CD/DVD Format and Write Stopped Working - Please Help

Question

I have a Dell 8300 with A07 BIOS, xp pro, and NEC 2100-AD DVD+RW drive.

I also have Sonic MyDVD 6 and RecordNow with DLA.

About a week ago, I was in the middle of burning DVD - copying large video files to DVD+RW disks, and finished successfully filling up a disk.

I put in the next disk, and when it was finished, I tried to run the video file, something I'd done numerous times before without any problem. This time WM player just hung.

I tried to restart and now I find that the disk is corrupt. I try another blank disk, and it won't even successfully finish a format - gets general error message or a bad media message. Event log is loaded with "The device, \Device\CdRom1, has a bad block."

One thing that I did when this all started, was to trying to rename the CD Drive label while the big file was being copied, but at worst I think that would have interfered with that particular process. I put in at least 2 different blanks DVD blanks and one CD blank, with the problem still there. I know that the
brands and these specific packages work with this drive.

It WILL read disks.

I tried to remove both MyDVD and RecordNow, and reinstall, and no help.

I tried to get the latest flash update for the drive from the Dell web site, and that doesn't help either.

I tried to format and use a CD+RW, and though it took quite a while, it was able to copy several smaller files (apparently. When I opened that drive from My Computer, the files were there. BUT, when I ejected the disk and put it back in, it wanted to format the disk...!!

I even tried to turn off Norton AV, which didn't seem to help.

I went to the CP add/remove, and did a repair on all the Sonic products, and still no difference.

When I go to Device Manager and select this drive, it says that it is working properly.

I thought hardware, but it still reads and even does format successfully (at least it says so).

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Predator · Answer

Hi Hziemba,I would suggest you uninstall Sonic`s DLA program for now.Then run the following articles:click on the CD/RW link in my post and scroll to Section 15, article 1; Section 20, article 3; Section 11, article 2; Section 12, article 10 & 3.If the above does not help, jump over to Nero, Download their trail version and see if this will work. If not, the last two things to try is replace the IDE cable, then the drive.Best Regards God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do and the eyesight to tell thedifference. CD/RW Link Message Edited by Predator on 09-17-2005 07:06 PM

hziemba · Answer

Thanks for the quick reply... I'll try reading the articles you cited.   I went to the nero page, and they don't seem to currently have a Nero 6 demo, or any other demo versioins for that matter.   I tried uninstalling that drive from the Device Manager, and did a restart to let it get autodetected, and wrapped up with a reboot.... no change.

Predator · Answer

Hi Hziemba,If you have not done so yet, run the Dell article on the Upper & Lower Filters (Section 12, article 10)Nero:http://www.nero.com/en/nero-prog.phpBest Regards God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do and the eyesight to tell thedifference. CD/RW Link

hziemba · Answer

I'm working on clearing the filters, as you describe in Article 12-10... I'll let you know how it works out. I assume I don't have to remove/reinstall anything after doing the registry mod.

When I follow your link, that site says:

Content of Nero 6 Reloaded Free Trial Version:

Package 1

New free demo package will be available soon.

» download the last published package 1

and when you go to the published package, it says that it is not a demo version and to not download unless you have a valid serial number... did I miss something.

One other data point: I also have Pinnacle Studio 9, and when I tried to create a video CD, I get "CD burning failed during burning step"

Jim Hardin · Answer

You mentioned 'formatting' which indicates you were using a packet writer, DLA. No packet writer has ever been called reliable and your symptoms are typical of a packet writer failure. You could use Record now to make a Data DVD using Sessions. It is far more stable and as DVD Session reading problems were fixed with XP SP2.

Predator · Answer

Hi hziemba,Many times we will recommend Members to try a different brand of media or software to trouble shoot the issue. That was my intention with suggesting Nero, however if Pinnacle is not working either, trying Nero at this point may be moot.I still would try the filters, Windows will re-build them after you re-start the system. Jim makes an excellent point in his post, have you tried it yet?Best Regards God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do and the eyesight to tell thedifference. CD/RW Link

hziemba · Answer

Both of you have been very helpful... I finally got some success, though I'm not sure exactly which step fixed it.

