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csziggy

(34,120 posts)
Tue Apr 22, 2014, 11:59 PM Apr 2014

UPDATED: Problems with my SATA DVD burner - it is not burning!

Last edited Thu Apr 24, 2014, 09:54 AM - Edit history (1)

UPDATE: It seems to be fixed. I think it was a combination of bad media (the decade old cheap CompUSA DVDs) and a messed up installation of the DVD burner.

Got home with the new DVDs, test burned with IMG Burn, and it failed. But then I realized I had "woken" the computer up and not given it any time to finish it's process, so I tried again with Windows burning program - it worked and at the speed of the DVDs (previously nothing would burn faster than 4x). I had uninstalled CDburnerXP so I re-installed it and tried again. No problem.

The only annoying part is that the verification part is still very slow, especially now that I'm actually filling DVDs with data!


Original Post:
Windows 7 64 bit, LG GH24NSB0 DVDRAM on SATA bus.

I had always used CDburnerXP and installed it on this computer, but hadn't needed to burn anything. since I got the new computer.

At first I thought the problem was the old DVD-R discs I have, but then it wouldn't burn CDRs and those are brand new.

So I went to the forum on the CDburnerXP site - there was discussion the program doesn't work with SATA drives. Then one thread said they updated the firmware for their burner (not a LG) and it worked. Off to the LG site, downloaded the firmware released in the last month, flashed it successfully. Tried again, CDburnerXP failed again.

Then I tested it with Windows 7 built in burning software. After one false start, I did some more research and found that Windows has to have the SATA bus set to EIDE mode in the BIOS. Once that was done I managed to make the four copies of DVDs of family photos to share. I thought the problem was solved.

No such luck. Tonight I tried to back up a collection of downloaded data with the Windows burner program. Failure.

Tomorrow I will get some new DVD discs, but since I have managed to burn a number of good copies with those older discs, I am not sure they are the problem.

Anybody have any suggestions for what to try next?

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UPDATED: Problems with my SATA DVD burner - it is not burning! (Original Post) csziggy Apr 2014 OP
No problem on my machine Mnpaul Apr 2014 #1
I'm starting to think it's the discs. csziggy Apr 2014 #3
I'm surprised that you would have a problem on Win7 with CDBurnerXP gvstn Apr 2014 #2
See my message above - IMG Burn at least is telling me more about the failures csziggy Apr 2014 #4

Mnpaul

(3,655 posts)
1. No problem on my machine
Wed Apr 23, 2014, 12:09 AM
Apr 2014

I believe it is LG with updated firmware(sata). It's not 64bit though.

Could it be a dusty laser?

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
3. I'm starting to think it's the discs.
Wed Apr 23, 2014, 01:39 AM
Apr 2014

I downloaded IMG Burn. It gives a running log of what is happening so that tells me much more about what is going on at the point of failure. First DVD, it had a failure when starting the burn, tried again, made it through the burn but the disc failed the verification.

Second one burned, no problems. Third seemed to burn OK, failed the verification.

Tomorrow I'll get some new DVDRs and see if that makes a difference.

I've read that hanging CDRs in the bushes frightens away deer - maybe I'll see if all those failed discs keep them out of my flower beds!

I don't think the laser is dusty - the computer was built in January, though the pollen is horrible this year there is a dusting of pollen over everything.

gvstn

(2,805 posts)
2. I'm surprised that you would have a problem on Win7 with CDBurnerXP
Wed Apr 23, 2014, 12:28 AM
Apr 2014

I know when Win7 first came out there were some compatibility problems with CDBurnerXP and Win7 but they were solved within a month or two. I never heard about a SATA DVDROM problem (all new DVDROMs are SATA--they no longer manufacture IDE DVDROMS so anyone needing one has to pay a premium on warehoused product or buy used--I was shocked that this is the case but it is true for the last two years.)

That said if you want to try another burning software that is not as good at drag and drop as CDBurnerXP but may work ImgBurn always worked during the XP to Win7 transition time for me. Just be careful when installing and opt out of any unnecessary toolbars or other added software. The core program is still very good and reliable.

And I will also say that I have terrible luck with optical drives. Even though I no longer smoke in the house my optical drives seem to get buggy after a couple of years. I find buying a cheap new one is the simplest solution (I've tried expensive and cheap and they always only last a couple of years and have settled on cheap.) Sony Optiarc and Lite-on have been reliable for me, but really any brand is fine. I limit myself to $30 for a new one and have found them trouble free for a few years. http://www.newegg.com/CD-DVD-Burners/SubCategory/ID-5

Since blank DVDs have almost doubled in price over the last couple of years it might make sense to buy a new burner for $20-30 and see how it works for you.

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
4. See my message above - IMG Burn at least is telling me more about the failures
Wed Apr 23, 2014, 01:49 AM
Apr 2014

This drive is new - just bought it for the new computer in January. I'd planned to use my old DVD burner, not realizing that the new mobo had no IDE connections. If those are going for good money, maybe I should sell that one on eBay!

I need reliable discs, so I'm going to pick up some tomorrow and see if it is the drive or the media. Considering that CompUSA closed here well before they closed their remaining stores in 2007, these DVDs are aging - and I suspect they were not the best quality to start with.

If the new DVDs fail to burn, I'll order a new burner from New Egg. In the past I've liked Lite-On - this LG was what the system builder had in the shop. The rest of the parts came from New Egg.

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