Hi there. Hope you can help. The writer is an Asus 06D2X-U with the latest firmware I could find, D501. Manufacture date is January 1, 2016. I bought it a month or two after that. Previous to this problem beginning the other day, all settings used, and media used worked fine. Then quite suddenly, this started to happen. Whenever I do a burn, it writes just a bit and starts off at 200kb/s then rapidly goes to zero, but the write speed displayed never goes above zero, then it all ends with an error. It writes enough just to make a coaster. The media is Daxon-R 4X-000; usually reliable by 90-95% at max speed of 4x. The current problem occurs even when I try lower speeds. Then the last batch became 50%. I figured it was just a bad batch, but now, the coasters are at 100% with the new ones I've gotten and used so far. I stopped burning and went on here.
The really bizarre part of this is that when I do a test, it works. It fills up the device buffer. When I do a real write however, it doesn't fill up the device buffer at all. The test mode performs as it usually does, just that it doesn't write. This leads me to believe that it might be solved somehow with software. That device buffer failure to fill is an error I've never had before when drives failed. I've tried resetting to defaults, a bit of light cleaning with no solvent, just microfibre cloth, and not touching the lens. I've used the writer in it's slanted vertical position since I bought it, but laying it flat doesn't help. I've read from ages ago that setting the buffer in IMGBurn above 500MB causes problems, so ever since, I've set it to less than that.
It connects to the PC with a Y-cable. In the past, I've connected it reliably with the ends in dual USB3 ports, dual USB2 ports, and a mix of the two. My PC only has 2 USB3 ports and now has a 7-port powered USB3 hub plugged in each. The ends of the Y-cable are plugged into one port in each of the two hubs, and I've interchanged that to same hub for either, and a mix of both to the same effectiveness and now error. Those hubs are a few months old now so I doubt the problem is with them. I've also tried to see if the head moves by doing reads to image, then verify, and it works. I've also tested the images themselves. I suspect that the reading range of the laser's movements is short of the Power Calibration Area which likely can only be accessed when writing.
I've tried VSO Inspector, but I can't find anything wrong. I just don't know how to use it, I guess. I've only used BD-R discs and read from BD-R of 25GB capacities. I have no intention of reading or writing to DVD or CD so I didn't bother testing with them. Tho' just a few minutes ago, I needed to get a file from an old backup from 2010 on a dual-layer DVD and it read fine. I decided to do a read to image and verify with it and it worked fine as well. I should also mention that I run two instances of IMGBurn at once. One to create images; one to burn. When this issue started, I used just one instance, but it still happened. I always leave optimal power calibration on. It didn't act up when the problem started, but is now starting to. I suspect that whatever the problem is, it's getting worse.
My usual burn rate is 2-3 BD-R's a day. They are all data backups, none of them are BD movies. I should also mention that this my second writer of this model. The one before this lasted about 4 months, and also lost the ability to read. This current one does however seem to retain the ability to read and I don't think it's entirely broken. Before this, I used an internal Lite-on that lasted several years, about 4 or 5, I think. This current writer is external and was bought to be transported, but I never wound up transporting it. It's only used for backing up. I don't install any software with it. Other than burning backups, it's used for reading them.
The electricity situation in the country is unreliable. It's often referred to as 'dirty'. So, I have a power strip, and a UPS with built-in AVR for all devices, including The PC, as well as the powered USB3 hubs. I've restarted a few times as well. This is the log of four burns. I had to deadtivate OPC as now it will not let me even test. The results are the same same as the past few days with OPC on. The first one is a test with BD-R Verify activated. It was successful. The second one is a real write with BD-R Verify activated. It failed, but I reinserted the disc and the status in IMGBurn tells me it's EMPTY, not incomplete, but empty. I was monitoring the burn and it did the 200kb/s thing for ten seconds before failing, but I guess nothing got written. The third one is a test with BD-R Verify deactivated. Successful. The fourth one is a real write with BD-R Verify deactivated. It did the 200kb/s thing for nine-ten seconds then failed. This time, it's a coaster. I know it does write since it makes coasters, but that Device Buffer not filling seems to be the key. Not so sure now with the OPC failing consistently now.
