My CD burner keeps losing it's firmware, LED flashes continuously, can't open door etc. I sent it back to plextor, they updated the firmware and sent it back. The warrenty is now out.
When I run the update firmware the burner works fine for a while.
Weird. It uses V.1.05. I tried later versions but with the same result. When it works it's perfect.

Thanks
Mike.

Does it flash continuously or does it flash a pattern?. These flash codes indicate the type of error the burner has encountered. Count the number of flashes between each pause and then contact Plextor support. If the problem continued after they 'fixed' it Plextor may be willing to fix or replace the burner even if it is out of warranty.
If plextor wont help & flashing the firmware again fixes the problem then you may just have to flash it once in a while.

clonmel, I have the exact or almost the exact same setup (Abit mobo and 98SE). Your drive may be defective or borderline (experiencing transient failures). The problem you describe suggest it may b a bad EEPROM chip, but I'm just speculating here.

I may add that I've experienced transient failures also (tray mechanism problem) with the CD not being alble to be picked up or engaged into the drive spindle properly (happens seldom but does happen). My warranty is also out now and this started just a month or so before the end. Rebooting usually solves my problem so I'm not really worried but I don't like it. Im my case it seems that the carriage tracks may just be dirty (I have 2 dogs and three cats and live in a very old house in the countryside).

If you want to interpret the blink codes, here (http://www.plextor.com/english/support/plexhelper/atapi/blinkchart12A.html) they are.

HTH.