Printed on the front of the drive (on the drive tray) will be the LightScribe Logo. Slimline drives do not have enough space for a LightScribe logo on the drive tray, but a LightScribe logo sticker should be affixed to all LightScribe-enabled notebooks. To make sure, the presence of the disc encoder sensor can verify that a drive is LightScribe-enabled. Looking straight down on the spindle after the drive tray is opened, look for the presence of a LightScribe disc encoder sensor as an indicator of LightScribe capability. Up to this point the problems are few, however that cannot be said of what follows. Hang on to your hat; it’s time to tackle the software. LightScribe Software - Now the Fun Begins! So why the dire warning, Is the software required to make LightScribe work so really difficult install and use, The answer lies in the fact that no operating system, even the ones that allow LightScribe to work, have built within them drivers that recognize you have a LightScribe enabled drive installed on your computer.
Herein lies the problem. Unlike upgrading one DVD writer with another comparable drive, upgrading to LightScribe is a different matter entirely. We have covered the easy bit, namely choosing and installing a new physical drive. What we will now be covering in the next two steps will be choosing, installing and configuring the various parts that make up the necessary LightScribe software installation. This is the software that allows your computer to 'talk' to your LightScribe drive. We shall now cover the relatively easy selection of labeling software. I say relatively easily, because not all proprietary LightScribe labeling software works out of the box as the manufacturers would have us believe. As in the case of hardware, there are a number of manufacturers who produce software to enable LightScribe labels to be printed. Some names you will recognize and some you may not. HP also produces two simple labeling programs which we will come back to a little later. When I started, I was sent Nero 6.6 with my drive.
Armed with this software, I had no reason to doubt that I would have my LightScribe drive working within minutes of installation. The reality couldn't have been further from the truth. I spent the next 72 hours searching the web for a solution, after installing and uninstalling various updates. I came to the conclusion that Nero 6.6, on its own at least, was not up to the job. I eventually discovered the need to have installed prior to the labeling software, what is called LightScribe System Software, or what we may call LightScribe system drivers. I subsequently found, as many others have, that Nero is notoriously difficult to configure for LightScribe label printing. I found in the end that I needed a different labeling solution. Please do not misunderstand me; I happily use Nero to burn all my data and music. However, even after upgrading to Nero 7 Premium I have still not been able to get Nero cover designer, which is the labeling part of the program, to recognize my LightScribe Drive as a LightScribe Drive!
My personal solution, the aforementioned LightScribe Toolbox that I put together, and use myself, includes all the necessary system software and allows someone to install and be printing labels in less than 10 minutes. The ease of use has been remarked upon by many who have purchased it. With that said and done, let us look in Step Four at all the components necessary for a successful LightScribe installation. Installation - Putting the Pieces Together. 1: A LightScribe Enabled Drive. 2: LightScribe System Software. 3: LightScribe Labeling Software. We are now going to look at order in which these parts should be installed/used. Although it might seen obvious because some hardware needs its associated software installed first, nothing here is assumed or taken for granted. 1: However, the first thing to do is in fact to install your new LightScribe Drive. 2: The second thing, and this is most important, is the installation of the system software. This is required to enable the LightScribe Drive to be recognized not only as a DVD/CD writer, but also as a labeling device by the LightScribe software you choose to install.
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