Unrecognized Disc - This Disc Is Unreadable, How do I fix this error? Options

[XROMX]

When trying to play my backup of Brutal Legend, I get the "Unrecognized Disc" error. I've gotten Brutal Legend to play once by standing my 360 up on its side. Why or how this worked, I have no idea. This morning I tried to play Brutal Legend and it played briefly until it started stuttering and then completely froze. I restarted the system and it gave me the same "Unrecognized Disc" error.

What I've done:

Using 2.4x verbatims
verified ISO before burning with ABGX
Verified DVD after burning with ABGX
Verified DVD after burning with IMGBURN

I burn at 2.4x speed with the correct layerbreak too.


So if I keep getting these unrecognized disc errors, what are all the possible causes?

To me it sounds like my dvd drive needs to be replaced. It is an ms28 manufactured in May 2006 ver. A. Do I need to replace the entire drive or can I get away with just replacing the laser? How would I go about diagnosing the problem? Is it possible that my computer burner is at fault (a Samsung SH-183L) or does the ABGX / IMBURN verification rule out that possibility?

This post has been edited by XROMX: Nov 2 2009, 10:49 PM

[uss ducky]

it isn't ABGX360 or imgburn...

first thing to do is try to install the game to your hard drive, cause you're almost always going to get an error at some point with backups, no matter how good the media.

if you still get this error when trying to install the game, the next thing you can try is to clean your laser in the drive... If you take the cover off your drive, use a q-tip that's been dipped in rubbing alcohol and gently twist and swab it on the laser, then just cooly blow on the laser to help speed up the drying.

Try the game again, and if it doesn't work, then yeah, replacing the laser should be sufficient. If the drive occasionally doesn't open of something though, then you should maybe just replace the whole thing, so you have a whole new one. ebay is crawling with lasers, so just find the proper one and you're golden.

[XROMX]

Ah, thank you for the quick and thorough response!
I forgot to mention in my first post I had already tried cleaning the laser with a q-tip, but no luck .
As per your advice, I just installed the backup onto my 360 HDD. I couldn't get the disc to read, so I flipped my xbox 360 upside-down and I'm installing no problem now. (What the hell?!)
Anyway, I just booted up Brutal Legend with my 360 in its normal position, and it's playing beautifully now! (except for those nasty but unrelated in-game glitches )

Thanks for the oddly simple yet effective solution to my problem!

[uss ducky]

yeahhhhh, I would personally opt for just getting a new drive, that's screwed up. You could also try to just take the drive apart, and check for any weird adhesive or anything, or try to reseat the laser carrier or something... that might allow you to play it normally.

Oh and does it do this to other games as well? If not, then your disc might just be too thin, not allowing the top peice to grab ahold of it and spin it properly... try to add a printable lable to the top of it, or at least in the center of it. It might help add some needed bulk.

[EvilGoodGuy]

I'd try another disc/game before adding stickers.

DVD's spin very fast and if you put your sticker on in a position that's not 100% centered then it could cause some wobble. Drive-o-file's would say this wobble can be damaging. (Though if you're considering a new drive, you have nothing to lose haha)

[XROMX]

The sticker idea is interesting, but yeah, it does indeed happen with almost all of my verbatim 2.4xs.

For now, installing to the HDD seems to solve the problem and I have my key backed up just to be safe, if I ever need to replace the disc drive.

I have no idea how to reseat a laser carrier haha. I suppose I could research that if I find myself unable to install games anymore, before considering replacement.

[uss ducky]

I just meant take out the carrier with the laser on it, and just make sure it's all hunky dorey, then put it back in, but yeah, sounds as though you might have gotten a crappy batch of Verbatims