Delay burning to external image drive

[Robert333]

Hello,

When burning to a DVD +R on a USB-connected Samsung "Portable BD Writer Model SE-506", from an ISO image backup of files and folders, the following delay often but not always, occurs:

"Locking drive for exclusive access".

I am using a PC "Lenovo G40" notebook with Windows 8.1, and have Avast free antivirus which I disable prior to using Imgburn 2.5.8.0.

Sometimes the above delay is significant so that then I have to restart the computer to try again.

I would like to find out if this delay is normal, and if not if it can be corrected or avoided.

Regards,

Robert333

PS:

Why am I using an external image writer?

The reason is that the computer's internal DVD writer is no longer recognized by the operating system.

The computer received a slight knock, which I believe resulted in the data cable becoming detached that connected the internal device to the motherboard.

 

 

ImgBurn(121).log

Edited December 6, 2020 by Robert333

[LIGHTNING UK!]

The locking of the drive is a Windows API function, so if it's taking a while, it's because Windows is (still) trying to lock the drive.

As for why it's taking a while, maybe some other program/service has an active connection to it?

Try unplugging it and plugging it in again. They are probably tools you could use to check for open 'handles' to the drive - something like Process Explorer from Microsoft/sysinternals.

 

[Robert333]

Thanks for your response.

The message "Locking drive for exclusive access", is from ImgBurn not Windows (mention of the message does not seem to be a log-able item for the relevant ImgBurn log).

Do you mean that ImgBurn needs to have Windows "lock" (whatever that means) the USB optical writer drive for ImgBurn, and that Windows is taking time to action this? 

The USB optical writer drive is plugged into the computer as soon as Windows has fully loaded, so I don't understand what 'handles' could be generated to access it so quickly. The antivirus is disabled for using ImgBurn; so there "should be" no function other than ImgBurn trying to access the external device.

As for the speed of the operating system, the processor is a i7, and the computer has 16GB of RAM.

You suggest unplugging and re-plugging the external device, but is not that likely to cause an I/O error. The locking message only appears once I have already initiated a Burn with ImgBurn.

Regards,

Robert333

 

 

 

Edited December 7, 2020 by Robert333

[Ch3vr0n]

The locking is indeed a windows native function. Imgburn requests the OS to lock the drive, to prevent YOU the user from accidentally ejecting the disc mid-burn and thus wasting a disc.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[LIGHTNING UK!]

@Ch3vr0n

Whilst that is one sort of 'lock' (tray lock), the one the OP is referring to is there to stop other programs from being able to access the drive and potentially mess up the burn. It either blocks apps from opening a 'handle' to the device or it blocks all operations on said 'handle'.

@Robert333

As it locks for exclusive access before any burning starts, you're quite safe to pull the plug if it gets stuck for ages trying to lock it. I'd actually be interested to see what happens when you do that. Will the OS immediately return an error in response to the locking request (which is then displayed by ImgBurn) ? Who knows!

 

[Robert333]

Hello,

Thanks for your response Lighting UK!. Sorry for the delay in replying. I'm not sure what you specifically mean by "pull the plug", but assume this means unplug the data cable between the laptop / notebook and the external USB optical writer (which as mentioned, is what I am using since the internal optical writer is unavailable). I believe I did that in the past, and recall an I/O error message appearing.

When the "locking" message persists, there is no choice but to reboot the computer and try again (try the burn again).

Regards,

Robert333

 

 

[Robert333]

Update:

The solution seems (so far) to be that when finished using the external Writer drive, to do the following, strictly in this order:

i) Open external Writer's tray.

ii) Remove the disc.

iii) Disconnect the USB data cable connecting the external Writer to the computer.

iv) Close the external Writer's tray.

In other words, do NOT close the external Writer's tray until you have First disconnected its data cable from the computer.

 

Regards,

 

Robert333