DRU-500/Nero, hard-disk read speed slowdown, cant burn.

[Bingo31]

Hi,

trying to burn a DVD-R using Nero 5.x (or 6.x).
Sony DRU-500a (2.0g) in PIO mode (won't work in DMA mode, drive is seen but no disks can by read)

When trying to create a DVD Video Nero starts to read the vob files etc from my hard drive at a good speed 20x + then after a second or too slows down to 2.9x or 3.0x (around 4Mb/s).

I have used the "Test all drive speeds" function under the Nero preferences/cache screen and all discs come out over 30,000KB/s.

I have made 5 coasters so far, the process gets to maybe 60% done then fails, , have turned on Simulation in Nero and now I can see that the simulation fails.

Hard-Drive is running at UDMA-5, I have even tried moving the source files to my scsi hard-drive and I see exactly the same problem.

Hard-drives have 0% fragmentation (i use Diskkeeper).

I'm not 100% sure that my problem is caused by the read-speed slow down.

Media is orange bulk-paq 4x DVD-R.

I seem to be able to burn a DVD+RW (2.4x) OK every time, I haven't checked to see if the hard-disk read speed is different somehow.

I have tried the DVD-R at 2x and still the same problem.

I think a key fact is that the simulation fails.

I did manage to successfully burn exactly the same files a few days ago onto the same orange DVD-R so I can't figure the problem.

I have tried disabling AV software, I just upgraded the drive from 2.0f to 2.0g but still problems.

I have done numerous Google searches and have seen that a few other people are having this problem and think it is a Nero bug.


I'll try to create some other vob files etc and see if I have the same read-speed problems..

Would appreciate any help,

cheers,

Colin

System.

Dell Precision 530
Win XP Pro SP1
2 x 2Ghz Xeon
1Gb PC800 RDRAM
18Gb SCSI
2 x 40GB IDE (UDMA-5) (80wire IDE cables)
DVD-ROM
Sony DRU-500A

[handyguy]

Try another media.

[69Dartman]

Try some good 4x + media and see if it works OK. I've used TDK and it works great at 4x. I have yet to find any - media that works faster then 2x and it does the same thing yours is doing in test mode. I have tried different firmwares, different ways of setting up all my IE drives, different copies of XP and Nero and always the same. It's a fault with the Sony and it's firmware or something not liking the media we use. Some drives work, most wont. I'll probably buy myself a Plex 8x or whatever else is good for X-mas and sell this one off then. At least it always does a good burn, just not as fast as we'd like with the minus stuff sometimes. You do need better media for sure, mine just burns it slow but it always works.

[Bingo31]

Thanks for the replies, I've just ordered some Ritek 4x media, hopefully I should see a difference. If it sorts it I'll post a note here..

Bit of a pain as I bought the Bulkpaq with the drive as it was recommended !!!



Col

[69Dartman]

Same here, I bought 50 minus 4x disks at PC Club and so far maybe 2 might have actually made 4x speed, the rest start at 4 then immediately drop to 2x as soon as the burn cache fills up I run mine in dma 2
mode here and it works fine so far as master on the main IDE controller.
Also make sure your ide drivers are up to date, that might help a bit if it's not just the drive being picky.

[handyguy]

Sony has a new firmware 2.0G but it made my accu dvds write at 1x & they used to write at 2x, but as long as your 2.4x disks write @2.4x then you know its the media.
http://sony.storagesupport.com/freeupgrade/

[Bingo31]

Found this site

http://www.sonydru500a.com

Has some good info + a media compatability chart...

The purple dye Riteks I bought won't work at all on this drive!
Having more luck with Verbatims.

cheers

Col

[Bingo31]

A bit more info...

The drive still would only work in PIO mode.

So I installed Intel Application Accelerator 2.3 and tested the various modes in there on the drive.

None of the UDMA modes work, but it works under DMA MW-2.

At least this would seem to be better than PIO.

If I notice any better performance from the drive I'll post results.

I have emailed Sony several times asking for an explanation of the PIO problem (it's a known problem mentioned in the DRU-500 FAQ), but they have ignored me.

Col

[Chriz]

If your drive doesn't work in DMA mode, you have something wrong in your configuration (software, cable, jumper....). Don't blame the media.
Anyway DRU500 burn a lot of 4x media at 2x !!!
For the moment, I'm only successful with memorex -R 4x and verbatim +R 4x

[Bingo31]

I've tried it as secondary master and slave, on it's own too. It's using 80 core ribbon, I've even changed that. I've re-installed XP + SP1. I've even install Win2000 (dual boot) and it's the same on that, the other drive on the IDE controller (DVD-ROM) works fine at UDMA-2.

It's a known problem with the DRU's..

Look here..

http://sony.storagesupport.com/cgi-bin/sonysupport.cgi/fRpmTHTOxQo3fD6wr6Q0D2TFQcqysvLI/faq/view/717

I actually got through to Sony tech support today and although the guys I spoke to weren't aware of a problem, they are calling me back tomorrow after they have investigated the link above.

I suspect it is probably an incompatibility with the Sony DRU and certain IDE chipsets/controllers. Hopefully find out more tomorrow.

I got some Verbatim DVD-R yesterday which I'm having more success with though.

[Chriz]

Strange... PIO consume a lot of CPU... too bad.
What is your motherboard ? I use Asus A7N8X-Deluxe rev 1.4

[Bingo31]

It's a Dell Precision 530 Dual Xeon (2.0Ghz) Workstation with a standard Intel motherboard.

My boot/OS drive is a SCSI one.
I have a pair of 40G drives on the Primary Master/Slave
The Sony is currently the Secondary Master (was the Slave at first)
My DVD-Rom is the Secondary Slave.

The controller is an Intel 82801BA...

My plan at the moment is too harass Sony into writing a new firmware version to support it !!!!

or

Buy a PCI IDE adaptor and try hanging it off that

As you say it sucks having something stuck at PIO so hopefully one of the solutions above will sort it..

cheers,

Col

[Chriz]

Well... good luck with Sony Tech Support.... When I call them because I was unable to burn at 4x Datawrite 4x while one friend with another DRU500AX can, they simply answer that Datawrite is not in the supported media list !!!

For info my DRU500AX is slave on secondary IDE, it is the recommended configuration.