I inserted a video DVD, totem opened correctly.

[Barry Shilliday (teppic74)]

I just tried with the latest Dapper kernel (2.6.15-21) and have the same problem. I can't reproduce the problem in Windows, so Plextor will not look into whether it's a firmware problem.

[willisoften (will-copeland)]

Same problem here with the same drive PX-716A

Note - the audio CD trick only works here for DVDs which are ISO9660. Like those given away with magazines.

udf disks only mount with the full mount -t udf /dev/hda /media/cdrom0 command.

I have the same / similar issue with a Plextor DVD-ROM PX-116A except that the audio CD trick doesn't work.

No problem with CDs on either drive.

[willisoften (will-copeland)]

I've swapped the Plextor DVD ROM Drive. For a Pioneer 111D.
ISO 9660 disks are mounted properly but UDF disks still require the command line although it is no longer necessary to specify the FS type.

(Sorry about double post earlier).

Will

[Barry Shilliday (teppic74)]

I had other problems with my 716A drive and Plextor has replaced it with a PX-755A drive. The same problem exists with this drive.

[Rotbart van Dainig (rotbart-van-dainig)]

Problem persists with Dapper - on a Shuttle SD11G5 with a PX716SA (1.09).

Burnt ISO-DVDs are mounted fine, where as UDF DVD-ROM fail:

dmesg:
> ata3: translated ATA stat/err 0x51/54 to SCSI SK/ASC/ASCQ 0xb/0 0/00
> ata3: translated ATA stat/err 0x51/54 to SCSI SK/ASC/ASCQ 0xb/0 0/00
> ata3: translated ATA stat/err 0x51/54 to SCSI SK/ASC/ASCQ 0xb/0 0/00
> sr0: CDROM (ioctl) error, command: <6>Read TOC/PMA/ATIP 43 02 0 0 00 00 00 01 00 0c 00
> sr: Current [descriptor]: sense key: Aborted Command
> Additional sense: No additional sense information
> cdrom: This disc doesn't have any tracks I recognize!

Meanwhile, the consoles are flooded with the status report of the quality test unit of the drive:

> ata3: translated ATA stat/err 0x51/24 to SCSI SK/ASC/ASCQ 0xb/0 0/00
> ata3: translated ATA stat/err 0x51/24 to SCSI SK/ASC/ASCQ 0xb/0 0/00
> ata3: translated ATA stat/err 0x51/24 to SCSI SK/ASC/ASCQ 0xb/0 0/00
> ata3: translated ATA stat/err 0x51/24 to SCSI SK/ASC/ASCQ 0xb/0 0/00
> ata3: translated ATA stat/err 0x51/24 to SCSI SK/ASC/ASCQ 0xb/0 0/00
> ata3: translated ATA stat/err 0x51/24 to SCSI SK/ASC/ASCQ 0xb/0 0/00
> sr0: CDROM (ioctl) error, command: <6>Test Unit Ready 00 00 00 00 00 00
> sr: Current [descriptor]: sense key: Aborted Command
> Additional sense: No additional sense information

Personally, I don't favor the 'firmware bug' theory, as XP reads DVD-ROM fine and downgrading doesn't make any difference.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

I debugged this a little with Cimmo (from bug 14692): with the Dapper kernel he did not have a problem, but the effect occurs on Edgy (and on Windows XP there is no problem). This makes the firmware bug theory even less likely...

[joe (jochen-wurster)]

I guess i have seen this bug during the installation of Kubuntu 7.04. During the installation the installer checks if the setup cdrom is a valid one. When i chosed to install from my Plextor PX-130A drive the integrity check failed. The same installation media worked fine in my Sony drive.
Apart from this problem the plextor drive workes fine for Windows XP.

If you need more details (logs etc. ) please contact me.

[willisoften (will-copeland)]

I still have this problem, Kubuntu 7.04 and Debian Etch - Pioneer, Plextor, LG and Toshiba drives. Although (as posted before) I can mount non-udf disks.
Has anyone with two DVD-ROM drives tried editing fstab so one drive mounts udf specifically?

I think this is a udf mounting problem not a plextor or firmware problem. Has anyone tried non-debian distros with the same hardware? I have a hankering to try OpenSuse but not the time.

Will

[cjae (reb-07)]

Hi,

I seem to have the exact same problem with plextor 716a drive as well. uname -r 2.6.20-15-generic on xubuntu 7.04

Can anyone tell me if they found a solution or how to debug or create a bug report.

[Rotbart van Dainig (rotbart-van-dainig)]

> Can anyone tell me if they found a solution
I bought a new DVD drive.

Given the take on Plextor regarding Linux and alternate Q-Check tools, most certainly, this was my last Plextor drive.

