Writer that does not write

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CranialBlaze

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For some strange reason my DVD-Writer does not write DVD’s/CD’s when used in my own computer, so far I have tried everything I can think of.

Relevant specs include a Maximus 2 (Latest BIOS), Q8400, 4GB Corsair, Samsung SATA Writer, Win7 Ultimate X64.

So far I have tried:
Using a friends writer, it also does not write disks in my box, it was a Liteon.
Using my writer in another computer, then it works.
Swapping SATA cables and ports.
Updating Drive Firmware.
Changing writer software, I have tried, Nero 8 and 9, Ashampoo Burning Rom 9, Itunes (burning a music CD), Windows built in writer.

Since this problem started I have formatted my drive twice, first time I went from MS Retail Release to RTWin Customized Nvidia Edition, and when purchasing a new drive last week I switched to the ATI edition of RTWin as I recently upgraded my 8800GT to a 4870. I have been using 64Bit windows since before I bought this writer, so I assume the 64Bit can’t be the cause, I have tried writing disk with an without all windows updates being installed, all my drivers are up-to-date.

The exact nature of the problem I such, on both writers that I tested and in the software that shows the buffer fills up to the max and it indicates that the burn process has begun, the progress bar however does not move at all, after about 6 minutes I get a generic failed message, I have tried different brands of disks and writing at different speeds, yet no matter what I try the disk always fails. Looking at the disk itself it appears to of written about 20%, but the disk itself is unreadable.

I am hoping you have some suggestion that I could try as it’s pretty obvious that a new writer won’t solve the problem, I updated the board firmware after the problem started thinking maybe that would fix it, it’s an 850W RealPower PSU so power is an unlikely cause, I tried numerous SATA Ports so I have all but ruled out the board as the actual cause, the SATA cable is free and clear as when testing my writer in the other computer I took the cable along and have tried a different cable inside my computer as well, the problem began before the custom windows so if anything that should of fixed the problem. The drive is now connected to the SATA port and Cable that was occupied by my HDD before I moved it to my other computer so it can be used as a media server.

As for reading the drive works perfectly, I get full speed uncorrupted copies off the disk.
 
Have you tried changing the SATA mode (Native, AHCI, Legacy) in your BIOS?
 
Just a quick question...have you tried everything the same, but without the 64bit OS? Did another writer work on the same 64bit OS before you got this one? I have had some odd ones where the OS doesn't talk to the drive properly and gave the same results, so updating drivers and such made no difference.
 
I been on 64bit b4 getting this writer, it worked on vista 64 already, the new test writer was on this 64bit os and the other machine also uses 7 64 from the same install disk and it worked there. The problems started before going to the nvidia edition, i had the nvidia for weeks and getting the writer to work was the only reason i formatted.

I have 4gb ram and so seldom use the writer that its not worth the effort to test on 32bit, rather buy a optical for my media pc and just burn over the network.

I am less interested in solving the problem and more interested in its cause, this is like a mystery to me, drives been doing this since last year, i am not affected by its uselessness i just want to solve the mystery
 
SoftDux-Rudi said:
this is normally the case of a writer that has given it's last breath and you'll need to get a new one
Click to expand...

Already tested with other writes before opting to buy a new 1, the writer itself is not at fault, the writer works in other machines and other writers do not work in my machine.
 
CranialBlaze said:
Already tested with other writes before opting to buy a new 1, the writer itself is not at fault, the writer works in other machines and other writers do not work in my machine.
Click to expand...

ok, that's a bit different and makes me think it could be a lock, almost like the DVD regions, but I can't imagine that being possible. Just a quick one, have you tried this writer on a Linux machine? You could either boot of a Linux boot CD on your own machine (i.e. no need to install) or on another machine with Linux. It might be interesting to know whether it works that way around? And how about a "BIOS flash" if yous support it?
 
Very odd indeed. Can you write a small file to a cd using the windows inbuilt stuff? i.e. Just dragging a file to the disc icon and then writing it to disk? Tried Switching SATA ports on your MB? Tried switching Power cable?
 
