I just installed 9.3 Pro from the DVD. This was an upgrade from 9.2 done as a full new install and I've used SuSE since 8.1. As every good hacker should do I backed up all my critical files to DVD+RW media on my Plextor drive (I also have an older HP-CD read only on this box). I tried to copy my files back to the new install and the file manager shows "no items - no folders - no files" when I look at /media/dvdrecorder. I've tried both normal user and root access versions of the file manager. The log says the disk has no tracks that the system recognizes. I tried the DVD from SuSE and get the same problem. I then went to YAST and tried a software install from the SuSE disk and it worked just fine. As usual the Novell help site is of no value at all.

Since I can do a software install I ruled out a coincidental hardware failure. The files in /dev are /dev/dvdrecorder being a pointer to /dev/hdc. I can't remember what my old system /dev was. Any ideas?

I can always drop back to 9.2, but I don't want to miss the new features of KDE 3.4 and such. My attempts to upgrade 9.2 to KDE 3.4 were less than successful even with APT/Synaptic help.

Do you have a Windows disk?

I know it's a long process - but if you do - maybe you could try to format the drive with NTFS (two sep partitions - one about 10 gigs, just enough for Windows and the storage of your DVD contents). Then install a fresh copy of SuSE on the other partition - dual boot - copy your files from the NTFS side - then use partitionar to remove Windows...

I know it sounds stupid and a lot of work - but it's the only thing I can think of atm.

At least you'll have your files on your system while you try to figure out what the deal is with your device.