I did try the filter removal - there was no upper filter, but there was a lower filter, which I removed per instructions in the article.

Also, I removed the Sonic DLA software.

I fired up Musicmatch Plus that came with the machine (v8.2) and was able to record a collection of music tracks to a CD-R disc. Played the disc with another piece of software, and it was fine (didn't record the CD text artist/track stuff, but I don't think this version supports that). Progress.

However, I put in a blank DVD+RW and tried RecordNow 6.5 and got a message:
"No compatible recordable or rewritable devices could be found on your system". Tried a blank CD-R from the same batch as the Musicmatch recording, and got the same message. Doesn't make sense - I just recorded a CD!!

I'm still left with how to get the large video files to the DVD+RW. Should I try to reinstall the Sonic DLA? Everything worked OK until about a week ago. Is there a better DLA product - more reliable??

Any more ideas on where the problem is? It seem to NOT be HW, since the music CD burned OK. Can I assume that the DVD burning hardware is OK too? Is it the same hardware comonents that are involved?

hziemba · Answer

Any ideas about the DVD not working? When I try to burn a MyDVD video project, the burn button is grayed out, and with DLA I can't copy the files over.

hziemba · Answer

While I was able to burn a CD-R disk using MusicMatch JukeBox and play it in my car, when I burn a DVD using Pinnacle 9 Studio onto DVD+RW, it won't play in that same drive - I tried a couple of different software players... can't recognize that a disk is in there.   Can I reuse the DVD+RW that have previously been burned to (i.e. the ones that DLA wrote unsuccessfully)?  Can't they be re-formatted?   This happened after uninstalling the drive from the device manager, removing the whole Sonic MyDVD suite including DLA, and then rebooting.  I let Windows re-detect the drive. I got some message about Pinnacle needing to reset something, and I said NO.  I burned the DVD w/Pinnacle and it acted like everything was OK... but when I went to play... it wasn't.   BTW, I did a hardware test of the drive using the Dell Diagnostics run from their boot disk set, and it passed that, though I suppose that's not so thorough.   Is this a common problem?  Should I try remove the Pinnacle?   Is there any way to test the DVD, short of removing it and either replacing it or trying it in another PC?  My PC is a tower inside a solid oak computer desk enclosure that is up against a wall (i.e. getting into the PC to open the case is a pain because it means moving the desk so I can unplug all the cables... and then reverse the process to get it all together).  If I'm going to go through all that, I'd just as soon install a more current DVD+RW with dual layer, etc.

hziemba · Answer

I tried Nero CD-DVD to test the drive. I put in a blank DVD (RW) and created a data disc. I then ran the benchmark and got:

Nero CD Speed Test results General Information Operating System Windows XP Drive _NEC DVD+RW ND-2100AD Firmware Version 106F Serial Number 3YE1H66S111 Disc DVD+RW MID RICOHJPN W11 Capacity 4.38 GB Write Transfer Rate Write Mode DAO Start 4.13x End 4.13x Average 4.13x Type CLV

I then ran the surface test, which showed 99.1% Good 0.9% Bad

Does this prove that the DVD drive is functioning correctly (i.e. no hardware problem)?

I did not have any of the My DVD or associated DLA software installed. I would have attached a screenshot fo the diagnostic, but apparently you can only paste links to images on servers.

