Device Buffer problems!

[DjKilla]

Problem: Imgburn Buffer stays at 100% but Device Buffer bounces around causing the DVD burner to never actually reach/sustain the speed selected for the burn.

 

Info: For the last few hours I've been running tests and found something interesting. Imgburn 2.3.1.0 ALWAYS worked perfectly when I burned a single layer DVD+R which I noticed the Buffer was at 100% and the Device Buffer remained around 90% and NEVER bounced around extremely causing the burner to reach the 12x speed I selected and a burning time of around 6:09. With Imgburn 2.3.2.0 the Device Buffer bounced around causing the burner to never reach or sustain the 12x speed I selected and the burning time would be around 8:00. I installed/uninstalled both versions multiple times and always got the same results. My question is, what exactly has changed between version 2.3.1.0 which worked and 2.3.2.0 to cause the Device Buffer to effect performance? I checked every tab in the program and read the fix list but only found the following:

 

Version 2.3.1.0

Changed: Optimised the file system parsing code.

Changed: Set default write buffer size to 40MB for people with 1GB of RAM or more (actually set at 980MB rather than 1GB this time).

Changed: Upgraded to NSIS v2.25.

 

Could any of the above changes been changed in version 2.3.2.0 to cause the current Device Buffer problem? Everything worked perfectly in 2.3.1.0 so something must have been changed.

 

Hardware: I'm using the latest Pioneer 112D burner with the latest 1.15 firmware (NOT hacked). I'm using Tayo Yuden 16x DVD+R single layer media on Windows XP.

[Shamus_McFartfinger]

I don't suppose you've got the log and a DVDInfoPro scan handy there somewhere?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

The function that does the actual sending of data to the drive is not something I ever really have to change, and certainly not when going from 2.3.1.0 to 2.3.2.0.

 

It's just a loop that reads data from the internal buffer and then sends it to the drive for burning.

 

Just as shamus said... if you have an IBG file for the burns, we can see exactly what the buffer is doing during.

[DjKilla]

 

I 11:48:35 ImgBurn Version 2.3.2.0 started!

I 11:48:35 Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600 : Service Pack 2)

I 11:48:35 Total Physical Memory: 523,568 KB - Available: 317,548 KB

I 11:48:35 Initialising SPTI...

I 11:48:35 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices...

I 11:48:35 Found 1 DVD-ROM and 1 DVD?RW!

I 11:49:21 Operation Started!

I 11:49:21 Building Image Tree...

I 11:49:22 Checking Directory Depth...

I 11:49:22 Calculating Totals...

I 11:49:22 Preparing Image...

I 11:49:22 Checking Path Length...

I 11:49:22 Image Size: 4,699,881,472 bytes

I 11:49:22 Image Sectors: 2,294,864

I 11:49:23 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:00:01

I 11:49:23 Operation Started!

I 11:49:23 Source File: -==/\/[bUILD IMAGE]\/\==-

I 11:49:23 Source File Sectors: 2,294,864 (MODE1/2048)

I 11:49:23 Source File Size: 4,699,881,472 bytes

I 11:49:23 Source File Volume Identifier: Alpha Dog

I 11:49:23 Source File Application Identifier: IMGBURN V2.3.2.0 - THE ULTIMATE IMAGE BURNER!

I 11:49:23 Source File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn

I 11:49:23 Source File File System(s): ISO9660, UDF (1.02)

I 11:49:23 Destination Device: [1:0:0] PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-112D 1.15 (F:) (ATA)

I 11:49:23 Destination Media Type: DVD+R (Disc ID: YUDEN000-T03-00) (Speeds: 4x, 6x, 8x, 12x, 16x, 18x)

I 11:49:23 Destination Media Sectors: 2,295,104

I 11:49:23 Write Mode: DVD

I 11:49:23 Write Type: DAO

I 11:49:23 Write Speed: 12x

I 11:49:23 Link Size: Auto

I 11:49:23 Test Mode: No

I 11:49:23 BURN-Proof: Enabled

I 11:49:26 Filling Buffer... (20 MB)

I 11:49:27 Writing LeadIn...

I 11:49:52 Writing Image... (LBA: 0 - 2294863)

I 11:56:54 Synchronising Cache...

I 11:56:55 Closing Track...

I 11:56:58 Finalising Disc...

I 11:57:18 Image MD5: 45d3abfcfe9cecf89684d26b2d917de1

I 11:57:18 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:07:54

I 11:57:18 Average Write Rate: 10,876 KB/s (7.9x) - Maximum Write Rate: 14,345 KB/s (10.4x)

 

 

This was a terrable burn and is unacceptable! I should have reached the 12x burn speed I selected and should have been completed the burn around 6:00 or less.

 

 

Additional Info:

Edited April 24, 2007 by DjKilla

[dontasciime]

Is this with all disc's you have or just the batch of yuden's you have and are all the iso images you have tried stored on the same hard drive or partition.

