Hi Robin.<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">2009/12/18 Robin Bownes <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:robin@ncedatrust.org.za">robin@ncedatrust.org.za</a>></span><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> <div> I have just bought a Samsung SE-S084 external USB DVD writer because the DVD drive in my notebook (Compaq nx9000) is shot. However, Karmic does not recognise the drive. The 'Computer' folder sometimes displays an icon for a CD/DVD drive, but even this icon appears and disappears from one second to another. Is there a drive necessary? I was under the impression that a USB drive should actually just work. <br> <br> Please help, and since I'm still relatively new to Linux, please keep the instructions really basic and step-by-step. Thanks.<br><font color="#888888"> <br></font></div></blockquote><div>Not sure if it is the same drive that I have, but here are a few suggestions:<br><br>1) Check that you have a dual supply cable. i.e. if it is USB powered, both USB connectors need to be plugged in to give it enough power.<br> 2) Does the light on the dvd writer come on and does the drive open if you push the open button? If not, then the USB device is not being recognized at all.<br>3) If you insert a dvd does the disk spin up? You may want to try rebooting the machine with the usb drive plugged in and a working disk in it. <br> <br>I have a samsung external drive for my netbook, which I find works intermittently. The best solution I have found is to unplug the device and plug it back in until the device is recognized appropriately.<br><br>Regards,<br> <br>William<br> <br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><div><font color="#888888"> Robin </font></div> <br>--<br> ubuntu-za mailing list<br> <a href="mailto:ubuntu-za@lists.ubuntu.com">ubuntu-za@lists.ubuntu.com</a><br> <a href="https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-za" target="_blank">https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-za</a><br> <br></blockquote></div><br>