I 22:27:09 ImgBurn Version 2.5.8.0 started!
I 22:27:09 Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Edition (6.1, Build 7601 : Service Pack 1)
I 22:27:09 Total Physical Memory: 33,517,376 KiB - Available: 16,983,072 KiB
W 22:27:09 Duplex Secure's SPTD driver can have a detrimental effect on drive performance.
I 22:27:09 Initialising SPTI...
I 22:27:09 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices...
I 22:27:09 -> Drive 1 - Info: WLQVYB IZO9Y3S9MN 1.04 (I:) (SCSI)
I 22:27:09 -> Drive 2 - Info: ASUS SBW-06D2X-U D501 (H:) (USB 2.0)
I 22:27:09 Found 1 BD-ROM and 1 BD-RE XL!
I 22:27:20 Operation Started!
I 22:27:20 Source File: E:\Projects\Output Folder\Backups 3190.iso
I 22:27:20 Source File Sectors: 12,213,568 (MODE1/2048)
I 22:27:20 Source File Size: 25,013,387,264 bytes
I 22:27:20 Source File Volume Identifier: Backups 3190
I 22:27:20 Source File Volume Set Identifier: 4A359C4700BA5CD5
I 22:27:20 Source File Application Identifier: ImgBurn v2.5.8.0
I 22:27:20 Source File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn
I 22:27:20 Source File File System(s): UDF (2.60)
I 22:27:20 Destination Device: [0:0:0] ASUS SBW-06D2X-U D501 (H:) (USB)
I 22:27:20 Destination Media Type: BD-R (Disc ID: Daxon-R4X-000)
I 22:27:20 Destination Media Supported Write Speeds: 2x, 4x
I 22:27:20 Destination Media Sectors: 12,219,392
I 22:27:20 Write Mode: BD
I 22:27:20 Write Type: DAO
I 22:27:20 Write Speed: 4x
I 22:27:20 Hardware Defect Management Active: No
I 22:27:20 BD-R Verify Not Required: No
I 22:27:20 Link Size: Auto
I 22:27:20 Lock Volume: Yes
I 22:27:20 Test Mode: Yes
I 22:27:20 OPC: No
I 22:27:20 BURN-Proof: Enabled
I 22:27:20 Write Speed Successfully Set! - Effective: 17,983 KB/s (4x)
I 22:27:23 Filling Buffer... (219 MiB)
I 22:27:25 Writing LeadIn...
I 22:27:30 Writing Session 1 of 1... (1 Track, LBA: 0 - 12213567)
I 22:27:30 Writing Track 1 of 1... (MODE1/2048, LBA: 0 - 12213567)
I 22:53:30 Synchronising Cache...
I 22:53:31 Closing Track...
I 22:53:32 Finalising Disc...
I 22:53:33 Cycling Tray after Test Write...
I 22:53:38 Exporting Graph Data...
I 22:53:38 Graph Data File: C:\Users\xxxxx\AppData\Roaming\ImgBurn\Graph Data Files\ASUS_SBW-06D2X-U_D501_SUNDAY-JANUARY-22-2017_10-27_PM_Daxon-R4X-000_4x.ibg
I 22:53:38 Export Successfully Completed!
I 22:53:38 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:26:18
I 22:53:38 Average Write Rate: 15,658 KiB/s (3.6x) - Maximum Write Rate: 17,825 KiB/s (4.1x)
I 22:54:12 Operation Started!
