VERY strange problem.

[81RED]

This boggles my mind.

 

The other day a verify failed with a "No seek complete" error after burning a .ISO data disk

with Imgburn. After wasting God knows how many blank DVDR's of various brands, swapping

burner for another brand, extracting the files manually/burned using build mode and lastly trying it out on a completely different PC, I started taking notice of where the verify failed.

 

It boils down to one single file that is about 20MB in size. Said file fails to verify when written

to either a DVD-R/RW or CD, no matter whether it was burned via build mode or contained

within any ISO/IMG whatever image file.

 

It gets better. Having concluded that my hardware was OK, I started testing with other CD/DVD

recording programs. Alcohol, Nero, Stomp Recordnow MAX and mkisofs & cdrecord (under Linux)

all exhibit EXACTLY the same behaviour as Imgburn - and on four different PC's none the less.

 

Interestingly Padus Discjuggler both burns and verifies the file when burning in Mode 2 XA, but not in

Mode 1. I assume that both Nero and Stomp are also capable of burning in Mode 2 XA, but this has not yet been tested.

 

I must admit that this experience completely undermines any conception I had of data storage and retrieval, but if anyone could come up with a reasonable explanation, I would be more than averagely interested in hearing it.

 

Should LUK! or any of the resident experts like to get hold of the file in mention, I will be more than happy to comply.

[spinningwheel]

1. Please post the complete failed log. Others might have an idea of what's wrong, but the log contains a lot of information that we like to see...keepd us from playing 20 questions...

2. What other programs do or do not do is open to conjecture. If many programs choke at one particular file and then one does not...I would suspect that program of being rather more forgiving than the rest.

[81RED]

Sure thing, log included - even though I very much suspect that it will not reveal anything about the cause of this rather bizarre issue ;-)

ImgBurn.log

[spinningwheel]

E 15:05:09 Failed to read Sector 198 - No Seek Complete

E 15:05:09 Sector 198 maps to File: DUMMYFIL.DMY

 

aLooks to me like it's trying to verify that the goto type command in sector 198 is unable to find the .dmy file that it needs when it gets the command to find it...

 

Does the disc choke there if you try to run it?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

So in that log, you just burnt the file on it's own via build mode yeah?

 

Rename that file to something else and then burn it again (on a rewritable of course).

 

Does it verify ok then?

 

What if you build an ISO from that file and mount in DAEMON Tools.

 

Can you then verify the mounted drive (uncheck the 'verify against image file' box) ?

 

It could either be the content of the file that's the problem, the name of it or some combination of the two.

 

If everything you've said about your testing is true, it certainly looks like something fishy is going on... it's almost 'rootkit' like.

 

There's no way I know of to burn anything in mode 1 using tao/sao/dao write modes that then cannot be read back - so it's like some other driver (hence the rootkit part) is reading some signature in the file and returning the seek error.

[81RED]

>So in that log, you just burnt the file on it's own via build mode yeah?

 

Exactly.

 

>Rename that file to something else and then burn it again (on a rewritable of course).

 

>Does it verify ok then?

 

Nope. Tried that already - the DUMMYFIL.DMY name was something I made up.

 

>What if you build an ISO from that file and mount in DAEMON Tools.

 

>Can you then verify the mounted drive (uncheck the 'verify against image file' box) ?

 

Yup, no problem. It's only when it's been through a burner that things go wrong.

 

>It could either be the content of the file that's the problem, the name of it or some combination of the two.

 

>If everything you've said about your testing is true, it certainly looks like something fishy is going on... it's >almost 'rootkit' like.

 

>There's no way I know of to burn anything in mode 1 using tao/sao/dao write modes that then cannot be >read back - so it's like some other driver (hence the rootkit part) is reading some signature in the file and >returning the seek error.

 

This is precisely why I'm so baffled. It can be reproduced on four different PC's so far - and while there may be some instances of identical programs installed, I find it hard to believe that all four PC's should be "infected" by the same rootkit.

 

I *really* think you should take a look at that file...

Edited November 12, 2006 by 81RED

[JasonFriday13]

Also, have you tried burning the .iso you made?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Sorry, I'm just not seeing it!

 

I 20:23:08 Operation Started!

