Help! Permanent write protection - any help is appreciated!

[()rang3]

Hi, I'm new to this place, and I really need some help/

Alright, this has been going on for a few days and is making me crazy. My hi-md (mz-dh710) will not record or delete anymore. Whenever I plug it to a computer everything that should be there shows up only I cannot add or delete. I get a message "the device/media is write protected"

I've checked and played with the write protection tab on the disk but that doesn't help. I've tried different disks and that doesn't work either even though the write protection tabs on all of my disks are set to off. I'm still able to play the old songs I've previously burned but I cannot add, check in or delete anything. I thought about tapes and put a sticker over the write protection tab of one disk and it worked! I was able to burn a new song and delete another. But the next day, when I plugged the player in again to the computer this message reappeared: "the device/media is write protected".

I was so frustrated I plugged the player into a different computer and used Simple Burner instead, and there appeared no lock over the picture of the disk. Then I shut down Simple Burner, pulled up Sonicstage and was able to move, add and delete more files.

Today, neither computer is gaining access to the player, reformatting and initializing the disk is also not allowed, unfortunately.

I even tried taking out the battery as the player gets a charge from the computer, but the device is still locked out. Oh the frustration.....

Hope that wasn't too much of a rant!

ANY help or suggestions is appreciated. I really don't want to pay to replace or repair it, I still need cash for school!

[Avrin]

Looks like the write-protection sensor in your unit is out of order. Actually, there are two of them - one for old MD discs (no matter in which format), and another for 1GB Hi-MD discs. But they do not sense the position of the tab itself - they use two small round holes on the underside of the disc. When a hole is closed, this means that the disc is write-enabled. The hole closer to the front edge of the disc indicates the state of an MD disc (the other one is always open on it), and the next [oval on 1 GB Hi-MDs] hole is used for HiMD (the first one is always open in this case).

So, try another format disc (an MD blank formatted as Hi-MD, if you used Hi-MD blanks previously), and see if it records properly.

And be very careful when experimenting with adhesive tape. Never cover both holes. Also, take care so that the tape does not peel off and stay inside the unit, as it may cause really serious damage.

Edited November 5, 2006 by Avrin

[()rang3]

Thanks! You bring me hope!

I don't have any other hi-md disks but I do have a few standard mds, recorded as mds alone. (backwards compatible) They also are doing the same thing as the 1GB hi-md disk, the TOC will load and appear in the right order, I can play the disks but nothing can be changed on them. :_(

Seems like it's to do with the recorder, and not the disks.

Hmm...so should I be taping one hole alone? The one that shows up white when the tab is slid over?

Thanks so much!

[()rang3]

Looks like the write-protection sensor in your unit is out of order. Actually, there are two of them - one for old MD discs (no matter in which format), and another for 1GB Hi-MD discs.

Update! I figured it out! Out of a desperation and trying anything that might work I taped down the second sensor (the spoke) inside the player, and loaded Sonistage. I highlighted some tracks and hit the transfer arrow and IT WORKED! Thanks! You made me look into the two sensors.

I am so happy, thanks a MILLION for your help!!

[Avrin]

Taping the spokes is not the best solution. The problem is that the same spokes are used to distinguish between MD and Hi-MD blanks, and taping them may cause the unit to use wrong burning modes (these are absolutely different for Hi-MD blanks and Hi-MD formatted MD blanks). Also, taping the spokes themselves causes the unit to treat all discs as write-enabled, regardless of the tab position. I guess it is better to tape the respective holes on discs than the spokes in the unit.

Also you may try accurately pushing the spokes a few times with a match. This may cause them to operate correctly again, at least for some time.

Edited November 7, 2006 by Avrin

[marcnet]

I dropped my MZ-rh1 (by accident... ) and had the same write-protect problem. I did try the "taping of the holes " solution mentioned here... but it only worked for regular MD... HI-MD's were still write protected (and the protection tab was not slid down...)

I then tried taping over the hole on the metal arm of the actual unit itself. Behold! no write protection.

And ive successfully managed playing/recording of both HI-MD disks and regular disks (both in HI-MD mode) on my rh1. I've also successfully played both types of disk that have been recorded by my rh1 in my MZ-NH1. All done with this modification/fix

[()rang3]

I'll take the tape off from the inside once I'm done recording for now. But later when I record again if I need to do it, I guess I'll have to.