Why CDs Fails?

[Kristijan]

I want to know why sometimes all CDs fails during recording?
- Is it the bad OS!
- Is it the bad software!
- scraches & dust on the new CD!
- or bad and low-quality CDs(media) or CD-RW Drives!

Need43d

 

[orbz]

The laser has to be burning continously each session and it gets its data from a buffer in the burner. So if your computer can not continue to feed the buffer with data then it gets empty and your burning gets interrupted and stops (cdr coaster). Thats called buffer underrun.

So if you have a slow computer, it is best to close most programs and disable backgroung running programs and screen savers, so it does not interuppt the burning progrss.

With faster computers, it is not a problem as some can do other thnigs (like web browsing) while burning. Most burners nowdays have buffer underrun technology and larger buffers.

Some times different burners have problems burnig different media but it is not the case anymore as most cdrs are compatible with most burners unless they are not certified for a certain speed you are trying to burn at.

:frown: :redface: :lol: :tongue: - What do you want to feel today?

 

[Kristijan]

OK lets put it this way: I know that the soft&hardware are not an issue!

Hardware:
MSI (VIA KT133A chipset) with latest BIOS version
AMD Duron 700MHz (OC @1080MHz)
265 Mb ram pc-133
MSI GF2Ti 64Mb
Maxtor 20Gb ATA100 (prim. master)
LG CDRW 8x4x32x -w/o. 'buffer underrun' (second. master)

Software:
Windows XP NT5.1
Nero 5.5.5.1
drivers:
VIA 4in1 v.4.37
deton. 28.32
DirectX 8.1
and all the latest drivers for the rest of the hardware

So, I have burnt 30 Verbatim CD-Rs till now and all finished successfully, and I have done it all: CD-copy, AudioCD, DataCD, single/multisession, overburn.

But now I have bought 100pcs of 'noname' CD-Rs. I know that tey are not as good as the 'brand names'. But till now i had also around 20 successfully burnt CDs, and later 3 out of 10 failed. And NO!! I haved puted them in direct nor indirect sunlight.

So I guess it's the low quality of the CDs' recording layer, or there might be some INVISIBLE dust and scratches on the surface of the CD.

AMD user!
YES!!! Former Intel user.

 

[ejsmith2]

"I know that the soft&hardware are not an issue"

*sigh*

I wish that was the truth.

Problem #1: Microsoft
Problem #2: Via
Problem #3: Windows NT5.1
Problem #4: 4n1 4.37

These three don't play nicely together. It really just boils down to a conflict of interest. Called "Market Share".

You have three options:

Solution #1: Lift off. Nuke the entire site from orbit. Install Linux.
Solution #2: Lift off. Nuke Windows NT5.1 from orbit. Install Ms-Dos.
Solution #3: Lift off. Nuke the 4n1 drivers from orbit. Let Msft use their IDE drivers.

 

[btvillarin]

One thing that you might want to try is to back off on the overclocking. Windows might boot up okay, but who knows if that might be the problem? Just go back to it's stock speed, just for the sake of troubleshooting.

I'm not sure how well this LG CD writer is, but I haven't heard many raves for it. Plus, I'm also wondering why you have 265MB of memory. You do mean 256MB, right? I'll see what you might be able to try, despite, ejsmith's so true post. It's just unfortunate that a lot of us need the better usability of Windows.

The fact that you got noname CDs that don't work might be your answer. Plus, if they were made in Taiwan, they are more prone to problems, as opposed to CDRs made in Japan or something. It has to do with the pressing machines they use to make the CDRs. So, you might try to switch back to a better quality CDR. There's a deal at Staples for a 50-pack of 32x/80min CDRs, made from Japan, for $15 - $10MIR. <A HREF="http://www.overclockers.com/sales/" target="_new">(Thanks to Ed Stroligo @ Overclockers.com)</A> Make sure to see if they were made in Japan, because they might not have been. I'm haven't looked, so I'm not sure yet.