I 20:23:08 Source File: -==/\/[bUILD IMAGE]\/\==-

I 20:23:08 Source File Sectors: 10,272 (MODE1/2048)

I 20:23:08 Source File Size: 21,037,056 bytes

I 20:23:08 Source File Volume Identifier: Desktop

I 20:23:08 Source File Application Identifier: IMGBURN V2.2.0.0 - THE ULTIMATE IMAGE BURNER!

I 20:23:08 Source File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn

I 20:23:08 Source File File System(s): ISO9660, UDF (1.02)

I 20:23:08 Destination Device: [0:0:0] PLEXTOR DVDR PX-760A 1.05 (M:) (ATA)

I 20:23:08 Destination Media Type: DVD-RW (Disc ID: MKM 01RW6X01) (Speeds: 4x, 6x)

I 20:23:08 Destination Media Sectors: 2,297,888

I 20:23:08 Write Mode: DVD

I 20:23:08 Write Type: DAO

I 20:23:08 Write Speed: MAX

I 20:23:08 Link Size: Auto

I 20:23:08 Test Mode: No

I 20:23:08 BURN-Proof: Enabled

I 20:23:08 Filling Buffer... (40 MB)

I 20:23:09 Writing LeadIn...

I 20:23:33 Writing Image...

I 20:23:36 Synchronising Cache...

I 20:25:45 Image MD5: 44e714a20afba1981f602ccb24deb751

I 20:25:45 Exporting Graph Data...

I 20:25:45 Graph Data File: C:\IBG\PLEXTOR_DVDR_PX-760A_1.05_13-NOVEMBER-2006_20-23_MKM_01RW6X01_MAX.ibg

I 20:25:45 Export Successfully Completed!

I 20:25:45 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:02:37

I 20:25:45 Average Write Rate: 10,272 KB/s (7.4x) - Maximum Write Rate: 10,272 KB/s (7.4x)

I 20:25:45 Cycling Tray before Verify...

I 20:26:09 Device Ready!

I 20:26:11 Operation Started!

I 20:26:11 Source Device: [0:0:0] PLEXTOR DVDR PX-760A 1.05 (M:) (ATA)

I 20:26:11 Source Media Type: DVD-RW (Book Type: DVD-RW) (Disc ID: MKM 01RW6X01) (Speeds: 4x, 6x)

I 20:26:11 Image File: -==/\/[bUILD IMAGE]\/\==-

I 20:26:11 Image File Sectors: 10,272 (MODE1/2048)

I 20:26:11 Image File Size: 21,037,056 bytes

I 20:26:11 Image File Volume Identifier: Desktop

I 20:26:11 Image File Application Identifier: IMGBURN V2.2.0.0 - THE ULTIMATE IMAGE BURNER!

I 20:26:11 Image File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn

I 20:26:11 Image File File System(s): ISO9660, UDF (1.02)

I 20:26:11 Verifying Sectors... (LBA: 0 - 10271)

I 20:26:14 Device MD5: 44e714a20afba1981f602ccb24deb751

I 20:26:14 Image MD5: 44e714a20afba1981f602ccb24deb751

I 20:26:14 Exporting Graph Data...

I 20:26:14 Graph Data File: C:\IBG\PLEXTOR_DVDR_PX-760A_1.05_13-NOVEMBER-2006_20-23_MKM_01RW6X01_MAX.ibg

I 20:26:14 Export Successfully Completed!

I 20:26:14 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:00:03

I 20:26:14 Average Verify Rate: 6,848 KB/s (4.9x) - Maximum Verify Rate: 6,848 KB/s (4.9x)

 

md5 of that file on the disc is 53f5e3413923e57a3876d5cf7df47135

 

Are you sure that's the same as yours?

[81RED]

Sorry, I'm just not seeing it!

 

I 20:23:08 Operation Started!

I 20:23:08 Source File: -==/\/[bUILD IMAGE]\/\==-

I 20:23:08 Source File Sectors: 10,272 (MODE1/2048)

I 20:23:08 Source File Size: 21,037,056 bytes

I 20:23:08 Source File Volume Identifier: Desktop

I 20:23:08 Source File Application Identifier: IMGBURN V2.2.0.0 - THE ULTIMATE IMAGE BURNER!