 

Is the hard drive with Iso images connected to same Ide cable as pioneer (is the pioneer also master or slave)

[DjKilla]

Is this with all disc's you have or just the batch of yuden's you have and are all the iso images you have tried stored on the same hard drive or partition.

 

Is the hard drive with Iso images connected to same Ide cable as pioneer (is the pioneer also master or slave)

 

I only use Tayo Yuden 16x single layer DVD+R media. All the iso images and raw files (ifo, bup, vob) are stored on two drives and three partitions. Each drive and partition has been defragged.

 

The Pioneer is connected on it's own 40 pin 80 wire ide cable. Nothing else is on this cable and the Pioneer is set to master.

 

After installing/uninstalling both versions multiple times and testing. Only version 2.3.1.0 worked great and the latest version 2.3.2.0 had the Device Buffer/speed problems. There has to be something that changed from 2.3.1.0 to the latest version which is causing this. If there is a test/beta version of Imgburn that's available, I could check to see if the Device Problem is fixed or not but I'm DEFINATELY sure it's a program code change or setting in the program that's causing this.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

How comes your CPU usage is so high?

 

If you look in task manager, is ImgBurn really using up all that CPU time or is it sitting at ~3% where it should be?

 

High cpu will mean low I/O and low I/O = buffer problems.

 

Buffer problems = drive slows down (by itself, this isn't something the program does).

 

Do you have the same problem if you don't build/burn on-the-fly, but go via an ISO file?

[dontasciime]

which udma mode is the pioneer 112 using at the minute, they still using udma 4 ?

[DjKilla]

Another bad burn with the Device Buffer bouncing around which is causing the DVD burner to not maintain speed selected. Burn times are much to long. With version 2.3.1.0 I was able to complete burns at around 6:00.

 

 

I 14:55:02 ImgBurn Version 2.3.2.0 started!

I 14:55:02 Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600 : Service Pack 2)

I 14:55:02 Total Physical Memory: 523,568 KB - Available: 313,608 KB

I 14:55:02 Initialising SPTI...

I 14:55:02 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices...

I 14:55:02 Found 1 DVD-ROM and 1 DVD?RW!

I 14:55:45 Operation Started!

I 14:55:45 Building Image Tree...

I 14:55:45 Checking Directory Depth...

I 14:55:45 Calculating Totals...

I 14:55:45 Preparing Image...

I 14:55:46 Checking Path Length...

I 14:55:46 Image Size: 4,607,508,480 bytes

I 14:55:46 Image Sectors: 2,249,760

I 14:55:49 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:00:03

I 14:55:49 Operation Started!

I 14:55:49 Source File: -==/\/[bUILD IMAGE]\/\==-

I 14:55:49 Source File Sectors: 2,249,760 (MODE1/2048)

I 14:55:49 Source File Size: 4,607,508,480 bytes

I 14:55:49 Source File Volume Identifier: Thr3e

I 14:55:49 Source File Application Identifier: IMGBURN V2.3.2.0 - THE ULTIMATE IMAGE BURNER!

I 14:55:49 Source File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn

I 14:55:49 Source File File System(s): ISO9660, UDF (1.02)

I 14:55:49 Destination Device: [1:0:0] PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-112D 1.15 (F:) (ATA)

I 14:55:49 Destination Media Type: DVD+R (Disc ID: YUDEN000-T03-00) (Speeds: 4x, 6x, 8x, 12x, 16x, 18x)

I 14:55:49 Destination Media Sectors: 2,295,104

I 14:55:49 Write Mode: DVD

I 14:55:49 Write Type: DAO

I 14:55:49 Write Speed: 12x

I 14:55:49 Link Size: Auto

I 14:55:49 Test Mode: No

I 14:55:49 BURN-Proof: Enabled

I 14:55:52 Filling Buffer... (20 MB)

I 14:55:53 Writing LeadIn...

I 14:56:18 Writing Image... (LBA: 0 - 2249759)

I 15:02:57 Synchronising Cache...

I 15:02:58 Closing Track...

I 15:03:00 Finalising Disc...

I 15:03:20 Image MD5: 05aa26f16aa71e2e9cdff425d5ca7531

I 15:03:20 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:07:30

I 15:03:20 Average Write Rate: 11,305 KB/s (8.2x) - Maximum Write Rate: 17,334 KB/s (12.5x)

Edited April 24, 2007 by DjKilla

[DjKilla]

The Pioneer is set to Ultra DMA Mode 4 in Secondary IDE Channel under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers in Device Manager. Everything in msconfig Startup tab has been unchecked. There is absolutely nothing running except for the services in msconfig Services tab.

 

[LIGHTNING UK!]

It looks to me as if the machine just can't handle going over 11x and I've no idea why that is.

