I have scoured these forums for hours over the past couple days, and tried multiple things before posting.  I have decided to post my own problem because nothing in the forums seems to directly correlate to mine.

Vista Home Premium

Samsung SH S203N (Firmware SB02) running Microsoft drivers - no stand alone drivers seem to have been released for use with this.

LSS Version 1.18.22.2 with Diagnostics utility installed as well.

I've used LS with this drive in the past, then don't know why I stopped, but now, once again, I'd like to use my LS drive for what I bought it for - to make labels.

 With blank or no media in the drive, the diagnostics utility cannot find the drive

"Status: No LightScribe drive detected"

If I put a DVD movie in the drive, all of a sudden the diagnostics utility sees that the drive has LS abilites.

I've changed the BIOS settings for the SATA controllers to make it run as IDE.  It is the master on it's own controller.

Need me to post more info?  Please let me know.  Thanks in advance.

From the Diagnostics utility:

LSS Version 1.1822

SOFTWARE\LightScribe\MessageDir - F:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe

SOFTWARE\LightScribe\LSPrintDialog - F:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSPrintDialog.exe

SOFTWARE\LightScribe\LSPrintingDialog - F:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSPrintingDialog.exe

SOFTWARE\LightScribe\LsPrintLauncher - F:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSPrintLauncher.dll

SOFTWARE\LightScribe\ResourceDir - F:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\res

SOFTWARE\LightScribe\LSPrintAPI - F:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSPrintAPI.dll

SOFTWARE\LightScribe\Update\UpdateShellCommand - http://www.lightscribe.com/go/downloads/windows

SOFTWARE\LightScribe\Update\PreviousVersion - 1.18.22.2

SOFTWARE\LightScribe\Update\CurrentVersion - 1.18.22.2

SOFTWARE\LightScribe\Update\TrailingVersion -

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LightScribeService\Type - 16

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LightScribeService\Start - 2

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LightScribeService\ErrorControl - 0

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LightScribeService\

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LightScribeService\DisplayName - LightScribeService Direct Disc Labeling Service

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LightScribeService\ObjectName - LocalSystem

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LightScribeService\Description - Used by the LightScribe software components to support 3rd party disc labeling applications using the LightScribe COM Application Programming Interface (LSCAPI). This service needs to run for LightScribe direct disc labeling to work.

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog\Application\LightScribeService\ -

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog\Application\LightScribeService\

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog\Application\LightScribeService\TypesSupported - 7

System Settings:

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom\Enum\0 - SCSI\CdRom&Ven_SATA&Prod_TSSTcorpCDDVDW_S&Rev_SB02\5&603b72f&0&000000

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom\Enum\Count - 1

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom\Enum\NextInstance - 1

SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\allocatecdroms - 0

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CDRom\autorun - 1

SOFTWARE\INTEL\Intel Application Accelerator - Not detected

LightScribe Drives and Media:

(With no DVD movie in the drive):

No LightScribe drives found

(With a DVD movie in the drive):

Drive 0 : SATA TSSTcorpCDDVDW S SB02 164 (D, No media detected

Why is the Lightscribe System Software installed on the F drive?

It may also stem from incorrect filter value entries in the registry.

1) Was the Vista installation an upgrade or original load?

2) What CD/DVD burning program do you have? Did you change from another program?

3) What DVD playback program do you have? Did you change from another program?

4) Are you running any drive emulation application? (Daemon, etc)

Follow the link below and pay special attention to the "Software Conflicts" section:

                          http://www.lightscribe.com/support/kb_view.aspx?f=232 

I think the solution may lie in figuring out why a DVD in the drive establishes the communication path. Does a CD in the drive have he same effect? I would think a burned Lightscribe enabled DVD should have the same effect. What is your default DVD player? I am pretty sure the Zoom application automatically disables autoinsert to prevent a conflict with multiple players. If you manually disable autoinsert notification (press and hold  "Shift" when inserting the disc)  does the DVD recognition change? What controller chipset drives the SATA port the drive is connected to? 

     Also enable the logging options in the Utilities tab of the LDU. See if logging the available selections returns any useful information.

Don't overlook Daemon Tools as being at the root of the problem. Drive emulation routines can interfere with Lightscribe communication and prevent drive recognition. The SCSI controller your drive shows it is on probably was added or mapped through the Daemon installation. I'm not totally familiar with the use of the application but can it be stopped when using Lightscribe? The Lightscribe application knows the device (0) is present, the problem is that it cannot perform the initialization routine. What additional process in Task Manager is invoked when a CD or DVD containing data is place in the drive? (that then permits Lightscribe drive recognition)

     I kind of remember that error message from a few years ago. There was talk of it stemming from malware and something about the maximum number (over 4096) of encrypted files on the system being exceeded. I think I remember it being resolved by antivirus/malware programs. I never personally ran into it. Just more food for thought.