CD-RW drive won't write CD-R disk

[BeaverBob]

I cannot get my Sony CD-RW drive to write a CD-R disk. Whenever I try to write to a CD-R
disk, I get an ATAPI error which says the data transfer speed is too low. The drive is in a system
with a 700 MHz Athalon processor, and runs Windows 98 SE. The drive is configured on IDE
Secondary Master. I have disabled all other running software to eliminate possible conflicts. I?ve
checked configuration settings and can?t find anything that looks suspicious. I?ve tried running
Sony?s drive diagnostic?that produces a ?Write? error.

 

[mjinks61]

Try burning at a slower speed.
That will reduce the speed at which teh data is needed to be fed to the buffer.

Good luck, and Happy Computing

 

[cdogg]

BeaverBob,
Are you copying from CD to CD or from the hard drive to CD? Transfer rates are much quicker from hard drive to CD, which usually allows you to burn at full speed. However, depending on how you have your system setup, CD to CD might not work any faster than 8-12x.

Also, what software are you using (Roxio or Nero)? Make sure you run the speed tests before you start burning CD's. The speed tests gauge the performance of your source drives, so that the software understands its limitations.




~cdogg

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
- A. Einstein

 

[BeaverBob]

Thank you for your comments. I?m using B?s Recorder Gold5, the software that came bundled
with the drive. I?ve tried various speed settings?the B?s allows me to select down to 8X. The 8X
setting gives the same result as any other setting I choose, namely the ATAPI error telling me the
data transfer speed is too slow. All of this testing I?ve been doing is attempting to copy files from
the HDD to the CD-R. I?m convinced the problem is hardware related since Sony?s drive
diagnostic fails (as described in the original message).

 

[cdogg]

Check and see if the Sony drive has DMA (Direct Memory Access) enabled. If it isn't, then enable it. If it was enabled, disable it and reboot the system. Sometimes the DMA setting is hard to find, but usually it's located under the properties for the IDE controller or the CDROM drive in Device Manager.

Also, if you have another device on the secondary IDE channel (like another CDROM), try disconnecting it temporarily (with the PC off of course). See if the diagnostics test and burn test still fails.

If it's a new drive, consider contacting Sony for help. Also, visit their website and look closely through their FAQ section and knowledgebase.




~cdogg

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
- A. Einstein

 

[Mulga]

cdogg gives excellent advice, if you still have no luck after trying his suggestions I would guess you probably have a hardware failure in the drive.

Help us to help you, please post back and tell us if this helped.
All things are possible except skiing through a revolving door.

 

[BeaverBob]

When I first discovered the problem, I contacted Sony. First thing they wanted me to try using a
product that was on their recommended list. That didn?t solve anything. I made numerous calls
and emails back and forth, received a number of suggestions of things to try, but none of that
helped. One of the things they had me do was to check the DMA settings under the hardware
configurations. That didn?t change anything either.

I?ve tried every conceivable configuration I could think of. I?ve disconnected by second CD-
ROM drive. I?ve had the CD-RW drive configured at primary slave, and as secondary master.
Sony told me that drive prefers to be configured as secondary master. Yesterday I installed the
CD-RW drive in a different computer to see if that would make any difference. It didn?t.

 

[cdogg]

&quot;First thing they <Sony> wanted me to try using a product that was on their recommended list&quot;

Could you explain what product you're talking about? Is there something you're using that's NOT on their recommended list? If so, what?

Secondly, did the other PC that you tried also have something NOT on the recommended list?



If the drive has problems in more than one PC, then perhaps it's toast. Assuming this is a new drive, Sony should replace it if nothing works. Make sure you mention to them everything you've tried including another PC.

~cdogg

&quot;The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.&quot;
- A. Einstein

 

[BeaverBob]

Sorry. The 'product' is the CD-R I'm trying to write. Initially I had been using Imation 48X disks (which are not on Sony's recommended list). After contacting them I started using TDK CD-R disks which are on their recommended list. Everything else I have done has been per their instructions.

 

[cdogg]

Brand of CD-R doesn't usually cause problems like this one. So, it's no surprise that it made no difference.

Well, the best you can probably do is continue to contact them. Might not be likely, but it's always possible that your drive needs replaced.

~cdogg

&quot;The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.&quot;
- A. Einstein

 

[Mulga]

I would say that drive is dead, the fact that it will not work in another system pretty much rules out motherboard or cable problems and you have done just about everything possible on the software side. Final test would be to borrow another CD-RW drive and stick it in your system, I would bet it will work.

Help us to help you, please post back and tell us if this helped.
All things are possible except skiing through a revolving door.

 

[smico]

does the writer copy cd to cd? it sounds like i have the same problem, i have atapi cd-r/rw. nero nor media player will write from files on harddrive

 

[BeaverBob]

Won't write CD to CD either.

 

[BeaverBob]

Sony finally replaced the drive--everything works great now.