problems with CD Burner

[MattiasLindgren]

I've used EZ CD Creator 4.0/4.2 in win98SE/win2k and also NERO in both OS. I get a multitude of error messages, but the most common one seems to be "commands not issued in sequence" I just bought a new spindle of Pacific Digital CD's. Is it a problem with Hardware or the Media I'm using?

Regards,

mattias

[Jammrock]

Has your burner worked fine before with other media? Is this a new burner? What kind of burner is it?

First, make sure you have the newest ASPI layer (run a search for aspi32.exe and aspichk.exe) installed, even if you are using an IDE burner.

Second, make sure you have the newest firmware for your burner. Since you didn't mention what burner you use I can't help you find the firmware update page.

After this if you are still having troubles burn a CD at 1x, then 2x, then 4x, etc... until you reach your burners max speed. Take note of what speeds work and what speeds fail. If the burner works on 1x, 2x, and 4x, but not 8x (assuming that's your max speed) then it is a media problem OR your hard drive/CD-ROM drive is having difficulty keeping up with the data stream.

I use Imation 8x certified media with my Plextor 8/4/32 and have no troubles at 8x. Tell me what works.

Jammrock

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Athlon 650, Biostar board, 128 MB PC133 (Crucial), G400 32 MB DH, SB Live! w/ Digital I/O, 10/100 NIC, lots of case fans, etc...

[MattiasLindgren]

My burner is an old school Pacific Digital 2x2x6. I didn't see any firmware updates on their website for my particular drive. I did however, test my media on another computer and I did rule out that as a cause of error. As far as ASPI I'm not sure what you mean. Perhaps you could explain further?

Best Regards,

Mattias Lindgren

[Alegria]

Hi there,
I suspect your ASPI layer may be the problem too as I had this error before on a customer's machine too. ASPI is the abbreviation for Adaptec SCSI Programming Interface and it provides applications with a standard set of SCSI commands to be used no matter what kind of controller is used underneath (It became the quasi industrial standard). BTW, do you use any Bus mastering drivers in 98 with DMA enabled (e.g. VIA drivers)? That might also be causing trouble.
If so, try using the standard 98 bus master drivers with DMA disabled for the burner.
I didn't investigate if your burner is an IDE device or SCSI. If it is an IDE drive, consider getting rid of original VIA or Intel drivers that may have come with your MB.
Regards, Alegria

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The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle...
Bob Dylan

[Jammrock]

What Alegria said. Basically ASPI is the commonications tool the computer uses for the burner software to talk to the CD-R drive. At 2x I don't see it being a media problem unless you got a bad batch, but since you have tested it, that shouldn't be it.

The 2 programs I told you to get (ASPIchk.exe and ASPI32.exe) are Adaptec programs. ASPIchk.exe will check to see if you have the newest ASPI layer installed. ASPI32.exe will load the newest ASPI layer drivers if you are out of date.

On a side note, I noticed that you have Nero installed, too. There is a known bug when you have installed and older version of Nero and Adaptec Easy-CD on the computer at the same time. One of the Nero DLL's conflicts with one of the Adpatec DLL's and all hell breaks loose.

I can't remember the file name you need to delete, but it is something like ASPI95.dll or .vxd or NEROAPI9x.vxd...something like that. Search your Windows and Winnt folders for files that are similar to those and rename them. Re-install the newest adaptec ASPI driver and reboot. See if that works.

Jammrock

[MattiasLindgren]

well I enabled DMA and updated the ASPI layers as well as renamed the aforementioned .vxd's. Now it seems to start burning but at two percent it crashes, skips the track and starts closing the CD. Any other suggestions? you guys are absolute G's for helping me out...he he.

Best Regards,

Mattias Lindgren

[Jammrock]

Disable DMA and try again. Only the newer CD-R's can handle DMA, and then only a few of them.

Does it do the same thing on both burner apps?

Jammrock

[MattiasLindgren]

Well I have given up on NERO CD burner...I am now focusing solely on windows 2000 since no NERO was installed there to muck things up. It still crashes within adaptec's software after about 2% with nothing ever being written to the disc. In MP3 CD creator it writes the lead in area, but then the actual song causes the program to crash making a nice little coaster. Any thoughts?

Mattias

[Alegria]

Nero works fine for me under both 98 and W2K. Since I have a SCSI-only system it does not apply to my machine using DMA for the CD recordable drive. If it is the case that your burner still writes the lead-in which happens without transferring data to the burner (O.K. at least not that much data) and the problem occurs when transferring larger amounts of data to the drive I still suspect this to be a driver issue.
Jammrock and I both agree on disabling DMA for the drive. You really should try this.

Alegria

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The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle...
Bob Dylan

[MattiasLindgren]

as I am a novice in win2k, I don't know where and how to disable/enable DMA. I don't have any kind of burning software in win2k, so I'll try NERO in win2k. I really appreciate you guys' help!

Mattias

[Jammrock]

Well, don't know what to tell you about Win2k and DMA. In theory Win2k should detect that your burner is not DMA capable and disable DMA for the secondary channel. I am sure there is a way to force it via the registry, but I am not a reg wizard so I can't tell you where.

In Win9x you go to the properties of the CD-R in Device Manager and you can disable it there.

Jammrock

[Gurm]

IF that's your problem (big IF), you can disable DMA in the management console. The catch is it's not a per-drive setting, it's a setting for the controller. So go into your IDE controller, and change the setting from "DMA if available" to "PIO" for the channel and position the burner is on (secondary master, for example).

- Gurm

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Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.

[MattiasLindgren]

well I burned a successful one song audio CD at 1x last night. If I try 2x it says out of memory and all that good stuff. It seems its working shakily. This is with NERO. Is there any way to get around the copyrighted CD's and is there any way to get around the "access denied" part?

Regards,

Mattias