I'm not sure if it's possible to do a clean install, because the order of the drivers and updates you install can mean a stable computer or a crashing computer. Here's two options:

<b>No clean install:</b>
<font color=red>Make sure you have all current Windows XP updates, especially the CD burner update.</font color=red>
<font color=blue>Update Nero to it's latest version, <A HREF="http://www.nero.com/en/download.htm" target="_new">5.5.8.0</A></font color=blue>
<font color=red>There are more recent Via 4-in-1 drivers. There's <A HREF="http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=2" target="_new">v4.38</A> as of now.</font color=red>
<font color=blue>(Non-driver tip) Disable the built-in CD writing option for Windows XP. Right-click your CDRW, and click properties. Go to the Recording tab, and uncheck "Enable CD recording on this drive". Then, reboot.</font color=blue>
<font color=red>(Non-driver tip) Optimize what services are being run. Chances are, there are extraneous ones that are hogging memory. You can get detailed information on how to do this at BlkViper.com. <A HREF="http://www.blkviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm" target="_new">Specific Service Configuration page</A></font color=red>
<font color=blue>Make sure that you don't have Easy CD Creator installed, because they <i>might</i> be causing conflicts. I know some people might have both just fine, but you can never be too sure.</font color=blue>

<b>Clean install:</b>
<font color=red>During Windows XP setup, format your partition/hard drive to NTFS (not the quick option, but the standard one).</font color=red>
<font color=blue>After install, install those chipset (Via 4-in-1) drivers.</font color=blue> (Note: you might wanna read the rest of the post, because you might not want to do this.)
<font color=red>Go to <A HREF="http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com" target="_new">Windows Update</A> and install all the critical updates and system updates. Personally, I don't install the drivers they suggest.</font color=red>
<font color=blue>Install any other drivers you need, such as sound, modem, NIC (<b><i>not video yet!</b></i>)</font color=blue>
<font color=red><b>Now</b> install the video drivers.</font color=red>
<font color=blue>If you have Drive Image, I'd make an image of this "perfect" image. (At least, it's supposed to be.)</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Optimize the services.</font color=red>

<font color=green>Now, if you're gonna go along with ejsmith and not installing those 4-in-1 drivers, then you don't have to. The ones that are included by default are v4.23. Actually, you might want to check through <A HREF="http://www.viahardware.com/download/index.shtm" target="_new">this page</A> for information about Windows XP and the VIA drivers. They don't recommend installing these drivers, unless you're having problems. But, these latest drivers fixes the problems associated with the previous 4-in-1 drivers. And, they are meant for Windows XP. So, I think it's best you install them.</font color=green>

Well, I hope this is enough to keep you busy for awhile. I hope it helps solve your problem. If not, upgrade to a reliable Lite-On CD writer.

Later...
Bryan

<font color=red><A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com" target="_new">btvillarin.com</A> - My Windows XP-based Website</font color=red>

 

[ejsmith2]

The miniport drivers might help out that 4.38 install. <A HREF="http://www.viaarena.com" target="_new">http://www.viaarena.com</A> has a little section with all the Via drivers, and a nifty little list of which drivers are loaded with the various sets.

Bottom line: check out your IDE performance with the msft and then the via drivers. My a7v133a doesn't get any kind of boost with the 4n1's.

 

[btvillarin]

Dude, you got the same motherboard as me? Do you install those miniport drivers as well, if you use the Via drivers? Plus, how would you check performance? Sandra or something? (By the way, I went back to Windows 2000, so I have to use Via 4-in-1 drivers.)

<font color=red><A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com" target="_new">btvillarin.com</A> - My Windows XP-based Website</font color=red>

 

[ejsmith2]

I use Hdtach to check the read performance. Yeah, I load up the miniports on the Winme side. I can't remember, but I think I'm running the 4.38's too. Either that, or the 4.32's. They were the last stable ones I remember having, but I may be trying out the 4.38's now. It's been a *really* long semester...

Nt5.0 and Nt5.1 aren't all that much different. Msft made 5.1 look a little niftier, and loaded up some extra services, and split some of the others up into two. 5.1 will have better native drivers.

If you're loading up XP, and it's killing your cd's right off the bat, you have a hardware issue on top of everything. Windows isn't 100% stable, because it's not been around since 1969. But you should be able to burn 10 cd's and play Unreal Tourney on a net game for several hours without it bdod'ing on you.

 

[Kristijan]

I think (know) that ejsmiith is overexaggerating a litle bit (a lot). Cause I know what means unstable OS - been there, done that!, and I'm sure there are no programs working in the background.

So I made some research over the internet and found some data about this topic in a magazine and I came to this conclusion:
CDR(W) fails because of:
- badly installed OS.
- low quality CDRs.
- scraches & dust on the CDRs.
- exposed to UV irradiation(sunlight)
- burning at (much) higher speed than proclaimed.
- low quality (defective) CDRW drives.
- wrong settings in the burning software.
- over-overburning.
- using Intel chipset.... OK, OK it's a joke!

Conclusion:
Good hardware especially good (installed) software, some good CDR(W) Media and not doing anything stupid can guarantiee you 100% burning success!

AMD user!
YES!!! Former Intel user.