i have a sony slimline dvd writer built into my dell pc.it will read & write cds no probs but will only read dvds,will not write them at all.infact it doesnt even try.as soon as i try to burn a dvd i get an error message & nothing burnt on the disc at all.is the writer funked? or is it a simple fix?

jason, January 2010

I've seen CD writers that are also DVD readers but not writers, one of them in a dell recently. check the logos on the front of the drive. If it says DVD-ROM or just DVD, it's probably just a reader, it you see things like DVD+R or DVD-R, then it's a recorder, and I would suggest trying different burning software and upgrading the drive's firmware (check manufacturer's site).

dylanscomputers.com, January 2010