I 22:54:12 Source File: E:\Projects\Output Folder\Backups 3190.iso
I 22:54:12 Source File Sectors: 12,213,568 (MODE1/2048)
I 22:54:12 Source File Size: 25,013,387,264 bytes
I 22:54:12 Source File Volume Identifier: Backups 3190
I 22:54:12 Source File Volume Set Identifier: 4A359C4700BA5CD5
I 22:54:12 Source File Application Identifier: ImgBurn v2.5.8.0
I 22:54:12 Source File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn
I 22:54:12 Source File File System(s): UDF (2.60)
I 22:54:12 Destination Device: [0:0:0] ASUS SBW-06D2X-U D501 (H:) (USB)
I 22:54:12 Destination Media Type: BD-R (Disc ID: Daxon-R4X-000)
I 22:54:12 Destination Media Supported Write Speeds: 2x, 4x
I 22:54:12 Destination Media Sectors: 12,219,392
I 22:54:12 Write Mode: BD
I 22:54:12 Write Type: DAO
I 22:54:12 Write Speed: 4x
I 22:54:12 Hardware Defect Management Active: No
I 22:54:12 BD-R Verify Not Required: No
I 22:54:12 Link Size: Auto
I 22:54:12 Lock Volume: Yes
I 22:54:12 Test Mode: No
I 22:54:12 OPC: No
I 22:54:12 BURN-Proof: Enabled
I 22:54:12 Write Speed Successfully Set! - Effective: 17,983 KB/s (4x)
I 22:54:12 Filling Buffer... (219 MiB)
I 22:54:13 Writing LeadIn...
W 22:54:24 Failed to Write Sectors 512 - 543 - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:24 Retrying (1 of 20)...
W 22:54:24 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:24 Retrying (2 of 20)...
W 22:54:24 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:24 Retrying (3 of 20)...
W 22:54:24 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:24 Retrying (4 of 20)...
W 22:54:24 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:24 Retrying (5 of 20)...
W 22:54:24 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:24 Retrying (6 of 20)...
W 22:54:24 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:24 Retrying (7 of 20)...
W 22:54:24 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:24 Retrying (8 of 20)...
W 22:54:25 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:25 Retrying (9 of 20)...
W 22:54:25 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:25 Retrying (10 of 20)...
W 22:54:25 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:25 Retrying (11 of 20)...
W 22:54:25 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:25 Retrying (12 of 20)...
W 22:54:25 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:25 Retrying (13 of 20)...
W 22:54:25 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:25 Retrying (14 of 20)...
W 22:54:25 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:25 Retrying (15 of 20)...
W 22:54:25 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:25 Retrying (16 of 20)...
W 22:54:25 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:25 Retrying (17 of 20)...
W 22:54:25 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:25 Retrying (18 of 20)...
W 22:54:25 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:25 Retrying (19 of 20)...
W 22:54:25 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:25 Retrying (20 of 20)...
W 22:54:25 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
E 22:54:29 Failed to Write Sectors 512 - 543 - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
I 22:54:29 Synchronising Cache...
I 22:54:33 Closing Track...
W 22:54:33 Close Track Failed! - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 22:54:36 Close Track Failed! - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
I 22:54:36 Finalising Disc...
W 22:54:36 Finalise Disc Failed! - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
E 22:54:37 Finalise Disc Failed! - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
E 22:54:37 Failed to Write Image!
E 22:54:41 Operation Failed! - Duration: 00:00:25
I 22:54:41 Average Write Rate: 0 KiB/s (0.0x) - Maximum Write Rate: 0 KiB/s (0.0x)
I 22:56:57 Operation Started!
I 22:56:58 Source File: E:\Projects\Output Folder\Backups 3190.iso
I 22:56:58 Source File Sectors: 12,213,568 (MODE1/2048)
I 22:56:58 Source File Size: 25,013,387,264 bytes
I 22:56:58 Source File Volume Identifier: Backups 3190
I 22:56:58 Source File Volume Set Identifier: 4A359C4700BA5CD5
I 22:56:58 Source File Application Identifier: ImgBurn v2.5.8.0
I 22:56:58 Source File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn
I 22:56:58 Source File File System(s): UDF (2.60)
I 22:56:58 Destination Device: [0:0:0] ASUS SBW-06D2X-U D501 (H:) (USB)
I 22:56:58 Destination Media Type: BD-R (Disc ID: Daxon-R4X-000)
I 22:56:58 Destination Media Supported Write Speeds: 2x, 4x
I 22:56:58 Destination Media Sectors: 12,219,392
I 22:56:58 Write Mode: BD
I 22:56:58 Write Type: DAO
I 22:56:58 Write Speed: 4x
I 22:56:58 Hardware Defect Management Active: No
I 22:56:58 BD-R Verify Not Required: Yes
I 22:56:58 Link Size: Auto
I 22:56:58 Lock Volume: Yes
I 22:56:58 Test Mode: Yes
I 22:56:58 OPC: No
I 22:56:58 BURN-Proof: Enabled
I 22:56:58 Write Speed Successfully Set! - Effective: 17,983 KB/s (4x)
I 22:57:01 Filling Buffer... (219 MiB)
I 22:57:02 Writing LeadIn...
