LIGHTNING UK!

I always use SPTI and therefore it undergoes the most testing! Stick with it unless you really have a reason to change! Glad you sorted out the crappy playback issue but I've no real idea why your buffer drops when you open something, it could be a virus checker or something. Basically it could be anything that locks out other processes while it does it's own thing. For the programs main buffer to drop off, it must be unable to read from the hdd quickly enough to keep it full. That's where the bigger buffer will help out. As you have plenty of RAM, that shouldn't be a problem. A second hdd away from the main OS drive would still be a good idea though

This isn't a 'problem' as such. One of the new features of ImgBurn is that it can parse the filesystem/IFO files and locate suitable places for a layerbreak. Normally, if you're using an MDS file, this is not necessesary because the layerbreak information can be taken straight from that. So in this instance, either you don't have the MDS file or the layerbreak position in the MDS file is not one that can be reused on an OTP disc - where it then falls back to the IFO parsing method. You just need to select the best place for the layerbreak out of the list you've got. It could well be that the options you've got are all the same - look at the LBA value - but they're in different PGC's or something. I decided (mainly because the app was new!) that it should show everything it found. This helps me figure out the best way to improve it and narrow down the results shown.

What are the choices? A screenshot may come in handy here

The only place a power calibration error should come from is a drive / media / firmware issue. Cables and stuff shouldn't really come into it. If you've read about lots of people burning the same media as you without a problem (and you're sure yours aren't fakes!), I guess you must just have a faulty drive. Take it back and demand they replace all the media you've wasted

It should have always been hardware related! Software isn't supposed to change the error messages a drive returns when something screws up.... that would be highly annoying! If you're worried, have tried loads of media and can't wait for an official firmware update, return the drive and get a different one.

Try not to burn from the same drive your OS is installed to. Also, ensure the burner is on it's own channel - away from the hdd you're burning from. If you do something that kicks the OS into doing some stuff, it may be running at a higher priority level than ImgBurn itself and so not only will it basically pause the ImgBurn process, it'll also take over the I/O. Windows can sometimes block out other processes when doing certain I/O functions and that's what's stopping ImgBurn from reading from your hdd. Try upping the buffer to 256mb or something. Perhaps that'll be big enough to stop it actually running out of data and burnproof kicking in. Also ensure your firmware it up-to-date. Burnproof kicking in should NOT mean you have a bad burn at the end of it! Are you using good quality discs?

You enable 'Show hidden Files' by opening explorer, clicking the 'Tools' menu, then 'Folder Options', then the 'View' tab. Select the 'Show hidden files and folders' radio button and uncheck the 'Hide extensions for known file types' checkbox.Then click ok. To remove the 'hidden' flag that's set on 1 specific file, right click it, click 'Properties', then uncheck the 'Hidden' checkbox. Then click ok.

Start -> Help -> Restore Point You should be fine with DT installed. I have no problems with it.

The buffer drops are just WOPC kicking in to check the burn quality is still ok. Nothing to worry about there Now keep installing your stuff until it breaks again... then you'll know what caused it!

Ah ok, your log was for a cd image (from your friend I guess). For a DVD image, changing the volume label wouldn't do anything to the EDC / ECC area - because ISO's don't contain that data in the first place! Obviously, as there is no EDC/ECC region, you wouldn't get a miscompare error like the one in your log! Yes try a perfectly clean rebuild. JUST install ImgBurn and then burn something.

No, you don't need to make an MDS file at all - and in any case, it still doesn't add layerbreak information to it. You'd just load the ISO in ImgBurn, it'll parse the IFO files at then time of burning.

Yup, if you're happy the cables and general machine config (bios wise) is ok.

The two apps are standalone, nothing gets deleted, uninstalled or overwritten. The bit you declined during the install of ImgBurn was nothing to do with the removal of DVD Decrypter, it was just to clean up your context menus so you didn't end up with 'Burn using DVD Decrypter' AND 'Burn using ImgBurn' when you right click an ISO image. Having both is pointless and as waste of space - hence why ImgBurn offers to clean it up for you. If the MDS file you have hasn't just been made by the 'Create DVD MDS File' option in the tools menu, the problem you're having with DL burns is that the images you're burning are from PTP DVDROM discs. You can't always burn such images onto an OTP disc because for OTP, Layer 0 must be bigger than (or the same size as) Layer 1. That is not true for PTP, where Layer 1 can be bigger than Layer 0. If the layerbreak position read from the MDS file is such that it cannot go on an OTP disc, the program has to attempt to move it. How well that works out is anyones guess! You should always use ImgBurn for DL burning now, it has other neat tricks that DVD Dec doesn't.