 

The buffer is rock solid until it hits that point, then it all goes pete tong.

 

Again, take a look in task manager (or process explorer) and see what's taking up all the CPU time. I find it very hard to believe that ImgBurn would be doing it on it's own.

[DjKilla]

When I say I get bad burns, I'm refering to the Device Buffer bouncing and the burn times being much to long. Every DVD has completed the burn successfully and has been playable/viewable without problems.

[dontasciime]

Might be worth checking to see if any hard drives have switched modes.

 

Or which chipset they are running on and seeing if the driver can be updated etc.

 

something is hogging your comp

 

 

which mobo you got ?

[DjKilla]

It looks to me as if the machine just can't handle going over 11x and I've no idea why that is.

 

The buffer is rock solid until it hits that point, then it all goes pete tong.

 

Again, take a look in task manager (or process explorer) and see what's taking up all the CPU time. I find it very hard to believe that ImgBurn would be doing it on it's own.

 

Do I need to have Task Manager open when burning? What tab do I need to check and what do I look for?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Yes you need it open when burning.

 

You want it on the processes tab.

 

Just look for 'ImgBurn.exe' in the column on the left (Image Name) and then see what it's reading for 'CPU' during the burn.

 

If it's low (i.e. not the 60% your CPU claims to be running at), find which process IS using a large amount of CPU.

[DjKilla]

Might be worth checking to see if any hard drives have switched modes.

 

Or which chipset they are running on and seeing if the driver can be updated etc.

 

something is hogging your comp

 

 

which mobo you got ?

 

Both hard drives are set to Ultra DMA Mode 5. All chipset drivers have already been updated to the latest.

 

 

The only thing I haven't installed is the following:

 

Performance Software - Intel? Application Accelerator [iAA23_ENU.EXE, IAA23_MULTI.EXE] (1973KB) 2.3 11/13/2002

The Intel? Application Accelerator enables faster delivery of data from the hard drive to the processor and other system level hardware.

Edited April 24, 2007 by DjKilla

[DjKilla]

Yes you need it open when burning.

 

You want it on the processes tab.

 

Just look for 'ImgBurn.exe' in the column on the left (Image Name) and then see what it's reading for 'CPU' during the burn.

 

If it's low (i.e. not the 60% your CPU claims to be running at), find which process IS using a large amount of CPU.

 

Here's the latest info you requested.

 

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Unless you've got a 1Mhz processor, that's way too high.

 

Click onto the Performance tab and click on the 'View' menu, followed by 'Show Kernel Times'.

 

Get me a screenshot of the graphs on that tab when ImgBurn has been burning for a bit.

 

You should have a green line and a red line.

 

But before you mess about too much, I'd just quickly uninstall your IDE controller in Device Manager as per the DMA post in the FAQ and then reboot. Something just doesn't seem quite right at the moment.

[DjKilla]

Unless you've got a 1Mhz processor, that's way too high.

 

Click onto the Performance tab and click on the 'View' menu, followed by 'Show Kernel Times'.

 

Get me a screenshot of the graphs on that tab when ImgBurn has been burning for a bit.

 

You should have a green line and a red line.

 

But before you mess about too much, I'd just quickly uninstall your IDE controller in Device Manager as per the DMA post in the FAQ and then reboot. Something just doesn't seem quite right at the moment.

 

I uninstalled the IDE controller according to the FAQ, re-loaded the latest drivers for the chipset and burned another DVD+R. By the way, I do have a 1Ghz processor but I'm well within the requirements for the Pioneer 112D and I'm able to burn successfully with Nero and Imgburn 2.3.1.0 and receive a time around 6:09. There must be something in the code/programming that's giving me (possably others) performance issues with Imgburn. Also, my Pioneer 112D is capable of burning 18x with the current computer I have according to the requirements. Here's the graph you requested:

 

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Ok and did you try burning from an ISO file rather than on-the-fly?

 

It really shouldn't be putting that much stress on your PC just to burn something.

 

Oh and as for changing something in the code.... you've seen my changelogs yeah?! They're very detailed and if you look at the differences between 2.3.1.0 and 2.3.2.0, there's nothing at all that could be doing this.

 

What does the task manager performance graph look like when you burn with 2.3.1.0 ? About the same or is the CPU much lower?

[DjKilla]

Ok and did you try burning from an ISO file rather than on-the-fly?

 

It really shouldn't be putting that much stress on your PC just to burn something.

 

Oh and as for changing something in the code.... you've seen my changelogs yeah?! They're very detailed and if you look at the differences between 2.3.1.0 and 2.3.2.0, there's nothing at all that could be doing this.

 

What does the task manager performance graph look like when you burn with 2.3.1.0 ? About the same or is the CPU much lower?

