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    XPS 1340 DVD drive slow, making weird noises

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by darksideofthemoon, Nov 22, 2009.

  1. darksideofthemoon

    darksideofthemoon Newbie

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    Hi,

    I just received a new XPS 1340. It's got the TS-H553A DVD burner drive. However, I think there might be a problem with it. It makes a weird scratching noise with most discs - almost like a power saw cutting through wood - and it rips CD audio at 1.5x.

    I'm assuming this isn't a typical issue?

    Thanks.
     
    darksideofthemoon, Nov 22, 2009
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  2. twinpeaks

    twinpeaks Notebook Guru

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    Mine sounds like that too - like an airplane taking off and I can hear the disc vibrating. I've not burned anything.

    It's an TSST. I wonder if this is how the slot loaders run.
     
    twinpeaks, Nov 22, 2009
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  3. hanming

    hanming Notebook Evangelist

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    I had a TSST optical drive before. it caused a lot of scratches too. Then it was dead after a few months. However the dell teach replaced it with a LG one and it seems a little bit better...at least no more scratches.
     
    hanming, Nov 22, 2009
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  4. darksideofthemoon

    darksideofthemoon Newbie

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    Does yours constantly make the noise? Mine makes two distinct noises - a constant whirring, and then a grinding noise that pulses on and off.
     
    darksideofthemoon, Nov 22, 2009
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  5. hanming

    hanming Notebook Evangelist

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    no... It only makes noise when i start the laptop or reading the disk. Otherwise, it is ok for me.
     
    hanming, Nov 22, 2009
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  6. darksideofthemoon

    darksideofthemoon Newbie

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    If I get the drive replaced, will I have to send the laptop in? Or can Dell just ship me a new drive?
     
    darksideofthemoon, Nov 22, 2009
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  7. hanming

    hanming Notebook Evangelist

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    hanming, Nov 22, 2009
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  8. mr_bots

    mr_bots Notebook Evangelist

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    Does the drive have the newest firmware?
     
    mr_bots, Nov 22, 2009
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  9. hanming

    hanming Notebook Evangelist

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    The newest firmware made the TSST drive even worst...it would not read any disk. It would eject all the disk.. So from now on, i am trying not to update it because it works for me now.
     
    hanming, Nov 22, 2009
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  10. darksideofthemoon

    darksideofthemoon Newbie

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    Yeah, the firmware is the most recent version.

    Glad to know they'll just send a new drive - but if Dell will send a tech, why bother?

    Thanks for the help.
     
    darksideofthemoon, Nov 23, 2009
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  11. hanming

    hanming Notebook Evangelist

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    Sometimes the dell tech has no clue of the SXPS laptop. Last time my monitor was faulty, the dell tech had to take all the parts out and forgot which screw was which. I recommend you to replace it by yourself or the dell tech might ruin it. It is just a safer way...
     
    hanming, Nov 23, 2009
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  12. PowerEdge

    PowerEdge Notebook Consultant

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    After my nightmare with the 1330 I got a 1340 replacement, with this DVD drive. Popped in a DVD last night to watch and it was noisy, grinding sounds and the DVD skipped and paused quite often. Thought it was the disc, tried a variety of disc... Not good. Thought, hmm f/w update might fix. Applied f/w update, who knew that the 1340 could double for a jet engine!!! Wow. Put in request to support today, f/w update to DVD drive turned my 1340 into a bandsaw, this can't be good. We'll see if they want me to run "diags". Hah.
     
    PowerEdge, Jan 12, 2010
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  13. darksideofthemoon

    darksideofthemoon Newbie

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    At least I now know that someone else's XPS has the same problem that mine has. Well, I attempted to contact Dell. Got bored after 20 minutes on hold, being bombarded by patronizing instructions on how to restart my computer, so I just checked their website for an update. I applied the firmware update, and it's ripping faster - just extracted a CD at 24x max. That's good, then. But I have discovered that the buzzsaw noise occurs whenever I press a key atop of the DVD drive whenever it's running. Amazing construction, this thing.
     
    darksideofthemoon, Jan 14, 2010
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