Samsung SATA Optical Drive Problem

I installed a Samsung SH-S203B drive a couple months ago. Drive
worked great, as advertised, using Nero 8.
Just recently it Nero started to report buffer errors after the burn.
Some disc were ok, some were bad when played on stand alone units.
Tested the other two drives (PATA) in the system with Nero. No
problems. Also varied the media. Same results all the time on the
Samsung. Had the drive replaced. New one same problem.
Research seems indicate that there are some problems with optical's on
a SATA controller. Not sure what has caused this, but the only thing
that changed were some recent Windows updates. Drivers for the drives
seems to have changed version numbers after a update. Got this form
the Reliability monitor in Vista. Have since applied SP1 and no
change.
System is older Dell XPS Gen3. Controllers are using whatever Vista
installed (fresh install) Bios is set to Raid Autodetect/AHCI
(default) as it has been since purchased. Not using raid though.
3 SATA WD HD and 1 SATA optical installed on the controller
and 2 Optical on the PATA controller.
Any suggestion?

roll back the drivers to the version that worked


you can do that from the device manager and in the properties of the device

its called ROLL BACK DRIVERS see this guide
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...windows-vista/



--
50 Ways to leave your Vista....

CHORUS:

You just format the drive , Clive
Get a New Mac , Jack
Y'don't need that crap toy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Boot from a *nix, Jix
You don't need to discuss much
Install XP, Lee
And get yourself free



"DaDD" <> wrote in message
news:...
>I installed a Samsung SH-S203B drive a couple months ago. Drive
> worked great, as advertised, using Nero 8.
> Just recently it Nero started to report buffer errors after the burn.
> Some disc were ok, some were bad when played on stand alone units.
> Tested the other two drives (PATA) in the system with Nero. No
> problems. Also varied the media. Same results all the time on the
> Samsung. Had the drive replaced. New one same problem.
> Research seems indicate that there are some problems with optical's on
> a SATA controller. Not sure what has caused this, but the only thing
> that changed were some recent Windows updates. Drivers for the drives
> seems to have changed version numbers after a update. Got this form
> the Reliability monitor in Vista. Have since applied SP1 and no
> change.
> System is older Dell XPS Gen3. Controllers are using whatever Vista
> installed (fresh install) Bios is set to Raid Autodetect/AHCI
> (default) as it has been since purchased. Not using raid though.
> 3 SATA WD HD and 1 SATA optical installed on the controller
> and 2 Optical on the PATA controller.
> Any suggestion?
>

see this too

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/0...windows-vista/


--
50 Ways to leave your Vista....

CHORUS:

You just format the drive , Clive
Get a New Mac , Jack
Y'don't need that crap toy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Boot from a *nix, Jix
You don't need to discuss much
Install XP, Lee
And get yourself free



"DaDD" <> wrote in message
news:...
>I installed a Samsung SH-S203B drive a couple months ago. Drive
> worked great, as advertised, using Nero 8.
> Just recently it Nero started to report buffer errors after the burn.
> Some disc were ok, some were bad when played on stand alone units.
> Tested the other two drives (PATA) in the system with Nero. No
> problems. Also varied the media. Same results all the time on the
> Samsung. Had the drive replaced. New one same problem.
> Research seems indicate that there are some problems with optical's on
> a SATA controller. Not sure what has caused this, but the only thing
> that changed were some recent Windows updates. Drivers for the drives
> seems to have changed version numbers after a update. Got this form
> the Reliability monitor in Vista. Have since applied SP1 and no
> change.
> System is older Dell XPS Gen3. Controllers are using whatever Vista
> installed (fresh install) Bios is set to Raid Autodetect/AHCI
> (default) as it has been since purchased. Not using raid though.
> 3 SATA WD HD and 1 SATA optical installed on the controller
> and 2 Optical on the PATA controller.
> Any suggestion?
>

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:25:40 +0200, "On the Bridge!" <On@the,Bridge>
wrote:

>roll back the drivers to the version that worked
>
>
>you can do that from the device manager and in the properties of the device
>
>its called ROLL BACK DRIVERS see this guide
>http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...windows-vista/

First thing I thought of, but after the Vista SP1 install, the option
is not available. Rollback button is grayed out on all drivers. SP1
is seen as a new install. Even uninstalling SP1 would not help as the
problem started prior to that and would prevent updating to SP1.
Thanks anyway.....if you can think of another way?

try to track down the drivers that worked.. and see if you can find them
somehow by googling with the version number...

also send an email to Samsung and see if they have a knowledgebase or
support forum

if this is a common problem, you are not alone...

someone else will be searching for the same solutions as you.




--
50 Ways to leave your Vista....

