[SOLVED] Dell Laptop CD_ROM/DVD RW cannot read Ubuntu download

Vocay2 · 05-25-2016, 04:40 AM

This is a general question that I am hoping someone might be able to answer.

I have a Dell Inspiron 5721 running Windows 10 and Ubuntu 16.04

The CD-ROM/DVD RW unit went south due to an internal broken cable.

I purchased a new unit on eBay and it installed perfectly.

If I try to run commercial Dvd's with this new unit,I have the same problems.

I downloaded Ubuntu 16.04 iso and burned it using this new unit.

When I attempted to boot up using the newly burned disc, nothing happens. I get the regular start menu.

I also have a Samsung USB connected CD-ROM/DVD unit. I put the new disc in the Samsung and booted up using this Samsung unit and everything worked very well. No problems.

I was hoping someone could give me some hints as to why the disc works with the Samsung USB unit but not with the newly purchased unit that recorded the disc.

Thank you

Habitual · 05-25-2016, 07:31 AM

Did you also replace the broken cable?
Off-hand, I'd say check the boot order/list in BIOS on the Inspiron,
and verify the CD/DVD is in "the list" for boot media.
F2 during boot on Dell's IIRC.

Vocay2 · 05-25-2016, 09:10 AM

No, the broken cable was located inside the CD-ROM/DVD RW unit. It cost more to repair it then the new unit.

Boot order is good. As stated the second unit, the Samsung, works without a flaw.

That is what confuses me. One unit, the Samsung, works well, while the other unit, the newly purchased one, will not boot up even though it is the unit that was used to burn the disc.

Let me add something else. The new unit will successfully read CD-ROMS as well as DVDs. It simply refuses any kind of a boot up.

rokytnji · 05-25-2016, 12:48 PM

This Dell Touchscreen has no cd/dvd drive. But to just show the steps

Code:

harry@harry-Latitude-XT2:~$ cd-drive 
The program 'cd-drive' is currently not installed. You can install it by typing:
sudo apt-get install libcdio-utils
harry@harry-Latitude-XT2:~$ sudo apt-get install libcdio-utils
[sudo] password for harry: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libhdb9-heimdal libkdc2-heimdal libntdb1 python-ntdb
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libcdio-utils
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 24 not upgraded.
Need to get 66.7 kB of archives.
After this operation, 395 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe libcdio-utils i386 0.83-4.1ubuntu1 [66.7 kB]
Fetched 66.7 kB in 0s (113 kB/s)       
Selecting previously unselected package libcdio-utils.
(Reading database ... 210128 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libcdio-utils_0.83-4.1ubuntu1_i386.deb ...
Unpacking libcdio-utils (0.83-4.1ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.6.7.1-1ubuntu1) ...
Setting up libcdio-utils (0.83-4.1ubuntu1) ...
harry@harry-Latitude-XT2:~$ cd-drive
cd-drive version 0.83 i686-pc-linux-gnu
Copyright (c) 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011 R. Bernstein
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.
There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
No loaded CD-ROM device accessible.
Drivers available...
  GNU/Linux ioctl and MMC driver     
  cdrdao (TOC) disk image driver     
  bin/cuesheet disk image driver     
  Nero NRG disk image driver         

harry@harry-Latitude-XT2:~$

You can also just do

Code:

dmesg | egrep -i --color 'cdrom|dvd|cd/rw|writer'

To see if drive is detected. The cd-drive command text file only took up 66KB so I am not even going to bother uninstalling "libcdio-utils". I might need it later for a external usb dvd drive or something.

Edit: I am posting this because on the off chance something is broke or missing. cd-drive will mention what the drive is capable of. Like being bootable, I think.

Vocay2 · 05-26-2016, 05:12 AM

I don't have a touchscreen.

Both of the CD-ROM/DVD drives are detected and listed.

The Samsung USB connected drive works just fine.
The new unit reads discs okay, burns disc okay but is not recognised as a bootable drive.

jefro · 05-26-2016, 04:44 PM

If we assume that the drive is a fully working fully correct part and fully updated then...

Some of these uefi bios's seem to act strange. I get the feeling that the device is not being selected as a uefi boot device.

Vocay2 · 05-27-2016, 02:09 AM

Beat me with a stick and call me stupid!

After all this time, today I disconnected the Samsung unit that connected via USB. After being disconnected, the other unit, the installed new one works fine.

I should have attempted this at the beginning.

So, for whatever reason, if I have two CD-ROM/DVD units installed, both will read and write, but only one of them will allow a bootup. I don't understand why this is, but am happy to have the mystery solved.

I am going to mark this thread as solved.

If anyone has a clue as to why only one unit will work at a time, please post it.

Thanks for the replies that eventually lead me to do something intelligent. Okay not intelligent, maybe that's not the right word.

Thanks very much!