Unable to read a specific 4k UHD disc

[closeyoureyes]

I'm experiencing a similar issue as described in this thread(viewtopic.php?t=28257).
While my PC has no trouble reading other 4k UHD discs, it fails to recognize the recently purchased Far and Away 4k UHD disc.
(Other UHD discs work fine, but when I try this disc, it doesn't work. Afterward, testing other UHD discs shows they still work properly.)

At first, I thought the disc itself was the problem, so I exchanged it for a new one. However, even with the replacement, the issue persists, and my PC still can't read the disc.
I’m using LG BH16NS55 drive(flashed to WH16NS60 1.02MK), and despite flashing different firmware versions, the result is the same. I also tried fully powering down and restarting my PC, but that didn’t help either.
In that thread, I read that some LG drives reportedly have issues reading discs over 90 Gb. I suspect this might be the cause of my problem.

Would purchasing and using an official UHD-compatible drive resolve this issue, or is there a UHD friendly drive that can read high-capacity UHD discs?
(I’m considering purchasing LG BP60NB10. I understand that Pioneer drives are a better option, but they are difficult to purchase in my region, so...)

[MartyMcNuts]

I'm experiencing a similar issue as described in this thread(viewtopic.php?t=28257).
While my PC has no trouble reading other 4k UHD discs, it fails to recognize the recently purchased Far and Away 4k UHD disc.
(Other UHD discs work fine, but when I try this disc, it doesn't work. Afterward, testing other UHD discs shows they still work properly.)

At first, I thought the disc itself was the problem, so I exchanged it for a new one. However, even with the replacement, the issue persists, and my PC still can't read the disc.
I’m using LG BH16NS55 drive(flashed to WH16NS60 1.02MK), and despite flashing different firmware versions, the result is the same. I also tried fully powering down and restarting my PC, but that didn’t help either.
In that thread, I read that some LG drives reportedly have issues reading discs over 90 Gb. I suspect this might be the cause of my problem.

Would purchasing and using an official UHD-compatible drive resolve this issue, or is there a UHD friendly drive that can read high-capacity UHD discs?
(I’m considering purchasing LG BP60NB10. I understand that Pioneer drives are a better option, but they are difficult to purchase in my region, so...)

What errors are you getting? The MakeMKV log would be helpful.

[closeyoureyes]

What errors are you getting? The MakeMKV log would be helpful.

I can't find any errors in the MakeMKV log. Since the PC doesn't recognize the disc, MakeMKV shows it as if no disc has been inserted.

[MartyMcNuts]

What errors are you getting? The MakeMKV log would be helpful.

I can't find any errors in the MakeMKV log. Since the PC doesn't recognize the disc, MakeMKV shows it as if no disc has been inserted.

Ok. Did you clean the disc? They sometimes need a good clean, even if they look pristine. Try with just a microfiber cloth and see if helps. Sometimes that isn't enough and they need a clean using soapy water and a microfiber cloth then dried with another microfiber cloth.

[closeyoureyes]

What errors are you getting? The MakeMKV log would be helpful.

I can't find any errors in the MakeMKV log. Since the PC doesn't recognize the disc, MakeMKV shows it as if no disc has been inserted.

Ok. Did you clean the disc? They sometimes need a good clean, even if they look pristine. Try with just a microfiber cloth and see if helps. Sometimes that isn't enough and they need a clean using soapy water and a microfiber cloth then dried with another microfiber cloth.

I tested two Far And Away 4k UHD discs, both brand new and just unwrapped after purchase. Neither of them was recognized by the PC. If the issue were contamination on the surface, at least one of the discs should have been recognized and left some kind of error. (I’ve had issues with brand-new discs before, but this is the first time the same problem occurred even after an exchange, which is quite confusing.) Even so, I’ll give your suggestion a try.

[Coopervid]

I can't find any errors in the MakeMKV log. Since the PC doesn't recognize the disc, MakeMKV shows it as if no disc has been inserted.

Ok. Did you clean the disc? They sometimes need a good clean, even if they look pristine. Try with just a microfiber cloth and see if helps. Sometimes that isn't enough and they need a clean using soapy water and a microfiber cloth then dried with another microfiber cloth.

I tested two Far And Away 4k UHD discs, both brand new and just unwrapped after purchase. Neither of them was recognized by the PC. If the issue were contamination on the surface, at least one of the discs should have been recognized and left some kind of error. (I’ve had issues with brand-new discs before, but this is the first time the same problem occurred even after an exchange, which is quite confusing.) Even so, I’ll give your suggestion a try.

Wrong! New discs use to have an invisible film that makes them hard to read. Wash them.

[closeyoureyes]

Okay, I washed the disc with water mixed with dish soap and carefully cleaned it using a microfiber cloth, avoiding circular motions. Unfortunately, the PC still doesn’t recognize the disc.

[zittrig]

No initialisation with MakeMKV or even with the windows explorer without opening the MakeMKV app?