I 20:23:08 Source File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn

I 20:23:08 Source File File System(s): ISO9660, UDF (1.02)

I 20:23:08 Destination Device: [0:0:0] PLEXTOR DVDR PX-760A 1.05 (M:) (ATA)

I 20:23:08 Destination Media Type: DVD-RW (Disc ID: MKM 01RW6X01) (Speeds: 4x, 6x)

I 20:23:08 Destination Media Sectors: 2,297,888

I 20:23:08 Write Mode: DVD

I 20:23:08 Write Type: DAO

I 20:23:08 Write Speed: MAX

I 20:23:08 Link Size: Auto

I 20:23:08 Test Mode: No

I 20:23:08 BURN-Proof: Enabled

I 20:23:08 Filling Buffer... (40 MB)

I 20:23:09 Writing LeadIn...

I 20:23:33 Writing Image...

I 20:23:36 Synchronising Cache...

I 20:25:45 Image MD5: 44e714a20afba1981f602ccb24deb751

I 20:25:45 Exporting Graph Data...

I 20:25:45 Graph Data File: C:\IBG\PLEXTOR_DVDR_PX-760A_1.05_13-NOVEMBER-2006_20-23_MKM_01RW6X01_MAX.ibg

I 20:25:45 Export Successfully Completed!

I 20:25:45 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:02:37

I 20:25:45 Average Write Rate: 10,272 KB/s (7.4x) - Maximum Write Rate: 10,272 KB/s (7.4x)

I 20:25:45 Cycling Tray before Verify...

I 20:26:09 Device Ready!

I 20:26:11 Operation Started!

I 20:26:11 Source Device: [0:0:0] PLEXTOR DVDR PX-760A 1.05 (M:) (ATA)

I 20:26:11 Source Media Type: DVD-RW (Book Type: DVD-RW) (Disc ID: MKM 01RW6X01) (Speeds: 4x, 6x)

I 20:26:11 Image File: -==/\/[bUILD IMAGE]\/\==-

I 20:26:11 Image File Sectors: 10,272 (MODE1/2048)

I 20:26:11 Image File Size: 21,037,056 bytes

I 20:26:11 Image File Volume Identifier: Desktop

I 20:26:11 Image File Application Identifier: IMGBURN V2.2.0.0 - THE ULTIMATE IMAGE BURNER!

I 20:26:11 Image File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn

I 20:26:11 Image File File System(s): ISO9660, UDF (1.02)

I 20:26:11 Verifying Sectors... (LBA: 0 - 10271)

I 20:26:14 Device MD5: 44e714a20afba1981f602ccb24deb751

I 20:26:14 Image MD5: 44e714a20afba1981f602ccb24deb751

I 20:26:14 Exporting Graph Data...

I 20:26:14 Graph Data File: C:\IBG\PLEXTOR_DVDR_PX-760A_1.05_13-NOVEMBER-2006_20-23_MKM_01RW6X01_MAX.ibg

I 20:26:14 Export Successfully Completed!

I 20:26:14 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:00:03

I 20:26:14 Average Verify Rate: 6,848 KB/s (4.9x) - Maximum Verify Rate: 6,848 KB/s (4.9x)

 

md5 of that file on the disc is 53f5e3413923e57a3876d5cf7df47135

 

Are you sure that's the same as yours?

 

I give up. The file is completely identical to mine, and out of the 7 other PC/platforms tested, of course

it works on yours.

Have *no* idea what's going on - The only thing I can say for sure is that your Plextor

model is not amongst the ones already tested, and that you are using a newer version

of Imgburn (of course ).

I will ask the other "guinea pigs" what exact drive models and firmware revisions they are

using, as this must be hardware related. You don't by any chance have a Plextor 750A

to try it out on?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

No sorry, I skipped all the 75x models because I didn't like them.

 

I have now also tested these though...

 

LG-H22L - worked fine.

LiteOn LH-18A1H - worked fine.

Pioneer 111 - worked fine.

BenQ 1655 - worked fine.

Optiarc 7173 - worked fine.

 

I hope that's enough testing

[81RED]

No sorry, I skipped all the 75x models because I didn't like them.

 

I have now also tested these though...