I 22:57:08 Writing Session 1 of 1... (1 Track, LBA: 0 - 12213567)
I 22:57:08 Writing Track 1 of 1... (MODE1/2048, LBA: 0 - 12213567)
I 23:23:13 Synchronising Cache...
I 23:23:15 Closing Track...
I 23:23:16 Finalising Disc...
I 23:23:17 Cycling Tray after Test Write...
I 23:23:22 Exporting Graph Data...
I 23:23:22 Graph Data File: C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Roaming\ImgBurn\Graph Data Files\ASUS_SBW-06D2X-U_D501_SUNDAY-JANUARY-22-2017_10-56_PM_Daxon-R4X-000_4x.ibg
I 23:23:22 Export Successfully Completed!
I 23:23:22 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:26:24
I 23:23:22 Average Write Rate: 15,608 KiB/s (3.6x) - Maximum Write Rate: 17,718 KiB/s (4.0x)
I 23:23:47 Operation Started!
I 23:23:47 Source File: E:\Projects\Output Folder\Backups 3190.iso
I 23:23:47 Source File Sectors: 12,213,568 (MODE1/2048)
I 23:23:47 Source File Size: 25,013,387,264 bytes
I 23:23:47 Source File Volume Identifier: Backups 3190
I 23:23:47 Source File Volume Set Identifier: 4A359C4700BA5CD5
I 23:23:47 Source File Application Identifier: ImgBurn v2.5.8.0
I 23:23:47 Source File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn
I 23:23:47 Source File File System(s): UDF (2.60)
I 23:23:47 Destination Device: [0:0:0] ASUS SBW-06D2X-U D501 (H:) (USB)
I 23:23:47 Destination Media Type: BD-R (Disc ID: Daxon-R4X-000)
I 23:23:48 Destination Media Supported Write Speeds: 2x, 4x
I 23:23:48 Destination Media Sectors: 12,219,392
I 23:23:48 Write Mode: BD
I 23:23:48 Write Type: DAO
I 23:23:48 Write Speed: 4x
I 23:23:48 Hardware Defect Management Active: No
I 23:23:48 BD-R Verify Not Required: Yes
I 23:23:48 Link Size: Auto
I 23:23:48 Lock Volume: Yes
I 23:23:48 Test Mode: No
I 23:23:48 OPC: No
I 23:23:48 BURN-Proof: Enabled
I 23:23:48 Write Speed Successfully Set! - Effective: 17,983 KB/s (4x)
I 23:23:48 Filling Buffer... (219 MiB)
I 23:23:50 Writing LeadIn...
W 23:24:04 Failed to Write Sectors 512 - 543 - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (1 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (2 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (3 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (4 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (5 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (6 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (7 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (8 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (9 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (10 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (11 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (12 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (13 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (14 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (15 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (16 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (17 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (18 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (19 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:04 Retrying (20 of 20)...
W 23:24:04 Retry Failed - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
E 23:24:06 Failed to Write Sectors 512 - 543 - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
I 23:24:06 Synchronising Cache...
I 23:24:10 Closing Track...
W 23:24:10 Close Track Failed! - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
E 23:24:13 Close Track Failed! - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
I 23:24:13 Finalising Disc...
W 23:24:13 Finalise Disc Failed! - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 23:24:15 Finalise Disc Failed! - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
E 23:24:15 Failed to Write Image!
E 23:24:15 Operation Failed! - Duration: 00:00:27
I 23:24:15 Average Write Rate: 0 KiB/s (0.0x) - Maximum Write Rate: 0 KiB/s (0.0x)