Basically first let windows recognize a disc before open MakeMKV.

[closeyoureyes]

No initialisation with MakeMKV or even with the windows explorer without opening the MakeMKV app?

Basically first let windows recognize a disc before open MakeMKV.

Even without opening the MakeMKV app, Windows fails to recognize the disc. It attempts to read the disc for about two minutes, producing consistent noise, but eventually goes quiet without reading it.

[MartyMcNuts]

No initialisation with MakeMKV or even with the windows explorer without opening the MakeMKV app?

Basically first let windows recognize a disc before open MakeMKV.

Even without opening the MakeMKV app, Windows fails to recognize the disc. It attempts to read the disc for about two minutes, producing consistent noise, but eventually goes quiet without reading it.

Try a different drive or a different disc. Some drives just don't like some discs. That is why most of us have multiple drives.

[closeyoureyes]

No initialisation with MakeMKV or even with the windows explorer without opening the MakeMKV app?

Basically first let windows recognize a disc before open MakeMKV.

Even without opening the MakeMKV app, Windows fails to recognize the disc. It attempts to read the disc for about two minutes, producing consistent noise, but eventually goes quiet without reading it.

Try a different drive or a different disc. Some drives just don't like some discs. That is why most of us have multiple drives.

Yes, I was already looking into buying a new drive. I don’t own many discs, so I thought one drive would be enough. However, since issues like this might happen more often, I feel I have no choice but to get a second drive.

[MartyMcNuts]

Even without opening the MakeMKV app, Windows fails to recognize the disc. It attempts to read the disc for about two minutes, producing consistent noise, but eventually goes quiet without reading it.

Try a different drive or a different disc. Some drives just don't like some discs. That is why most of us have multiple drives.

Yes, I was already looking into buying a new drive. I don’t own many discs, so I thought one drive would be enough. However, since issues like this might happen more often, I feel I have no choice but to get a second drive.

I recommend getting a Pioneer from a seller on this forum. Pioneer drives from retail stores and Amazon etc (except the BDR-212V & BDR-212DBK) will have firmware that is too new (dated post 11/2022) meaning they are not / cannot be made UHD compatible. There is also the Verbatim 43888 available and if you get the Pioneer version (there's a Pioneer version and an LG version now), it should work out of the box.

[closeyoureyes]

Try a different drive or a different disc. Some drives just don't like some discs. That is why most of us have multiple drives.

Yes, I was already looking into buying a new drive. I don’t own many discs, so I thought one drive would be enough. However, since issues like this might happen more often, I feel I have no choice but to get a second drive.

I recommend getting a Pioneer from a seller on this forum. Pioneer drives from retail stores and Amazon etc (except the BDR-212V & BDR-212DBK) will have firmware that is too new (dated post 11/2022) meaning they are not / cannot be made UHD compatible. There is also the Verbatim 43888 available and if you get the Pioneer version (there's a Pioneer version and an LG version now), it should work out of the box.

I’m already aware of the precautions when purchasing a Pioneer drive. However, I need to buy from a seller that offers international shipping, and it seems that purchasing is currently not possible. So for now, I’m looking into second-hand drives available locally. If that’s difficult, I’ll wait until I can purchase from a seller on this forum. Anyway, thank you for your advice. If the issue is resolved, I will post about it.

[MartyMcNuts]

Yes, I was already looking into buying a new drive. I don’t own many discs, so I thought one drive would be enough. However, since issues like this might happen more often, I feel I have no choice but to get a second drive.

I recommend getting a Pioneer from a seller on this forum. Pioneer drives from retail stores and Amazon etc (except the BDR-212V & BDR-212DBK) will have firmware that is too new (dated post 11/2022) meaning they are not / cannot be made UHD compatible. There is also the Verbatim 43888 available and if you get the Pioneer version (there's a Pioneer version and an LG version now), it should work out of the box.

I’m already aware of the precautions when purchasing a Pioneer drive. However, I need to buy from a seller that offers international shipping, and it seems that purchasing is currently not possible. So for now, I’m looking into second-hand drives available locally. If that’s difficult, I’ll wait until I can purchase from a seller on this forum. Anyway, thank you for your advice. If the issue is resolved, I will post about it.

I offer international shipping to a lot of countries. It really depends on where you are located. My site is in my signature.

[closeyoureyes]

For anyone searching for a solution in the future, here’s my update:

First of all, thank you for your suggestion, MartyMcNuts. I checked your website, but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make a purchase from my region.

Fortunately, I managed to find a used Pioneer drive with older firmware in excellent condition, and I tested it with the problematic disc.
The disc is now properly recognized by the PC and works flawlessly with MakeMKV.
While Pioneer drives are definitely slower than LG drives, they seem to be far more stable functionally.

I suspect the root of the issue was the file size—it was over 90GB for a single file.
I’m not sure if this problem also occurs with UHD-Official LG drives, but for those using UHD-friendly LG drives and facing similar issues, it’s good to be aware of this potential limitation.