Switch to Verbatim 2.4x MKM-001 made in Singapore media for dual layer burning. This is the only media we recommend for DL burning. Moreover, burning at 4x across USB is unwise - you get all those Sephamore Timeout errors.
As well, try to move your burner to an internal IDE drive.
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Archive is easy - each file has an archive attribute. When a file is modified, the archive bit is set. So, you can backup only modified files by selecting only those with the archive bit set.
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Read pink bit at top - it was made for intelligentsia and morons alike.
However, it essentially means your drive can't read your (probably crappy) media.
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Use the ISO/UDF bridge (both filesystems) - although standalone players will typically only read UDF 1.02 ISO is there for backwards compatibility with older Windows systems.
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If your drive won't even play an original DVD, it sounds like it is no good.
You can try a drive cleaning kit (about $10) - but a new drive might be even more value for money. You can also try uninstalling the drive from Windows and reinstalling it and rebooting - a driver might have gone astray.
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