[JL Granger (cptloulou)]

Hi,
I have a Plextor PX-760A IDE that is pluged on the IDE port of an Asus P5B-E plus motherboard. The port is controlled by Jmicron 20363 chipset configured as an IDE controller. I got exactly the same symptoms with Fiesty 7.04. Because I didn't know the workaround with audio CD I used k3b. I started to burn a file on an empty CD-RW , then I removed the CD-RW and the put a genuine video DVD to be able to run Totem-xine. For all the CD or DVD except the video DVD it is right. I think that I will have to buy a new SATA DVD burner (unfortunatly not Plextor).

[Christophe Drevet (christophe-drevet)]

Hi,
Same problem with PX-716A and Asus P5B-E motherboard.
This bug exists at least with dapper, edgy and feisty.

[Daniel Elstner (daniel-elstner)]

OK, for some reason this now works just fine for me. I still have the same drive (PX716-A) and was running feisty around the time it went away. Unfortunately I noticed it way too late to know for sure what has fixed it. It might just be due to one of the firmware updates I did (it's at 1.11 now). Could someone else with a PX716-A confirm this, please?

[willisoften (will-copeland)]

On Saturday 22 September 2007 08:52:08 Daniel Elstner wrote:
> OK, for some reason this now works just fine for me. I still have the
> same drive (PX716-A) and was running feisty around the time it went
> away. Unfortunately I noticed it way too late to know for sure what has
> fixed it. It might just be due to one of the firmware updates I did
> (it's at 1.11 now). Could someone else with a PX716-A confirm this,
> please?

Yes I could :)

Working fine for me - now mounting UDF DVDs too. Nor firmware upgrades on
this drive. (Just for the record I saw the same behaviour on a number of
drives by: Panasonic, Pioneer LG and other Plextors including a Plextor
DVD-ROM.

--
Will

"Outside of a dog a book is a mans best friend,
 inside of a dog it's too dark to read"
 Groucho Marx

[JL Granger (cptloulou)]

Hi,
I am pleased to know that a Plextor PX716-A (firmware 1.11) runs well under fiesty 7.04 and recognizes a video DVD when you instert it in the drive but a PX760A with the latest firmware (1.07) still continues to ignore a video DVD and display a DVD-Rom mounted. So the problem still exists at least with PX760A.

[chuy08 (chuy08)]

I installed Gusty fresh on my pc and was working well with a OEM Dell DVD-R Drive. Then I upgraded it to this Plextor PX-760A with 1.06 firmware on it and I have the same problem as described above. Won't recognize a DVD till a CD is installed first. On Gusty if I insert a DVD first after a reboot the drive is hosed until I reboot again. If I insert a CD first all works well.

[Rotbart van Dainig (rotbart-van-dainig)]

In fact, my PX716-SA not only worked for me under Gutsy when I hooked it up again, but also was able to read a strange DVD no drive else would.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Beginning with the Hardy Heron 8.04 development cycle, all open Ubuntu kernel bugs need to be reported against the "linux" kernel package. We are automatically migrating this linux-source-2.6.15 kernel bug to the new "linux" package. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we make this transition. Also, if you would be interested in testing the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release, it is available at http://www.ubuntu.com/testing . Please let us know your results. Thanks!

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

The Ubuntu Kernel Team is planning to move to the 2.6.27 kernel for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. As a result, the kernel team would appreciate it if you could please test this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. There are one of two ways you should be able to test:

1) If you are comfortable installing packages on your own, the linux-image-2.6.27-* package is currently available for you to install and test.

--or--

2) The upcoming Alpha5 for Intrepid Ibex 8.10 will contain this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. Alpha5 is set to be released Thursday Sept 4. Please watch http://www.ubuntu.com/testing for Alpha5 to be announced. You should then be able to test via a LiveCD.

Please let us know immediately if this newer 2.6.27 kernel resolves the bug reported here or if the issue remains. More importantly, please open a new bug report for each new bug/regression introduced by the 2.6.27 kernel and tag the bug report with 'linux-2.6.27'. Also, please specifically note if the issue does or does not appear in the 2.6.26 kernel. Thanks again, we really appreicate your help and feedback.

[kernel-janitor (kernel-janitor)]

This bug report was marked as Confirmed a while ago but has not had any updated comments for quite some time. Please let us know if this issue remains in the current Ubuntu release, http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download . If the issue remains, click on the current status under the Status column and change the status back to "New". Thanks.

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[Jeremy Foshee (jeremyfoshee)]

This bug report was marked as Incomplete and has not had any updated comments for quite some time. As a result this bug is being closed. Please reopen if this is still an issue in the current Ubuntu release http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download . Also, please be sure to provide any requested information that may have been missing. To reopen the bug, click on the current status under the Status column and change the status back to "New". Thanks.

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