Data DVD reading impossible on Ubuntu 7.04 with a Slimtype combo drive
 

Hello

I wasn't sure whether to post this in software, hardware or laptop section as I don't know which is the problem. I switched today from Windows Vista to Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn. (the machine is Acer Aspire 3630) Excluding much difficulty with configuring wireless network due to Broadcom card and unsuccessful Beryl due to graphic card being unsupported, everything else seemed to be working fine until now. I've discovered I can't read any of my data dvds with all my backup documents I wanted to put on Ubuntu now. Now I admit I am a real, and I mean real newbie with Linux but it was obvious nothing is happening. The dvds were read perfectly in Vista, where they were burned using Nero Express without errors, and they are Sony DVD-R dvds. I have a combo reader-burner. I insterted a data dvd now and...nothing happens. I opened Computer in File Browser and CD-RW/DVD±RW Drive reports this: ''Unable to mount media - there is probably no media in the drive''. The lamp indicated reading and there was no unusual noise as it so often happens when the combo is trying to read a damaged dvd/cd.
I'd appreciate any help on this, as these dvds contain important files that I need in everyday use.

Firstly, your wireless problem can be easily solved using ndiswrapper.

As to your posted problem, try mounting the disk manually and see what error message you get.

Open a terminal and use the command mount /dev/cdrom

Yes, I used ndiswrapper for wireless which solved the issue. As for manually mounting, thank you for the tip - I did try the command in terminal (right after I discovered I'm unable to read dvds) but it wouldn't do any good, it would fail every time due to ''device not being present''. So that was out of the picture. I tried today with some more dvds, Windows installation, for one, and Ubuntu installation disc. Those were somehow read by the system. But none of any other I have, no matter what was burned on them, were readable. Be it data dvds, audio cds or original movie dvds. I perform diagnostics of my hardware every so often and I received no errors on performance of my cd-dvd drive which is why I find this peculiar. At some point I noticed ''Failed to load module'' messages on boot screen but there are none anymore and still dvds cannot be read.
After hours of trying different possible solutions and looking online, I was forced to resort back to Vista due to the nature of my work which required everyday use of documents...
Is this a known problem with Ubuntu, even if uncommon? If yes, is there any other release that doesn't have it? I was considering Suse Desktop Enterprise Edition.