According to what I've read over at cdfreaks, BenQ forgot to add a write strategy for the MKM-001-00 discs into the firmware. That's why: 1) They only burn at 2.4x 2) They often fail to burn at all! Their next release should fix it.

I'd upgraded some of my UDF parsing code between dvd dec and imgburn. Only problem was, I forgot to update a certain variable with its replacement and it ended up making the 'file finding' function quit after reading info for about 39 files (which makes up 1 sector). As such, so long as the layerbreak position was in a file before number 39, it would be ok. After that, it wouldn't know those files existed and so program logic would prevent it from finding the layer break info in the IFO file.

Under newer OS's, I'm pretty sure Nero's ASPI DLL file is just a wrapper for SPTI - which is the default one in ImgBurn. As such, you'd need to install Adaptec's ASPI, ElbyCDIO or Patin-Couffin.

Well these errors are supposed to come directly from the drive. It seems very odd that some other program should be intercepting them and returning a bogus one! Have you tried using one of the other I/O interfaces? They may help you bypass whatever is causing the problem (if it's driver related). Otherwise I guess you have no choice but to rebuild again and test burn something before adding any programs back on. Maybe your IDE drivers (or lack of) are to blame... who knows!

Have you messed with the firmware on your drive? Power calibration errors are where the drive cant decided on the correct power lever to set the laser at for burning. That is most certainly a firmware issue. On the odd occassion it does get an ok (ish) level, it's still not good enough and that's why you're getting write errors. Stick with the official NEC firmware, at least then you can blame them when things go wrong!

Dragging this thread back up again.... Someone over at Doom9 had the same sort of problem. 5 mins later they'd emailed the 5mb chunk of ISO and 10 mins after that I'd found + fixed the problem. So I hadn't magically fixed it, but it has indeed been fixed now

[flame/sarcasm on] That would be the same as just burning normal files, as in 'data discs' as mentioned in a zillion other posts [flame/sarcasm off] Yes I hope this will indeed be possible one day.

That's unlikely to ever happen. Alcohol MDS/MDF type images need to be burnt with a program that supports burning protected images (in RAW mode). ImgBurn does not, and wont ever. If they're just basic ISO type images, it will already do it though.

