I have used xp for several years now and used to be able to drag and drop files to my old cd drve prior there being burnt.

this new cd/dvd drive is a whole different ball game. xp will not recognise a disc to write to unless Nero is used to write it. No dragging and dropping with cd's.

I was trying to use recordnow dx today with it and kept getting the message that there was no disc in the drive.

However switched back to Nero (though it came up as an unrecognisable format when I tried to read it, put that down to inexperience though) and was able to burn dvd. Same thing happens with cd's.

I want to have the flexibility to be able to burn using other software.

Can anyone suggest what I need to do. Are there other drivers that need to be loaded?

Have you checked drivers in Device Manager?

I wonder if Nero has some kind of Priority Setting?

Also perhaps uninstall Nero temporarily to see what happens?

Searching for "dvdrw ide1004" I found this:

http://www.iomagic.com/Firmware/FirmwareDownload.html

Is there some more ID as to the drive

Thank you jephree

I will look at your site with interest.

I was speaking to one of the technicians today from where I bought my p.c. over a different matter. He said to me that these days cd and dvd drives (and he believe that mine might be a BTC - due to the lack of a Sony logo on the front of the drive) are made just to work with the software packaged with them.

Horrors!

Well If I can I will certainly change that arrangement with my p.c.

I will let you know of my results.