Burning coasters about every other disk

[artietheonemanparty]

I've been burning dvds for a few years now, using mainly DVDShrink, Nero, and DVD Decrypter, along with a Pioneer DVR-108 burner. Recently I've been ripping the movies using DVDFab Platinum, then burning with shrink/nero.

I've used only Verbatim DVD-R 16x disks for the past year or so.

When I'm using DVDShrink (version 3.0.2.15), it encodes fine, and burns about 1/2 the disk. Then I get an error. I've enclosed the portion of the log generated where the error starts:

3:12:50 PM #23 Text 0 File Cdrdrv.cpp, Line 7941
---- DVD Structure: Physical Format Information (00h) ----
Layer: 0, Address: 0 (0 h), AGID: 0; Length: 2050
Book Type: DVD-R (2), Part Version: 5
Disc Size: 120 mm, Maximum Rate: <not specified> (F h)
Number of Layers: 1, Track Path: Parallel Track Path (PTP), Layer Type: recordable
Linear Density: 0,267 um/bit, Track Density: 0,74 um/track
Starting Physical Sector Number of Data Area: 30000 h (DVD-ROM, DVD-R/-RW, DVD+R/+RW)
End Physical Sector Number of Data Area: 0 h
End Sector Number in Layer 0: 0 h
Data in Burst Cutting Area (BCA) does not exist
Media Specific:
60 00 10 20 30 40 50 00 - 00 00 21 00 00 00 00 00 `...0@P...!.....
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 - 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 - 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................

3:12:51 PM #24 Text 0 File Cdrdrv.cpp, Line 1277
15:12:51.890 - PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-108\H1 T1 : Queue again later

It then repeats this "Queue again later" part a bunch of times.

If I re-boot, I can usually burn a new disk with no problem. I've made about 6 coasters in the past few weeks, which is why I'm wondering what is going on.

Help!?

[CWR03]

A quick search would have given you this thread (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=108355) with the identical error code. The nearest determination made was that the drive was was either failing or dirty, but since the original poster wouldn't or couldn't attempt to try most of the recommended solutions there was no successful outcome. Try:

1) Cleaning the drive with a special cleaning disk
2) Burning at a speed that does not exceed half the rated burn speed of the drive or media (i. e. if you use 16X media in an 8X burner, burn at 4X, which is half the rated speed of the burner)
3) ImgBurn for burning instead of Nero

If none of the above helps, the drive may be failing. The message points to a power calibration error.

[mudda_t]

I'm sure you've probably already done this but have you tried defragging your hdd?
.
A fragmented drive will give you plenty of coasters.

[Capsbackup]

Have you tried burning an image with ImgBurn to see if the burning program could be at fault?

[artietheonemanparty]

I successfully burned 4 disks last night, without having to re-boot. I did a couple using shrink to create an ISO image file, and then I burned the image with Nero. I also did a couple directly with shrink, and in all cases I turned the burn speed down to 12x instead of 16x. so far, so good.

[Arachnotron]

Another thing to try is upgrading to the latest firmware. The burn strategies for various DVDs are stored in a table in the firmware, so as newer DVDs come out older firmwares don't know how to handle them and fall back on a default strategy which may not be optimal.

The brand of a DVD does not guarantee that the disks were actually made in the same factory using the same procedure. There are plenty utils out there that can ID the true manufacturer of a DVD.

[Bond007]

I had similar problems with burning dvds with imgburn, on my nec2510 bought a new drive, everything everything was the same. It turned out to be a power supply problem, mixed with poorer quality media. It was in shuttle, 250W PSU, and i had 3 hard drives, a dvd writer 3.06GHz p4 and 9800XT in it. I know you are saying no wonder with a 250W PSU. But it had been working fine for months before hand, it just started with the new batch of media i bought and some of my friends media too. Removed some hard drives and all was fine again.

Turning off the pc and leaving it for a few minutes would allow me to burn another disc successfully.