Those might be new for 1.2.0.0 shamus

BENQ DVD DD DW1640 BSOB (ATA) Media Information: BENQ DVD DD DW1640 BSOB (ATA) Current Profile: DVD+RW Disc Information: Status: Empty Erasable: Yes Formatted: No Free Sectors: 2,295,104 Free Space: 4,700,372,992 bytes Free Time: 510:03:29 (MM:SS:FF) Supported Write Speeds: 2.4x, 4x Physical Format Information (ADIP): Disc ID: RICOHJPN-W11-01 Book Type: DVD+RW Part Version: 2 Disc Size: 120mm Maximum Read Rate: Not Specified Number of Layers: 1 Track Path: Parallel Track Path (PTP) Linear Density: 0.267 um/bit Track Density: 0.74 um/track First Physical Sector of Data Area: 196,608 Last Physical Sector of Data Area: 2,491,711 Last Physical Sector in Layer 0: 0 Current Format Capacity: Sectors: 2,295,104 Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes Time: 510:03:29 (MM:SS:FF) Maximum Format Capacity: Sectors: 2,295,104 Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes Time: 510:03:29 (MM:SS:FF) Results: I 11:10:48 ImgBurn Version 1.1.0.5 Beta started! I 11:10:48 Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (5.2, Build 3790 : Service Pack 1) I 11:10:48 Initialising SPTI... I 11:10:48 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices... I 11:10:48 Found 3 DVD-ROMs, 2 DVD?RWs and 2 DVD?RW/RAMs! I 11:12:26 Operation Started! I 11:12:26 Device: [2:1:0] BENQ DVD DD DW1640 BSOB (K:) (ATA) I 11:12:26 Media Type: DVD+RW (Disc ID: RICOHJPN-W11-01) (Speeds: 2.4x, 4x) I 11:12:26 Quick Erase: No I 11:12:26 Erasing Disc... I 11:28:14 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:15:47 I 14:11:11 ImgBurn Version 1.1.0.5 Beta started! I 14:11:11 Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (5.2, Build 3790 : Service Pack 1) I 14:11:11 Initialising SPTI... I 14:11:11 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices... I 14:11:11 Found 3 DVD-ROMs, 2 DVD?RWs and 2 DVD?RW/RAMs! I 14:11:37 Operation Started! I 14:11:37 Source File: -==/\/[DISCOVERY IMAGE]\/\==- I 14:11:37 Source File Sectors: 2,295,104 (MODE1/2048) I 14:11:37 Source File Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes I 14:11:37 Destination Device: [2:1:0] BENQ DVD DD DW1640 BSOB (K:) (ATA) I 14:11:37 Destination Media Type: DVD+RW (Disc ID: RICOHJPN-W11-01) (Speeds: 2.4x, 4x) I 14:11:37 Destination Media Sectors: 2,295,104 I 14:11:37 Write Mode: DVD I 14:11:37 Write Type: DAO I 14:11:37 Write Speed: MAX I 14:11:37 Link Size: Auto I 14:11:37 Test Mode: No I 14:11:37 BURN-Proof: Enabled I 14:11:37 Filling Buffer... I 14:11:37 Writing LeadIn... I 14:11:42 Writing Image... I 14:26:08 Synchronising Cache... I 14:26:09 Closing Session... I 14:26:10 Exporting Graph Data... I 14:26:10 Graph Data File: C:\IBG\BENQ_DVD_DD_DW1640_BSOB_16-JANUARY-2006_14-11_RICOHJPN-W11-01_MAX.ibg I 14:26:10 Export Successfully Completed! I 14:26:10 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:14:33 I 14:26:10 Average Write Rate: 5,306 KB/s (3.8x) - Maximum Write Rate: 5,582 KB/s (4.0x) I 14:26:10 Cycling Tray before Verify... I 14:26:24 Operation Started! I 14:26:24 Source Device: [2:1:0] BENQ DVD DD DW1640 BSOB (K:) (ATA) I 14:26:24 Source Media Type: DVD+RW (Disc ID: RICOHJPN-W11-01) (Speeds: 2.4x, 4x) I 14:26:24 Image File: -==/\/[DISCOVERY IMAGE]\/\==- I 14:26:24 Image File Sectors: 2,295,104 (MODE1/2048) I 14:26:24 Image File Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes I 14:26:24 Verifying Sectors... I 14:32:51 Exporting Graph Data... I 14:32:51 Graph Data File: C:\IBG\BENQ_DVD_DD_DW1640_BSOB_16-JANUARY-2006_14-11_RICOHJPN-W11-01_MAX.ibg I 14:32:51 Export Successfully Completed! I 14:32:51 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:06:27 I 14:32:51 Average Verify Rate: 11,861 KB/s (8.6x) - Maximum Verify Rate: 17,302 KB/s (12.5x)

