Cannot open blank DVDs under 14.04 - solved

[Phil]

On 09/20/2014 05:53 PM, Colin Law wrote:
> On 20 September 2014 01:22, Phil <phil_lor at bigpond.com> wrote:
>> On 09/20/2014 07:13 AM, Colin Law wrote:

> As a matter of interest, on the working system do you see anything
> different in dmesg after plugging in the drive?  Specifically the line
> showing the capabilities of the device.
>

Thanks for your interest Colin.

Dmesg reports the same information on both systems.

The difference between the two systems is the desktop and the burning 
software. The Xubuntu desktop pops up an icon that shows that the DVD 
drive contains a blank disc whereas the Kubuntu desktop is unaware that 
the drive contains a blank disc and reports "No devices available".

I have K3b installed on my Kubuntu laptop and it only sees the internal 
dead DVD drive. Xfburn on my Xubuntu laptop sees both the internal and 
external USB drives.

I've been given a third laptop. It's almost new and although the DVD 
drive works, all of the USB ports have been destroyed. Possibly by 
forcing the USB plug in upside down. I wonder if replacement USB sockets 
are available?. A fully functioning laptop would be nice.

-- 
Regards,
Phil