Predator · Answer

Hi hziemba,Click on the CD/RW link in my post and scroll to Sectio 13-0, article 24 and review this information in order to completely remove all of Sonic.I too do not believe you have a problem with the drive, consider uninstalling Pinnacle, then either install Pinnacle/ update and try again; or try the demo version of Nero, I would not install Nero`s InCD, use a DVD+RW disc, do not format, you really should not be able to because I would assume you will not have a Packet Writing program installed.Best Regards God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do and the eyesight to tell thedifference. CD/RW Link

hziemba · Answer

Predator wrote:Click on the CD/RW link in my post and scroll to Sectio 13-0, article 24 and review this information in order to completely remove all of Sonic. I followed your advice about removing all of Sonic from the registry... and the HD. I too do not believe you have a problem with the drive, consider uninstalling Pinnacle, then either install Pinnacle/ update and try again; or try the demo version of Nero, I would not install Nero`s InCD, use a DVD+RW disc, do not format, you really should not be able to because I would assume you will not have a Packet Writing program installed. Don't understand what you're suggesting.  My highest priority is to be able to copy large MPG files to DVD+RW.  Right now, I don't have -any- packet writing software.  I have discs for Pinnacle Studio 9, MyDVD 6, RecordNow 6.5 (from Dell), and the Sonic DLA from the Dell library for the Dell 8300.  Any suggestions of order in which to install?? BTW, if all of this gets worked out, will I be able to write to the ones that had bad writes during this process by just reformatting, or are they shot?  Can DVD+RW be reformatted, or the format a one shot thing? Thanks for your help!

Predator · Answer

Hi Hziemba,I am sorry for not being clearer, my intention was to get all of Sonic removed cleanly, then see if the problem was indeed software related and not the drive. That was the reason I mentioned testing with Nero. Also for some reason I thought you preferred Pinnacle, my bad....For now forget Nero, With Pinnacle still installed, re-install Sonic`s software, then jump over to their web site and apply the latest available update for your version. If we can get Sonic installed, with their DLA program as well and working properly, then you 'should' be able to re-format those previous discs to used again.Best Regards God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do and the eyesight to tell thedifference. CD/RW Link Message Edited by Predator on 10-05-2005 09:22 AM

hziemba · Answer

OK, just to get it straight: I have removed all of the Sonic software, per your instructions in the previous message, and I also removed the Pinnacle software from the control panel.

I am now going to install the Sonic MyDVD Suite and see if I can format a DVD and copy something to it. I'll report back in a few hours... hopefully with good news. Then, if that's successful, I guess I can install the Pinnacle Studio, and all will be OK... fingers crossed.

As an aside, I've found that Pinnacle Studio is more capable than the My DVD for video editing (things recorded off the ATI TV tuner card), but it doesn't have DLA type software, so that's why I have the Sonic package (which came with the PC from Dell).

hziemba · Answer

Well... bad news.   Just to be safe, I ran Norton WinDoctor to get all the Pinnacle remnants out of the registry.  All went OK, though NAV found and removed a virus file iun6003.exe - Trojan.Dropper.   I reinstalled MyDVD, apparently successfully..   I formatted (full) the DVD+RW I used for the earlier test.  I copied a 2 G mpg file, selected the disc in My Computer, and right clicked for Properties.  It showed the used space and free space... all seems OK.   Now the bad news... I drag the file from the DVD to the Desktop to copy, and teh 'Copying...' box says 144 minutes remaining...  first hint of trouble... then an error box 'Error Copying File or Folder - Cannot Copy Test: Data Error (cyclic redundancy check).   I try to eject the disk manually, and get 'Sonic  DLA - DLA has located files on your disc that are currently in use. To avoid possible data loss, save any changes to  open files, close any open applications and retry this operation.'  I open up My Computer, and and get 'this program is not responding'.  Eventually, the My Computer window refreshes, though the burner's little green light has been on quite a while.   I restart the computer, open My computer and see the drive (E:) as DVD/CD-RW Drive (E:).  I put in the DVD I just burned, the read light is just solid for a few minutes, My Computer shows 'not responding', and when it finally stops, the drive shows as CD Drive (E:)   That's where I'm at, very much like when the problem first happened.  DESPERATE for Help at this point!!!

Storage, Drives & Media

CD/DVD Format and Write Stopped Working - Please Help

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