Trinity Edition - Why are the DVDs unreadable and seem blank?

from Sins Forums

I bought the game (Trinity) and, when I got it, I put it in my CD tray and...nothing. The computer makes the first noise it usually makes when a new CD/DVD gets put in, but nothing follows (usually there is a loudish whir as the CD/DVD loads up and when it's read generally).

I sent it back and got the game somewhere else. I put it in and the same happened.

My computer meets all the minimum requirements and I think all the recommended requirements. It reads and writes DVDs, and other DVD games read perfectly (Sims 3 and Star Wars Best of PC for example).

EDIT: ONE of the Star Wars Best of PC DVDs reads fine, the other one takes a few tries, the other one doesn't read (like Trinity). What??? :(

My computer is an XP SP3.

What's the dealio? And why have I found no-one else at all on Google specifying this problem? Is it only me? :s

Is there a fix? If not, will it work fine if I (am forced to >_>) buy it here and download it?

technical
6,326 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

It's possible there's just some manufacturing peculiarity that your drive doesn't like, but most others have no problem with. In any case though, you need not rebuy it--you can simply register the serial key out of the box and download the game via Impulse.

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting kryo, reply 1
It's possible there's just some manufacturing peculiarity that your drive doesn't like, but most others have no problem with. In any case though, you need not rebuy it--you can simply register the serial key out of the box and download the game via Impulse.
End of kryo's quote

Ah that's cool, thanks. So at least this just turns into a general technical question. As I edited above (don't know if you saw it), ONE of 5 other DVD games I've tried doesn't work. Do you know why? I don't really understand about the peculiarity, especially because the DVD that also isn't reading worked fine last time I used it.

Is it the same problem tht many PS2s get after years where it can't read blue-bottomed discs and/or DVDs and/or PS1 games, and ya have to open the PS2 up and move the gear to move the lens until it reads the CDs (unless you break it in the process...)?

Start11 - Customize the Start Menu and Taskbar in Windows 10/11.
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

when i tried to install the trinity cd it didnt work and my drive kept making this repeating clicking noise, so i downloaded it off impulse, its nice to see im not the only one

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

DVD-RW drives are much less tolerant of manufacturing flaws than DVD-R drives. Also most 'on disc Copy Protection' will pretty much make an install fail when run from a RW drive.

 

If you have limited ide/sata channels, and if you can (and are comfortable with cable swapping) get a DVD-R drive sitting above/below your RW, turn off & unplug your system then move the cables from your RW to the R drive, and then reboot. If you have a spare IDE/SATA channel then you wont even need to cableswap.

 

I've had similar problems recently with Dragon Age & Fallout3, all of which easily installed through a regular Readonly drive, when using the same disk that failed constantly to install on a RW drive. You may not be a software pirate, but the Industry makes you suffer for thier presence.

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

I've run dual drives since the advent of the CD writer just because of these pain in the ass issues.  Writers are notoriously flaky, unreliable and unforgiving compared to their less developed cousins.  You should definitely get a cheap pos secondary, it will last twice as long as the writer anyway.

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

I'm going to pretend to understand all of that. :D