SoftDux-Rudi said:
ok, that's a bit different and makes me think it could be a lock, almost like the DVD regions, but I can't imagine that being possible. Just a quick one, have you tried this writer on a Linux machine? You could either boot of a Linux boot CD on your own machine (i.e. no need to install) or on another machine with Linux. It might be interesting to know whether it works that way around? And how about a "BIOS flash" if yous support it?
Click to expand...

Have not tried linux yet, maybe i should try, boards using latest BIOS, firs thing i tried, also updated roms firmware.
 
Tommygun said:
Very odd indeed. Can you write a small file to a cd using the windows inbuilt stuff? i.e. Just dragging a file to the disc icon and then writing it to disk? Tried Switching SATA ports on your MB? Tried switching Power cable?
Click to expand...

I removeda few HDDs a few weeks back so changed all sata ports and a few cables too, just looks really, also moved the rom off a dedicated channel to a shared channel with my HDD.
That will then rule out, the cable, port, power cable and power channel.

I have tried windows writer, nero, ashampoo, imgburn, d-tools, itunes, ultraiso and all fail at various point with the most vague error messages. Have tried single small files, single large files, multiple files with various sizes, the only inconsistency is the fail point, it displays no progress bar but when it errors can see the underside about how much its written and it varies each time, and yes i have tried writing at different speeds all the way from 2x to 18x faster makes it fail sooner but no matter wot it still fails and because it never writes the lead out the disks cant be read at all.

For the past 8 years i have wierd issues with writers, it was really weird was through 5 PSU, 4 sets of ram, 3 psus, about 6 mobos, 3 operating systesm, 4 cpus' 7 graphics cards and 4 writers (2 ide/2sata, 3 brands) i was never able to write past 8 speed without the disk stuffing up and with each new board i change my sata/ide cables and no matter wot disk brand i use it would never exceed 8X stably and now just to add to my DVD Bad luck i get to enjoy complete non-writing.

The only test left would i can see would be to replace the board, but price of new board vs quantity of disk i actually write its far from worth it when a 25 spindle can last me over a year as i only burn OS's and diagnostics like UBCD and Hirens, its just easier to walk to a friends and burn them there.
 
I had a pc that came in about a month ago with a similar problem. The only way that I got it to work was to write the files to the hard drive first and then to rom. This was on XP 32 bit though.
 
Have you by any chance used one of those DVD/CD Drive cleaning disk kits? Apparently they stuff things up, I've never tried to confirm it.
 
RoMark said:
I had a pc that came in about a month ago with a similar problem. The only way that I got it to work was to write the files to the hard drive first and then to rom. This was on XP 32 bit though.
Click to expand...

The files are already on my HDD, so i am not sure what you mean by "write them to hard drive first"
 
Drake2007 said:
Have you by any chance used one of those DVD/CD Drive cleaning disk kits? Apparently they stuff things up, I've never tried to confirm it.
Click to expand...

Have not used 1 of those in many years, definitely before i got this drive...
 
PostmanPot said:
Must be mobo... Warranty?
Click to expand...

Ya but seriously, it happens to be my work, gaming and entertainment pc, not really worth sending it to JNB for who know how long while asus tries to figure out why it does not burn DVD's
 
Are you sure that it's a DVD writer? It happned to me one time when I though I have a DVD writer but when I try to burn DVDs, it doesn't. It turns out to be a DVD reader/CD Writer.
It might be a lens problem. Or maybe the driver?
 
Have you run some diagnostics on the HD's (s.m.a.r.t and surface scan) and your Memory (memtest)? Also what AntiVirus are you using?
 
Malinta said:
Are you sure that it's a DVD writer? It happned to me one time when I though I have a DVD writer but when I try to burn DVDs, it doesn't. It turns out to be a DVD reader/CD Writer.
It might be a lens problem. Or maybe the driver?
Click to expand...

Trust me its a writer, the few spindles of DVD's i burnt in the time before this happened can testify to that, i have 30 Dual layers lying here that i burn on that writer, also the fact that i have tested 2 other writers in this machine as well as this writer in another machine where it actually worked pretty much rules the writer out as the cause, otherwise i would of bought a new 1 already, was actually going to b4 i had the sense to calla friend to bring his ova for a test 1st.
 
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