USB CD/DVD drive compatibility thread

[jumpup]

Hi, all.

In reading through the forums, it seems like folks are having mixed results using non-Sony external USB CD and DVD drives. So, to help identify the yay from the nay, I am starting this thread. Perhaps we can put up a sticky at the top of the forum as we build the list.

I'll kick it off

Lite-On SOHW-1633S DVDRW (+-R/RW and DL supported) - WORKS

If you have a DIY enclosure and added a drive yourself, please include the make+model of that enclosure. Though it shouldn't make a difference whether or not the UX likes the drive, it'd be good to know.

Hope to hear from other users!

[umbra]

Not a USB drive but I got the PCGA-DDRW3 firewire drive from Sony when Reggie posted that it was $99 which I don't think is available from Sony anymore. I works great! First thing I did after i set the UX up was make the recovery discs. I didn't have a problem making them. I verified that the recovery discs do boot from this drive with the UX and will recover the system as I used them to reload the UX when I put a 60 gig hd in it...

[efong]

I have the Sony external 16x DVD FW/USB Dual layer DVD Writer, 300UL I believe. This created the recovery disks perfectly (I hope, as I have not tested them yet)

[BeyondtheTech]

I bought the BUSlink DVD±RW/±R drive from BJ's Wholesale for $99. It's basically a rebadged AOpen drive in a 5.25" external enclosure with Firewire and USB 2.0 connectivity.

Fortunately, the drive can be detected by the UX during the BIOS POST and even use it as a bootable drive, but you have to perform the following steps (this might work for other drives previously not thought to be bootable):

Connect and power on the BUSlink drive to your UX's USB port (not the hub).
Power on your UX.
Press ESCAPE a few times to go into the BIOS Setup, but simply Exit and reboot without making any changes.
When the UX starts up again, you can see it listed right under the hard drive when the BIOS lists the connected peripherals.

I'm thinking it may be due to the fact that it's not acknowledging the drive fast enough and doesn't get detected. But, with these steps, I'm able to boot and recover without any issues.

As a sidenote, the UX by default has 'External bootable devices' disabled, so enable it first.

[mob2day]

This is crazy I have a Memory DVD burner.. I record the first CD ok and the second goes to 63% and POOF..

Sony says recovery DVD's are on backorder

Sorry Mr Customer..

[mob2day]

here is the error log...Looks like a burning engine issue

Recovery Disc Burning Engine
2006/07/14 14:40:56

- File Name : NULL
- Error Code : 21
- Primo Error: 18
- Drive Error: ffffffff

Recovery Disc Burning Engine
2006/07/14 14:52:40

- File Name : NULL
- Error Code : 21
- Primo Error: 18
- Drive Error: ffffffff

Recovery Disc Burning Engine
2006/07/14 14:59:21

- File Name : NULL
- Error Code : 21
- Primo Error: 18
- Drive Error: ffffffff

Recovery Disc Burning Engine
2006/07/14 15:40:25

- File Name : NULL
- Error Code : 21
- Primo Error: 18
- Drive Error: ffffffff

Recovery Disc Burning Engine
2006/07/14 16:25:53

- File Name : NULL
- Error Code : 21
- Primo Error: 18
- Drive Error: ffffffff

Recovery Disc Burning Engine
2006/07/14 16:38:31

- File Name : NULL
- Error Code : 21
- Primo Error: 18
- Drive Error: ffffffff

[LNG]

Using a Mad Dog MegaSTOR 16x Triple Format external DVDRW drive (MD-16X3DVD9-8XE). Works.

Plextor UF716 could read but could not write over USB or 1394.

[DerSchmied]

Hi,
seems this thread is almost dead, but I´ll try:
I got my UX280 a few days ago here in Germany, and I´m quite impressed. There´s only one thing: It doesn´t recognize my external USB LG GSA-E10L optical drive. I tried the trick mentioned above (ESC to BIOS, Reboot,...) but...nothing. Windows XP shows an optical drive in the Device Manager, but it is disabled. When I try to enable, Windows says it can´t.
Any Idea? I just dont want to buy another external DVD.... and I want to stuck with DVD-RAM...

Andreas

[drummr]

I originally purchased the iLink, Firewire connected VAIO® Optical Drive VGP-DDRW4, DVD±R Double Layer drive for $399 with my UX280. It was fast, sleek and worked with no problems to create backup disks using Ghosts 2006.

I returned it and purchased a USB connected Sony, DRX-S50U, DVD±RW/RAM/CD, for $129. The USB drive is a bit slower but appears to work fine (even with the backups created with the DVDs created with the VGP-DDRW4).

Both drives are about the same size, both require an external power supply and are very portable.

[enricoclaudio]

I Buy this 2 drives:

Sony DRX820UL/T and Plextor PX-608U/SW, work fine in the UX280P.

Bye

[toddlamp]

any DVD-RW drives that can be powered off of the USB port?

[toddlamp]

Anybody try this one?
http://www.bixnet.com/slpousdvcodr.html

[fltbosn]

Pioneer 111D in a ADS enclosure connected to replicator works. Even boots form the drive when connected to the replicator.

[ecsw]

SONY VRD-MC1 external video recordable drive works fine.
I have 2 LG DVD RW I believe to be 8042/8048 doesn't work with external IDE to USB adapter.

MAKE SURE "Boot from external optical drive" under BIOS is ON. I missed out this and took me a long time to make it work. :(

[2old4tech]

Any validity to Sony's warning not to use USB for making recovery discs? Adding i.link (Firewire) reduces the selection of available drives.

[Benz145]

Any validity to Sony's warning not to use USB for making recovery discs? Adding i.link (Firewire) reduces the selection of available drives.

No, they only say that because not all USB drives will work, they only officially support their iLink (firewire) drives. Some people have reported being able to create their recovery disks using a USB drive with no problem.

[gordoncahill]

I have used several USB drives for recovery purposes and even a Vista upgrade. No problems with any of them. Although there are USB drives that don't seem to work there are plenty that do.

Gordon

[AceCobra1]

Just wondering... is this DRX-S50U recognizd by the bios when booting ?

Also, does it boot when connected directly to the UX rather than through the port replicator?

Cheers

I originally purchased the iLink, Firewire connected VAIO® Optical Drive VGP-DDRW4, DVD±R Double Layer drive for $399 with my UX280. It was fast, sleek and worked with no problems to create backup disks using Ghosts 2006.

I returned it and purchased a USB connected Sony, DRX-S50U, DVD±RW/RAM/CD, for $129. The USB drive is a bit slower but appears to work fine (even with the backups created with the DVDs created with the VGP-DDRW4).

Both drives are about the same size, both require an external power supply and are very portable.

[lobotion]

Have a benq dvd ls dw1655 usb worked fine for backup dvds