i was reading the mandrake newsgroup and came across this http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/errata.php3#badlg


Error scenario: Installing 9.2 and being told unable to install the base system and subsequent reboot reveals that CD-ROM drive is physically dead.

Why: According to LG Electronics, their ODD (Optical Disc Drive) products do not support Linux nor do they test with Linux. Unfortunately, many Dell computers (possibly others) come with these CD-ROM drives.

Solution: Currently there is no solution or work-around for this issue; it is still under investigation. Damage occurs even when doing a network install. At this point, please do not install Mandrake Linux 9.2 on any computer containing a LG-based CD-ROM drive or it will damage your CD-ROM drive! We are actively looking for a solution to this problem.

Wonder what changed between 9.1 and 9.2 to cause this?

There are already two posts addressing this issue.
HERE
and HERE

But it is not only a mandrake problem.

to a problem whit...

From what I've read on Slashdot the problem is related to a CD-ROM flush cache command that sets off the drive to destroy it's firmware. The reason it's surfaced now is because of some new features in the latest kernel.

"The current news is that it was triggered by the addition of packet-writing code to the 2.4.22-rc2q5 kernel on Aug. 15, no news on how that determination was made. One must suspect that querying the drive for the format of the disk or its capabilities somehow triggers a firmware self-destruct bug in the CRD-84xx models."

This might cause some headaches. LG say they don't support Linux (which is a lie) and want to limit any possible claims made against them, and Mandrake customers are going to want compensation.

I have here a brand new LG DVD-ROM drive GDR-8161B and on the box it says:-
OS Compatibility
- Windows XP, ME, 2000, 98, 95, NT
- Linux '96 Slacware Ver. 3.10
- OS/2 Warp Ver. 3.0
- MS DOS Ver. 3.1 or higher