 

LG-H22L - worked fine.

LiteOn LH-18A1H - worked fine.

Pioneer 111 - worked fine.

BenQ 1655 - worked fine.

Optiarc 7173 - worked fine.

 

I hope that's enough testing

 

Aargh! #?#"!?!%"!#?%!"#?!

 

Please tell me you fixed something in 2.2.0.0 that you have not yet told anyone about, yeah?

 

Anyway, I will still get the drive models off of the mates that tested besides myself, and compare

their drives to your list - even though I find it more than odd that all ours fail, and none

of yours do. Apart from that, might just give Plextor tech support a call tomorrow.

 

Thanks for testing, even if the results were far from what I had expected

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Well you said you'd tested all the different programs, not me! That rules out ImgBurn - yeah?

 

You even said you'd burnt it on a MAC!

 

There's nothing for me to fix (or have fixed!) on this, sorry.

 

I never believed it was possible to burn Mode1 data and have something not readable - my own testing with your 'special' file (lol) kinda proves that

[81RED]

Well you said you'd tested all the different programs, not me! That rules out ImgBurn - yeah?

 

You even said you'd burnt it on a MAC!

 

There's nothing for me to fix (or have fixed!) on this, sorry.

 

I never believed it was possible to burn Mode1 data and have something not readable - my own testing with your 'special' file (lol) kinda proves that

 

Yup, Mac and under Linux!

 

Hmmm... It proves that it works with your hardware, which admittedly calms me down a bit - in

my ideal world the problem I have just experienced should not be possible.

 

But nevertheless it did, and you can laugh all you want - I have no real way of proving it to you,

unless a member of the audience with a Plextor PX-750A or a NEC ND-3540A (just tested somewhere else) would like to join in the fun?

[81RED]

Goddamn! Here's an update that may change things a bit:

 

When I first discovered the problem during the weekend, I did not have a single RW media

in the house, and the result was that I now have enough coasters to tile my bathroom floor.

 

Anyway, I took home one single Verbatim DVD RW from work today - just tried it right now,

and guess what? NO PROBLEMS. It writes, it verifies, all is good and dandy.

 

I then tested it again with a CD-R (have no more blank DVD Verbs in stock) and it bummed out again.

 

Please Mr. Lightning, could you please try again - preferably with a CD-R (NON-RW) of some sort? I will

gladly reimburse you for the expenses via a donation.

 

EDIT: Just tried with an ancient Nashua CD-RW that I dug out from a drawer, that's a no-go as well.

Edited November 13, 2006 by 81RED

[blutach]

Could it be that your laser is buggered at CD focus depth? Except, why would it not write DVDRs?

 

The drive may be stuffed.

 

Regards

[JasonFriday13]

My Ricoh DVD+RW 5240A has a stuffed dvd laser in it, and it reads and writes cds just fine. Haven't used it in a while though.

[81RED]

Another update - Learned a valuable lesson today, *never* assume anything, even if it's likely, without

doublechecking and making sure you are right.

 

The file in question originally came as part of a larger (4GB) DVD package that I tried to burn God knows how many times and failed. After removing said file the burn went ok, and that final burn was done on my last available blank DVD. All subsequent tests by me was done on CD-R media as I had a shitload of those

lying around.

Since one of the other people testing this, explicitly told me he was trying it on a DVD-R, I (wrongly) assumed

that it did not matter which media was being used. He has now confessed that it was a CD-R he tried it on.

 

Have now tried it on a few different DVD-R's, and have had no problems so far. Will try to see if I can create a test image that resembles the original to reproduce the problem.

 

That being said, I can re-create the problem 100% of the time if writing in Mode 1 on any CD-R.

 

Sincerely apologize for any confusion caused by my wrong assumptions.

[lfcrule1972]

At least you have narrowed it down now

[LIGHTNING UK!]

It must have some special pattern that kills the ECC calculations the drive does. No matter what it calculates, they're wrong and so it produces read errors when you try and read it back.

[81RED]

It must have some special pattern that kills the ECC calculations the drive does. No matter what it calculates, they're wrong and so it produces read errors when you try and read it back.

 

I guess we learn something new every day, yeah?

[lfcrule1972]

I don't !!