Annoying problem with dvd burner won't burn cds first time

[koinhelgo]

If this is a burn issue and it is the wrong forum I'm sorry.......

I have been having problems burning cds with my burner, which
is an ARTEC VOM12Ex48 (single layer) there is only one firmware available for this and it is installed fine.

It burns DVDs fine and has no problems with them other than crap media issues.
When I go to burn CDs it hangs and gives a power calibration error after approx 6 mins. But if I then tell it to burn a second time it burns perfectly with no issues. This happens no matter if it's data audio or mp3s
This used to happen very rarely and only with NERO but now happens every time and with all burning programs I have tried - bought Roxio but too scared to install it with risk of conflicts (anyway I like NERO I have been using it since before it had a GUI).
I have done some research about this - NERO site says it's a power issue, media issue or burner issue. This site says it is primarily media issue and I would agree but......
Don't think it's a power issue 350 W PSU and I don't have any other significant probs with the pc.
Can't be a media issue cos it burns perfectly the second time I tell it to burn, using the same disc that was in on the fail attempt. The media also burns well in my plextor SCSI drive - on a different pc now though. I have tried at different speeds and with other media I have but have ordered a sample pack of 20 discs to test a range.
Could be a burner issue but it burns DVDs fine and again burns CDs fine the second time around.
That only leaves pc and or software.
I think this is to do with NERO as it has been specifically worse after install of 6.6 (any version now using 6.6.0.15) which I had to do cos of an update to XP SP2. But it could also be because of the upgrade to SP2. It is stange that it now does it with EVERY burning program I can use.
If I try to cancel the burn the drive is locked and I have to do a reboot - usually by pressing the power button because the pc seems to then ignore the shutdown request.
If I let it come up with the error it burns the CD fine on the next burn, but the delay is a pain.
By the way DMA is enabled and burner is master on secondary channel
Any ideas.

[SaSi]

One thing to do is - if you have access to the other PC you mentioned - to transfer the burner to the other PC and try burning CDs there. If it works fine, then you have a problem with the PC.

I would not suspect Nero on the burning CD issue. Yes, there have been some really frustrating versions back a year ago, but Nero 6.6 is quite stable and the CD recording algorithms have frozen some years ago.

I had a similar experience with a Samsung DVD burner that would generate hissing on Audio CDs burned at over 4x (!!). A new f/w revision really improved things before I scrapped it. It works as a DVD burner (dual layer) but since I also wanted to burn CDs, I bought a NEC.

Prices are so low these days.

I guess you get the general idea...

[koinhelgo]

Yeah you're right - it just aint worth the hassle so I've ordered an
NEC 3540.
Maybe I'll install it along with my Artec burner and my DVD ROM.
The Artec writer rips DVDs at upto 11x and I've heard that the
NEC only rips upto 8x, so maybe I'll have a set up to cope with
any problem.

I would have liked to have traced the problem - let's hope it aint the
power supply or the pc............
Regards