Toshiba PS522C-XK00EP and DVD-RAMs (with SD-R6012 DVD-ROM drive)

Hi,

My Toshiba was shipped with drivers and applications pertaining to
DVD-RAM disks, which are supposedly accessible like a removable hard
disk would be. You format them and then can drag and drop stuff to and
from them using Explorer.

The problem is, it doesn't work. The "DVDForm" application, which is
used to format the DVD-RAM complains that "DVD-RAM drive is not
connected or a disc is not inserted." but is wrong on both count. The
"WPTool" (used to write-protect DVD-RAMs) gives the same message.

The drive (a Toshiba SD-R6012) works perfectly with DVD-R and DVD-RW
media.

The DVD-RAM I'm using came in a cartridge but has instructions on
opening the cartridge to extract the disk. It is a single-sided 4.7GB
DVD-RAM according to the package.

Has anyone with the same model (or the same drive) managed to use
DVD-RAMs?

Thanks.

On Tue, 09 Sep 2003 15:10:01 -0400, Alexei Machine <> wrote:

:>Hi,
:>
:>My Toshiba was shipped with drivers and applications pertaining to
:>DVD-RAM disks, which are supposedly accessible like a removable hard
:>disk would be. You format them and then can drag and drop stuff to and
:>from them using Explorer.
:>
:>The problem is, it doesn't work. The "DVDForm" application, which is
:>used to format the DVD-RAM complains that "DVD-RAM drive is not
:>connected or a disc is not inserted." but is wrong on both count. The
:>"WPTool" (used to write-protect DVD-RAMs) gives the same message.
:>
:>The drive (a Toshiba SD-R6012) works perfectly with DVD-R and DVD-RW
:>media.
:>
:>The DVD-RAM I'm using came in a cartridge but has instructions on
:>opening the cartridge to extract the disk. It is a single-sided 4.7GB
:>DVD-RAM according to the package.
:>
:>Has anyone with the same model (or the same drive) managed to use
:>DVD-RAMs?
:>
:>Thanks.

The drive that does DVD-RAM is called a "multidrive" by Toshiba and is the
Panasonic UJ-810X5 drive. It is used in the US model 5205-S705 and a few
others. The drive you have is the same one that came in my 5205-S703 purchased
around 6-7 months ago and it does not do DVD-RAM. You'be been faked out by a
generic factory software load that loads software for everything that could
possibly be installed in any unit in that model line even for hardware that's
not there.

On Wed, 10 Sep 2003 14:07:46 GMT, 5205-S703Owner@127.0.0.1 wrote:


>
>The drive that does DVD-RAM is called a "multidrive" by Toshiba and is the
>Panasonic UJ-810X5 drive. It is used in the US model 5205-S705 and a few
>others. The drive you have is the same one that came in my 5205-S703 purchased
>around 6-7 months ago and it does not do DVD-RAM. You'be been faked out by a
>generic factory software load that loads software for everything that could
>possibly be installed in any unit in that model line even for hardware that's
>not there.

I was afraid I'd get this answer. It would be nice if Toshiba would at
least put a note in the box saying that the DVD-RAM software is
useless, it would've saved me quite a few hours, not to mention buying
a DVD-RAM for nothing. Yay, a 10$ coaster.

Are we missing much? How fast and practical are DVD-RAMs anyway?

Is there way to swap the SD-R6012 for the Panasonic model?

On Wed, 10 Sep 2003 10:41:33 -0400, Alexei Machine <> wrote:

:>On Wed, 10 Sep 2003 14:07:46 GMT, 5205-S703Owner@127.0.0.1 wrote:
:>
:>
:>>
:>>The drive that does DVD-RAM is called a "multidrive" by Toshiba and is the
:>>Panasonic UJ-810X5 drive. It is used in the US model 5205-S705 and a few
:>>others. The drive you have is the same one that came in my 5205-S703 purchased
:>>around 6-7 months ago and it does not do DVD-RAM. You'be been faked out by a
:>>generic factory software load that loads software for everything that could
:>>possibly be installed in any unit in that model line even for hardware that's
:>>not there.
:>
:>I was afraid I'd get this answer. It would be nice if Toshiba would at
:>least put a note in the box saying that the DVD-RAM software is
:>useless, it would've saved me quite a few hours, not to mention buying
:>a DVD-RAM for nothing. Yay, a 10$ coaster.
:>
:>Are we missing much? How fast and practical are DVD-RAMs anyway?
:>
:>Is there way to swap the SD-R6012 for the Panasonic model?

It can be done but I don't think you would want to. The non-exchange dealer
cost on the drive you have is around $370. The "multi-drive" that also does
DVD-RAM is most likely a bit higher. By the time you add in dealer markup and
whatever tax you have to pay you could be looking at around $500. I assume you
don't have a US version of the "PS522" series or you'd already have that drive
so I don't know what the tax structure is where you live.