 

I haven't burned an ISO/IMG file for a while. Basicly I extract the ISO/IMG file to a VIDEO_TS folder then run FixVTS to make sure the file structure is accurate. I then start Imgburn and in Build mode I select the VIDEO_TS folder with the movie files and burn it. I just installed version 2.3.1.0 again and I'm getting the same results, Buffer at 100% and Device Buffer bouncing around. I also checked the Processes tab in Task Manager and Imgburn was still taking a lot of CPU time. Nothing else was taking any CPU time. Here's the latest burn using version 2.3.1.0.

 

 

I 00:21:07 ImgBurn Version 2.3.1.0 started!

I 00:21:07 Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600 : Service Pack 2)

I 00:21:07 Total Physical Memory: 523,568 KB - Available: 307,036 KB

I 00:21:07 Initialising SPTI...

I 00:21:07 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices...

I 00:21:08 Found 1 DVD-ROM and 1 DVD?RW!

I 00:22:43 Operation Started!

I 00:22:43 Building Image Tree...

I 00:22:43 Checking Directory Depth...

I 00:22:43 Calculating Totals...

I 00:22:43 Preparing Image...

I 00:22:43 Checking Path Length...

I 00:22:44 Image Size: 4,626,579,456 bytes

I 00:22:44 Image Sectors: 2,259,072

I 00:22:46 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:00:02

I 00:22:46 Operation Started!

I 00:22:46 Source File: -==/\/[bUILD IMAGE]\/\==-

I 00:22:46 Source File Sectors: 2,259,072 (MODE1/2048)

I 00:22:46 Source File Size: 4,626,579,456 bytes

I 00:22:46 Source File Volume Identifier: Making The Band

I 00:22:46 Source File Application Identifier: IMGBURN V2.3.1.0 - THE ULTIMATE IMAGE BURNER!

I 00:22:46 Source File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn

I 00:22:46 Source File File System(s): ISO9660, UDF (1.02)

I 00:22:46 Destination Device: [1:0:0] PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-112D 1.15 (F:) (ATAPI)

I 00:22:46 Destination Media Type: DVD+R (Disc ID: YUDEN000-T03-00) (Speeds: 4x, 6x, 8x, 12x, 16x, 18x)

I 00:22:46 Destination Media Sectors: 2,295,104

I 00:22:46 Write Mode: DVD

I 00:22:46 Write Type: DAO

I 00:22:46 Write Speed: 12x

I 00:22:46 Link Size: Auto

I 00:22:46 Test Mode: No

I 00:22:46 BURN-Proof: Enabled

I 00:22:49 Filling Buffer... (20 MB)

I 00:22:50 Writing LeadIn...

I 00:23:15 Writing Image... (LBA: 0 - 2259071)

I 00:29:45 Synchronising Cache...

I 00:29:46 Closing Track...

I 00:29:48 Finalising Disc...

I 00:30:07 Image MD5: 1a77cce4363076a13b6ffefcf3f2b920

I 00:30:07 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:07:21

I 00:30:07 Average Write Rate: 11,584 KB/s (8.4x) - Maximum Write Rate: 16,220 KB/s (11.7x)

[LIGHTNING UK!]

I haven't burned an ISO/IMG file for a while.

 

Maybe you haven't burnt one in a while, but could you?!

 

We're not exactly getting anywhere by just looking at your machine failing to produce a steady stream of data in build mode.

[dontasciime]

I thought you had said 2.3.1.0 did not do it

 

Info: For the last few hours I've been running tests and found something interesting. Imgburn 2.3.1.0 ALWAYS worked perfectly when I burned a single layer DVD+R which I noticed the Buffer was at 100% and the Device Buffer remained around 90% and NEVER bounced around extremely causing the burner to reach the 12x speed I selected and a burning time of around 6:09.

 

Graph says otherwise

 

I would just accept that the device buffer is dropping as most do when disc is maybe not as good as it should be, maybe the 1.15 firmware is not that good at 12x try 8x which is far better speed to burn at anyway.

 

Try some other good quality discs maybe -R

 

Or reinstall your operating system with the latest chipset drivers and anything your supposed to install.

 

In the correct order as well.

 

but just a minimal install to see if your CPU usage still remains that high

[DjKilla]

Imgburn 2.3.1.0 wasn't giving me any problems but on this last install, I was getting the same problems. In a few hours I'll be burning some ISO files and using Taiyo Yuden 16x DVD-R media. I'll also burn at 8X and 12X to see if there's a difference.

[DjKilla]

(Version 2.3.2.0)

I switched to DVD-R and made the following burns with better results. I'm beginning to think it's more of a media problem and possably firmware.

 

Burned using Build mode at 12x:

 

Burned IMG using Write mode at 12x:

 

 

**I'm going to burn a couple more IMG files and post Task Manager pics to see how much CPU time Imgburn is taking.

Edited April 26, 2007 by DjKilla