Linux Format forums

nicebloke · Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:34 am Posts: 34

Hi,

I have a problem where I am unable to even mount any store purchased DVDs (both game and film). I can hear the drive trying to read the disc, but it just gives up after a few attempts.

I've looked in /var/log/messages and can't see anything that says the read was even attempted. If I put any burned DVD (backups obviously) it reads them just fine and I can watch movies and play games.

I'm not sure which info you need, but here is some:

root@grubber:~# cat /etc/fstab
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s UUID' to print the universally unique identifier
# for a device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name
# devices that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda1 during installation
UUID=79917791-57f9-43c6-a2f1-cbb495a86134 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=a630166c-7122-4638-b07f-6cfb3e076de1 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0
/dev/sdb1 /home/nicebloke/Downloads ext3 defaults 0 0

root@grubber:~# uname -a
Linux grubber 2.6.32-24-generic #39-Ubuntu SMP Wed Jul 28 05:14:15 UTC 2010 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I'm running Ubuntu 64bit 10.04. My drive is a Sony Optiarc AD-7200A with the latest firmware.

I have the Medibuntu repository enabled and have followed the instructions here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Medibuntu

I've run /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh (but I don't think that's the problem).

Any help would be great. Thanks in advance,

wyliecoyoteuk · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 12:59 pm Post subject:

What software are you using?
It may need to be told where libdvdcss is.
_________________
The sig between the asterisks is so cool that only REALLY COOL people can even see it!

*************** ************

nicebloke · Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:34 am Posts: 34

Thanks for the the speedy response. I'm using VLC, mplayer or Xine to play the movie DVDs. However, even game discs won't mount. I think its a hardware problem rather than a dvdcss problem (hence me posting in this category)

wyliecoyoteuk · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 1:43 pm Post subject:

sounds like its failing to read dual layer discs
_________________
The sig between the asterisks is so cool that only REALLY COOL people can even see it!

*************** ************

nicebloke · Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:34 am Posts: 34

Ok, that makes sense.

Any idea how'd I'd prove that though? I'll have a route through my DVD collection and see if I have a film that's not on dual layer.

nicebloke · Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:34 am Posts: 34

Ok. I found my Mary Poppins DVD which is a single layer disc. I bought it years ago and halfway through the film you have to flip the DVD to the other side. This I assume means its a single layer disc.

No joy though. I put the disc in, the drive spins up (green power light on) and after a couple of 'tries' the light goes out. This is the same with any original DVD I put in.

Shouldn't there be some log/record somewhere that its trying to read the disc?

Just to check, I've opened the PC and the drive is on an IDE channel by itself and the drive is set to Master.

wyliecoyoteuk · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:58 pm Post subject:

try

dmesg.

That gives the kernel messages, run it before and after inserting the DVD.

Also, try running VLC from the terminal, then you should see what is happening
_________________
The sig between the asterisks is so cool that only REALLY COOL people can even see it!

*************** ************

nicebloke · Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:34 am Posts: 34

dmesg and /var/log/messages do not say anything. There is no change before/during/after the drive attempts to read a retail DVD.

VLC just says there is nothing in the drive (I think). This is what I get with a retail DVD in the drive:

~$ vlc dvd://
VLC media player 1.0.6 Goldeneye
[0x6264b8] main libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.
libdvdnav: Using dvdnav version 4.1.3
libdvdread: Using libdvdcss version 1.2.10 for DVD access
libdvdread: Could not open /dev/sr0 with libdvdcss.
libdvdread: Can't open /dev/sr0 for reading
libdvdnav: vm: failed to open/read the DVD
libdvdread: Using libdvdcss version 1.2.10 for DVD access
libdvdread: Could not open /dev/sr0 with libdvdcss.
libdvdread: Can't open /dev/sr0 for reading
[0x7f78ac002418] dvdread demux error: DVDRead cannot open source: /dev/sr0
[0x942ba8] main access error: no access module matched "dvd"
[0xa9f188] main input error: open of `dvd://' failed: no access module matched "dvd"

PCNetSpec · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 6:19 pm Post subject:

If data disks (like games) can't be read either, it sounds like a hardware issue, have you got another drive you can test with?
_________________
WARNING: You are logged into reality as 'root'... logging in as 'insane' is the only safe option.
Linux in the UK
The Linux Community Forum

nicebloke · Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:34 am Posts: 34

I'm hoping to borrow another drive tomorrow to test it with - however shouldn't there be some logs somewhere to prove that it was even trying to read the disc?

Bazza · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 6:51 pm Post subject:

Hi nicebloke...

Be logical.

Try starting at the lowest point!

Will the drive read and play a basic music CD?

If yes will it write to a basic CD at the slowest speed?

And so on until you get a NO.

If the first answer is NO then maybe the optics are
dirty or damaged.

It could still be SW but more likely HW.
_________________
73...

Bazza, G0LCU...

Team AMIGA...

PCNetSpec · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 6:53 pm Post subject:

Not necessarily... the drives firmware will attempt to read the disk, if it can't *at all* it will just behave as though no disk was inserted.
_________________
WARNING: You are logged into reality as 'root'... logging in as 'insane' is the only safe option.
Linux in the UK
The Linux Community Forum

nicebloke · Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:34 am Posts: 34

Ok, here is what my drive does:

Read Original Music CD - Yes
Read Original Game CD - Yes
Read Copied Music CD - Yes
Read Copied Game CD - Yes
Read Copied DVD Movie - Yes
Read Copied DVD Data - Yes

Read Original DVD Game - No
Read Original DVD Movie - No

Burn Music/Data CD (at 48x) - Yes
Burn DVD Movie ISO - Yes
Burn Data DVD - Yes

PCNetSpec · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 7:03 pm Post subject:

I'm guessing the DVD laser is miss aligned... so it can read disks that were burned on that drive... but is having problems finding the fist sector on retail DVD's... a guess though.
_________________
WARNING: You are logged into reality as 'root'... logging in as 'insane' is the only safe option.
Linux in the UK
The Linux Community Forum

Bazza · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 7:03 pm Post subject:

Hi PCNetSpec...

And your point?

Hi nicebloke...

Good one...
Thank you... :)

(I rest my case. :)

So it doesn`t look like the drive at present but dare I say it
possibly a DRM problem.

Let me peruse on it a little further...
_________________
73...

Bazza, G0LCU...

Team AMIGA...