_NEC DVD_RW ND-4550A 1.07 (ATA) Media Information: _NEC DVD_RW ND-4550A 1.07 (ATA) Current Profile: DVD+RW Disc Information: Status: Empty Erasable: Yes Formatted: No Free Sectors: 2,295,104 Free Space: 4,700,372,992 bytes Free Time: 510:03:29 (MM:SS:FF) Supported Write Speeds: 2.4x, 4x Physical Format Information (ADIP): Disc ID: RICOHJPN-W11-01 Book Type: DVD+RW Part Version: 2 Disc Size: 120mm Maximum Read Rate: Not Specified Number of Layers: 1 Track Path: Parallel Track Path (PTP) Linear Density: 0.267 um/bit Track Density: 0.74 um/track First Physical Sector of Data Area: 196,608 Last Physical Sector of Data Area: 2,491,711 Last Physical Sector in Layer 0: 0 Current Format Capacity: Sectors: 2,295,104 Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes Time: 510:03:29 (MM:SS:FF) Maximum Format Capacity: Sectors: 2,295,104 Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes Time: 510:03:29 (MM:SS:FF) Results: I 21:45:15 ImgBurn Version 1.1.0.5 Beta started! I 21:45:15 Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (5.2, Build 3790 : Service Pack 1) I 21:45:15 Initialising SPTI... I 21:45:15 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices... I 21:45:15 Found 3 DVD-ROMs, 3 DVD?RWs and 2 DVD?RW/RAMs! I 21:45:40 Operation Started! I 21:45:40 Device: [2:0:0] _NEC DVD_RW ND-4550A 1.07 (J:) (ATA) I 21:45:40 Media Type: DVD+RW (Disc ID: RICOHJPN-W11-01) (Speeds: 2.4x, 4x) I 21:45:40 Quick Erase: No I 21:45:40 Erasing Disc... I 22:00:07 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:14:26 I 23:41:45 ImgBurn Version 1.1.0.5 Beta started! I 23:41:45 Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (5.2, Build 3790 : Service Pack 1) I 23:41:45 Initialising SPTI... I 23:41:45 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices... I 23:41:45 Found 3 DVD-ROMs, 2 DVD?RWs and 2 DVD?RW/RAMs! I 23:42:01 Operation Started! I 23:42:01 Source File: -==/\/[DISCOVERY IMAGE]\/\==- I 23:42:01 Source File Sectors: 2,295,104 (MODE1/2048) I 23:42:01 Source File Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes I 23:42:01 Destination Device: [2:0:0] _NEC DVD_RW ND-4550A 1.07 (J:) (ATA) I 23:42:01 Destination Media Type: DVD+RW (Disc ID: RICOHJPN-W11-01) (Speeds: 2.4x, 4x) I 23:42:01 Destination Media Sectors: 2,295,104 I 23:42:01 Write Mode: DVD I 23:42:01 Write Type: DAO I 23:42:01 Write Speed: MAX I 23:42:02 Link Size: Auto I 23:42:02 Test Mode: No I 23:42:02 BURN-Proof: Enabled I 23:42:02 Filling Buffer... I 23:42:02 Writing LeadIn... I 23:42:22 Writing Image... I 23:56:01 Synchronising Cache... I 23:56:02 Closing Session... I 23:56:03 Exporting Graph Data... I 23:56:04 Graph Data File: C:\IBG\_NEC_DVD_RW_ND-4550A_1.07_15-JANUARY-2006_23-42_RICOHJPN-W11-01_MAX.ibg I 23:56:04 Export Successfully Completed! I 23:56:04 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:14:02 I 23:56:04 Average Write Rate: 5,604 KB/s (4.0x) - Maximum Write Rate: 5,774 KB/s (4.2x) I 23:56:04 Cycling Tray before Verify... I 23:56:23 Operation Started! I 23:56:23 Source Device: [2:0:0] _NEC DVD_RW ND-4550A 1.07 (J:) (ATA) I 23:56:23 Source Media Type: DVD+RW (Disc ID: RICOHJPN-W11-01) (Speeds: 2.4x, 4x) I 23:56:23 Image File: -==/\/[DISCOVERY IMAGE]\/\==- I 23:56:23 Image File Sectors: 2,295,104 (MODE1/2048) I 23:56:23 Image File Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes I 23:56:24 Verifying Sectors... I 00:02:31 Exporting Graph Data... I 00:02:31 Graph Data File: C:\IBG\_NEC_DVD_RW_ND-4550A_1.07_15-JANUARY-2006_23-42_RICOHJPN-W11-01_MAX.ibg I 00:02:31 Export Successfully Completed! I 00:02:31 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:06:07 I 00:02:31 Average Verify Rate: 12,507 KB/s (9.0x) - Maximum Verify Rate: 18,177 KB/s (13.1x)

PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-110 1.37 (ATA) Media Information: PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-110 1.37 (ATA) Current Profile: DVD+RW Disc Information: Status: Empty Erasable: Yes Formatted: No Free Sectors: 2,295,104 Free Space: 4,700,372,992 bytes Free Time: 510:03:29 (MM:SS:FF) Supported Write Speeds: 2.4x, 4x Physical Format Information (ADIP): Disc ID: RICOHJPN-W11-01 Book Type: DVD+RW Part Version: 2 Disc Size: 120mm Maximum Read Rate: Not Specified Number of Layers: 1 Track Path: Parallel Track Path (PTP) Linear Density: 0.267 um/bit Track Density: 0.74 um/track First Physical Sector of Data Area: 196,608 Last Physical Sector of Data Area: 2,491,711 Last Physical Sector in Layer 0: 0 Physical Format Information (Last Recorded): Disc ID: RICOHJPN-W11-01 Book Type: DVD+RW Part Version: 2 Disc Size: 120mm Maximum Read Rate: Not Specified Number of Layers: 1 Track Path: Parallel Track Path (PTP) Linear Density: 0.267 um/bit Track Density: 0.74 um/track First Physical Sector of Data Area: 196,608 Last Physical Sector of Data Area: 2,491,711 Last Physical Sector in Layer 0: 0 Current Format Capacity: Sectors: 2,295,104 Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes Time: 510:03:29 (MM:SS:FF) Maximum Format Capacity: Sectors: 2,295,104 Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes Time: 510:03:29 (MM:SS:FF) Results: I 18:27:08 ImgBurn Version 1.1.0.5 Beta started! I 18:27:08 Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (5.2, Build 3790 : Service Pack 1) I 18:27:08 Initialising SPTI... I 18:27:08 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices... I 18:27:08 Found 3 DVD-ROMs, 3 DVD?RWs and 2 DVD?RW/RAMs! I 18:27:50 Operation Started! I 18:27:50 Device: [1:1:0] PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-110 1.37 (I:) (ATA) I 18:27:50 Media Type: DVD+RW (Disc ID: RICOHJPN-W11-01) (Speeds: 2.4x, 4x) I 18:27:50 Quick Erase: No I 18:27:50 Erasing Disc... I 18:43:34 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:15:44 I 18:45:54 ImgBurn Version 1.1.0.5 Beta started! I 18:45:54 Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (5.2, Build 3790 : Service Pack 1) I 18:45:54 Initialising SPTI... I 18:45:54 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices... I 18:45:54 Found 3 DVD-ROMs, 3 DVD?RWs and 2 DVD?RW/RAMs! I 18:46:20 Operation Started! I 18:46:20 Source File: -==/\/[DISCOVERY IMAGE]\/\==- I 18:46:20 Source File Sectors: 2,295,104 (MODE1/2048) I 18:46:20 Source File Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes I 18:46:20 Destination Device: [1:1:0] PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-110 1.37 (I:) (ATA) I 18:46:20 Destination Media Type: DVD+RW (Disc ID: RICOHJPN-W11-01) (Speeds: 2.4x, 4x) I 18:46:20 Destination Media Sectors: 2,295,104 I 18:46:20 Write Mode: DVD I 18:46:20 Write Type: DAO I 18:46:20 Write Speed: MAX I 18:46:20 Link Size: Auto I 18:46:20 Test Mode: No I 18:46:20 BURN-Proof: Enabled I 18:46:21 Filling Buffer... I 18:46:21 Writing LeadIn... I 18:46:35 Writing Image... I 19:00:43 Synchronising Cache... I 19:00:44 Closing Session... I 19:00:45 Exporting Graph Data... I 19:00:45 Graph Data File: C:\IBG\PIONEER_DVD-RW_DVR-110_1.37_15-JANUARY-2006_18-46_RICOHJPN-W11-01_MAX.ibg I 19:00:45 Export Successfully Completed! I 19:00:45 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:14:24 I 19:00:45 Average Write Rate: 5,419 KB/s (3.9x) - Maximum Write Rate: 5,579 KB/s (4.0x) I 19:00:45 Cycling Tray before Verify... I 19:01:06 Operation Started! I 19:01:06 Source Device: [1:1:0] PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-110 1.37 (I:) (ATA) I 19:01:06 Source Media Type: DVD+RW (Disc ID: RICOHJPN-W11-01) (Speeds: 2.4x, 4x) I 19:01:06 Image File: -==/\/[DISCOVERY IMAGE]\/\==- I 19:01:06 Image File Sectors: 2,295,104 (MODE1/2048) I 19:01:06 Image File Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes I 19:01:06 Verifying Sectors... I 19:10:43 Exporting Graph Data... I 19:10:43 Graph Data File: C:\IBG\PIONEER_DVD-RW_DVR-110_1.37_15-JANUARY-2006_18-46_RICOHJPN-W11-01_MAX.ibg I 19:10:43 Export Successfully Completed! I 19:10:43 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:09:36 I 19:10:43 Average Verify Rate: 7,969 KB/s (5.8x) - Maximum Verify Rate: 11,574 KB/s (8.4x)