CHORUS:

You just format the drive , Clive
Get a New Mac , Jack
Y'don't need that crap toy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Boot from a *nix, Jix
You don't need to discuss much
Install XP, Lee
And get yourself free



"DaDD" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:25:40 +0200, "On the Bridge!" <On@the,Bridge>
> wrote:
>
>>roll back the drivers to the version that worked
>>
>>
>>you can do that from the device manager and in the properties of the
>>device
>>
>>its called ROLL BACK DRIVERS see this guide
>>http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...windows-vista/
>
> First thing I thought of, but after the Vista SP1 install, the option
> is not available. Rollback button is grayed out on all drivers. SP1
> is seen as a new install. Even uninstalling SP1 would not help as the
> problem started prior to that and would prevent updating to SP1.
> Thanks anyway.....if you can think of another way?
>

In article <>,
DaDD <> wrote:
>I installed a Samsung SH-S203B drive a couple months ago. Drive
>worked great, as advertised, using Nero 8.

FWIW I've had consistent problems with sata optical drives on
several operating systems. Not ready for prime time IMHO, toss it
and get an old ide one.

I'm running a SATA SH-S183L on SP1 with no issues. Do you have the latest
firmware dated January 23rd, 2008 (version SB03)?

Link to download site:
http://www.samsung.com/us/support/do...ype=FM&vType=L

"DaDD" wrote:

> I installed a Samsung SH-S203B drive a couple months ago. Drive
> worked great, as advertised, using Nero 8.
> Just recently it Nero started to report buffer errors after the burn.
> Some disc were ok, some were bad when played on stand alone units.
> Tested the other two drives (PATA) in the system with Nero. No
> problems. Also varied the media. Same results all the time on the
> Samsung. Had the drive replaced. New one same problem.
> Research seems indicate that there are some problems with optical's on
> a SATA controller. Not sure what has caused this, but the only thing
> that changed were some recent Windows updates. Drivers for the drives
> seems to have changed version numbers after a update. Got this form
> the Reliability monitor in Vista. Have since applied SP1 and no
> change.
> System is older Dell XPS Gen3. Controllers are using whatever Vista
> installed (fresh install) Bios is set to Raid Autodetect/AHCI
> (default) as it has been since purchased. Not using raid though.
> 3 SATA WD HD and 1 SATA optical installed on the controller
> and 2 Optical on the PATA controller.
> Any suggestion?
>
>

be very careful with firm updates.. if something goes wrong during the
update and its abruptly terminated,
you may render the drive useless



--
50 Ways to leave your Vista....

CHORUS:

You just format the drive , Clive
Get a New Mac , Jack
Y'don't need that crap toy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Boot from a *nix, Jix
You don't need to discuss much
Install XP, Lee
And get yourself free



"PNutts" <> wrote in message
news:1FEFAB62-1E5A-4A8E-AECF-...
> I'm running a SATA SH-S183L on SP1 with no issues. Do you have the latest
> firmware dated January 23rd, 2008 (version SB03)?
>
> Link to download site:
> http://www.samsung.com/us/support/do...ype=FM&vType=L
>
> "DaDD" wrote:
>
>> I installed a Samsung SH-S203B drive a couple months ago. Drive
>> worked great, as advertised, using Nero 8.
>> Just recently it Nero started to report buffer errors after the burn.
>> Some disc were ok, some were bad when played on stand alone units.
>> Tested the other two drives (PATA) in the system with Nero. No
>> problems. Also varied the media. Same results all the time on the
>> Samsung. Had the drive replaced. New one same problem.
>> Research seems indicate that there are some problems with optical's on
>> a SATA controller. Not sure what has caused this, but the only thing
>> that changed were some recent Windows updates. Drivers for the drives
>> seems to have changed version numbers after a update. Got this form
>> the Reliability monitor in Vista. Have since applied SP1 and no
>> change.
>> System is older Dell XPS Gen3. Controllers are using whatever Vista
>> installed (fresh install) Bios is set to Raid Autodetect/AHCI
>> (default) as it has been since purchased. Not using raid though.
>> 3 SATA WD HD and 1 SATA optical installed on the controller
>> and 2 Optical on the PATA controller.
>> Any suggestion?
>>
>>

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 23:07:41 +0200, "On the Bridge!" <On@the,Bridge>
wrote:

>try to track down the drivers that worked.. and see if you can find them
>somehow by googling with the version number...
>
>also send an email to Samsung and see if they have a knowledgebase or
>support forum
>
>if this is a common problem, you are not alone...
>
>someone else will be searching for the same solutions as you.

I was thinking the original Vista drivers off the install dvd might
work as the problem started only recently, but I don't think I can
install them now that I went to SP1.

Samsung was no help, nothing similar in the support FAQ, no forums and
support just suggested replacing the drive.

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:29:01 -0800, PNutts <>
wrote:

>I'm running a SATA SH-S183L on SP1 with no issues. Do you have the latest
>firmware dated January 23rd, 2008 (version SB03)?
>
>Link to download site:
>http://www.samsung.com/us/support/do...ype=FM&vType=L
>


First thing I did with the first drive when it started. Flashed from
SB01 to SB03. no change.
Drive had no problems burining cd, dvd, all at max speed. numerous
burns. All of a sudden buffers errors, about half way throught the
burns, Superlink would kick in and the burn speed would drop way down,
and at the end Nero would report the number of buffer errors superlink
dealt with.
Looks like a Vista update 1/25/08 installed new drivers for the
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM Ultra ATA Storage Controllers - 266F
6.0.6000.16584
Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller 6.0.6000.16584
Thats right about when this started.