[TFAWIUTB]

My 1st post here!
I have a DELL Dimension 2400 w/Windows XP (desktop) and I've had it almost 5 years. I recently made a movie of my daughters wedding pictures (adding music) using PhotoStory 3. I'd had an external HP 840y DVD writer installed on it for about 3yrs and it's been a couple of years since I'd used it. Tried burning this new movie and couldn't get the burner to work. After several days, I gave in and bought a new HP DVD 556s burner..and can't get it to install, because there's not enough space on my computer. I've unstalled everything I know to uninstall, deleted tons of pictures...and I still only have 10.2GB remaining. The requirements for this new burner are minimm hard disk space 1GB free for included software installation, 10GB free for DVD video disc creation.

Any ideas?

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Welcome to G2G

If you've already uninstalled everything you can, then try these steps as well:

1. If you use an email client (such as Outlook Express etc), delete all unwanted emails, empty the Sent email folder & empty the Trash or Deleted Items folder

2. Delete your temporary internet files etc from Internet Options (either in control panel or in IE itself).

3. Open My Computer then select ->Tools -> Folder Options -> View and select 'Show Hidden Files & Folders'. Next go to C:\documents & settings\<your profile name>\Local settings\Temp and delete the contents of the Temp folder (but the folder itself). You may find there are one or two files that can't be deleted.

4. There is also a Temp folder in the Windows folder which can be emptied but there's not normally much in this.

5. Remember to empty the recycle bin after deleting all this stuff!

6. Repeat the above steps for any other user profiles on the computer

7. Finally defrag the drive

To be honest, you may still not have enough space free after all this. Remember that if by installing the DVD software, your remaining free space is reduced to too little, your system may start to crash. In other words, you can't use up every last bit of space on the Windows drive and expect Windows still to work.

Edited by Samm, 23 March 2010 - 12:51 PM.

[Samm]

Welcome to G2G

If you've already uninstalled everything you can, then try these steps as well:

1. If you use an email client (such as Outlook Express etc), delete all unwanted emails, empty the Sent email folder & empty the Trash or Deleted Items folder

2. Delete your temporary internet files etc from Internet Options (either in control panel or in IE itself).

3. Open My Computer then select ->Tools -> Folder Options -> View and select 'Show Hidden Files & Folders'. Next go to C:\documents & settings\<your profile name>\Local settings\Temp and delete the contents of the Temp folder (but the folder itself). You may find there are one or two files that can't be deleted.

4. There is also a Temp folder in the Windows folder which can be emptied but there's not normally much in this.

5. Remember to empty the recycle bin after deleting all this stuff!

6. Repeat the above steps for any other user profiles on the computer

7. Finally defrag the drive

To be honest, you may still not have enough space free after all this. Remember that if by installing the DVD software, your remaining free space is reduced to too little, your system may start to crash. In other words, you can't use up every last bit of space on the Windows drive and expect Windows still to work.

Edited by Samm, 23 March 2010 - 12:51 PM.

[TFAWIUTB]

I've done all that and managed to get it up to 11.9. I ended up calling HP and the guy tells me I don't have to install the NERO 9 stuff for the burner to work. But,now I have another problem. The power source for the burner is via a USP port. It shows it has power..but it's still not working(computer isn't "seeing" it). So, the guy tells me I need to plug it into another USB (one end of the cord has 2 USB plugs). Tried that and it still didn't work. He asked if I'm useing the USB ports on the front or back of the computer and I tell him the front. He tells me to use the back because they get more power. Regardless..I don't have TWO ports on the back of my machine!

[Samm]

According to Dell, this particular computer has 4 USB ports on the back. These should be directly below the 3 audio jacks.
Can you try connecting the drive to 2 of these please?

Edited by Samm, 23 March 2010 - 05:20 PM.

[TFAWIUTB]

All is well! I ended up calling HP again and spoke with a different guy. This guy tells me I do have to install the software. I explained how much space I had and using some computer lingo, he explained it would be enough. I also told him about the power problem. He said as long as the blue light was coming on and staying on, it was getting enough power. Sooo..I decided to attempt to install NERO! Worked like a charm. Next on the list was to burn the DVD. Did that! So..all is good...except I have a huge headache!!

[Samm]

Glad to hear all is well

[dragosalvanni]

Hello,

I just got one of these HP 556s USB DVD Writers today as a Father's Day present. I actually got to pick out my own gift. Anyway, for me, connecting it and installing the Nero software was a breeze, minus the time that it took for software installation. But my HP tablet laptop recognized the DVD burner immediately, without me even having to install the Nero software. But I've been wanting newer burning software anyway even though I don't do much burning. And my brand new tablet lappy is an ultraportable one and didn't come with a built-in dvd burner or ROM, so getting this killed two birds with one stone for me.

I am trying it out now via watching a DVD movie, and wow!! it is crystal clear!! I have never seen a more clearer and sharper pic coming from a DVD player/ burner. I am just simply amazed!!

And so, summing this up, everything went incredibly smooth for me; vconnecting it, recognition of it by my pc, and the software install!! Do far so good! I am very pleased and also impressed with this! I am sure that I can say that in a week or so too. This usb dvd writer has gotten some very good reviews. And it should, being that it costed me almost $100 ($82.00 to be exact). I highly recommend it, and I am very glad that the guy here finally got his working.

One finaly word from me; I think that with older model computers, they might need the Nero software installed before the pc will recognize the DVD writer. I have actually had this same thing happen to me when I was using an older computer and had bought a different DVD writer. It was HP too, but it was a big bulky one that needed electricity to run. USB'ing it to the pc did not allow it to run. Thanks for reading!