Lenovo 3000 n200 optical drive problems (partly solved)

[squareyes]

squareyes wrote:
> Lorenzo Luengo wrote:
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>> squareyes escribió:
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>> Have you tried upgrading/downgrading firmware for your drive? Once i had 
>> a drive that didn't want to record any dvd, after upgrading firmware it did.
>>   
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> Many thanks,
> have found on a Slackware site that indeed firmware update is necessary,
> but have been unable to find update. Drive is Hitachi-LG GMA-4082N-Z, 
> Hitachi says
> they only deal with equipment suppliers, and can't find it as named on 
> Lenovo site.
> Will give them another ring tomorrow in the faint hope of some sort of 
> solution. 
Hi, got in touch with Lenovo, was informed that there was firmware 
update, but
not true, firmware update is for the sonic writer, and is over 120 meg, 
am on dialup, and won't allow me to use wget
so it's not a proposition if it was of any value.

I installed Win XP from my own stand alone CD, no optical drive after 
install, installed Ubuntu 8.04 (no Optical drive), ready to use machine 
with the external drive as before,  installed XP again as an experiment, 
Ubuntu disappeared from boot list as expected, BUT miracles do happen, 
now have a fully operational CD drive, with no extra drivers needed 
which is what I would have expected.  After the year's biggest 
celebration (thought all my birthdays had come at once),  re-installed 
Grub,  ---  No more optical drive. Celebration ceased. Still it has 
never worked from new, why should now be any different.

Have learned a good lesson,  will never touch another Lenovo machine. 
Would bin this one only can't afford another
laptop, am on a pension.

Many thanks for all the suggestions.
Take Care
Winton