NEC 3520a

[belmont717]

I'm having problems with my NEC 3520a. I have Ridata dvd+rs 8x, but when I burn the dvdr with nero at 8x it takes as long as if it was burning at 4x. I was using nero 6.3. I've upgraded to 6.6 with the same results. Is the dvdrs bad or is it jus my writer? Thanks for any help.

[vcdforme]

Both of my NEC's work excellent.
But....I do not use +R, I've always used -R, not that I think that
matters.
It sounds to me maybe your computer doesn't have
enough ooomph. 8X must be able to easily transfer approx 12meg/sec.

[belmont717]

I have a P4 2.4ghz with HT and 512mb of ram. Is that enough ooomph to burn at 8x? Hope its not time to upgrade =(. hehe.

[junkmalle]

Check the DMA settings for both the hard drive(s) and DVD burner.

[belmont717]

Where do I go to check the DMA settings?

[junkmalle]

Right click on My Computer, select Manage, Device Manager, open IDE ATA/Atapi Controllers, double click on Primary IDE channel, Advanced Settings. Make sure Transfer Mode is set to "DMA if Available", and Current Transfer Mode is a DMA mode, not PIO. Do the same with Secondary IDE Channel (whatever channels your devices are on).

If you change to "DMA if available", and after rebooting you don't have a DMA mode, try uninstalling the Primary and/or Secondary IDE Channel device drivers and rebooting. Windows will reinstall the drivers and that usually fixes the problem.

Also, make sure you have 80 wire IDE cables to the DVD writer, not 40 wire.

[belmont717]

Is it normal to have 4 listings for the IDE ATA/Atapi Controllers? Here's a pic of what I'm talking about:

http://www.geocities.com/belmont717/Idecontroller.JPG

I have 2 hard drives installed.

[INFRATOM]

That shows you have pci ide card in the computer. Did you buy a big HD that came with pc card? you can have 8 ide devices in your computer.
Regarding NEC 3520 I have one of those when I update FW it was working ok ~ great but gradully rip speed went down now it reads DL around 3~4 X but SL at higher rate around 7x. Any suggestions, I was think either the laser is going soft maybe or the FW somehow changes gear! anyone know if there is a new FW to flash. Thanks

[belmont717]

I don't think I have a pc card. My hard drives are only 120gb.

INFRATOM you think if i upgraded FW it will let me burn at 8x?

[chas0039]

Ritek R03 had problems early on and some versions of NEC firmware locked this media at 4X due to poor burn quality at 8X. Check here and try the 1.UF firmware.

http://liggydee.cdfreaks.com/page/3520/

I have found it to be the best for most of the high quality media. Also, be aware, Ritek R03 still has some problems. I won't use it anymore and I used up the last of what I was stuck with at 4X. You might not want to go to 8X.

[belmont717]

Thanks for the tip chas0039. This is probably a dumb question but what is Ritek R03? What is the R03?

[soundforbjt]

Thanks for the tip chas0039. This is probably a dumb question but what is Ritek R03? What is the R03?

Ritek R03 is the media code or manufacture's ID code for the DVDs you own. You can find out for sure if that's the media code by using Nero's CD - DVD Speed and clicking on the disc info tab with a blank disc in the burner.

[belmont717]

Thanks for the information soundforbjt. I'll give that a try and see if it is R03.

edit 10/3/05:
Yep it is R03.

[INFRATOM]

sorry belmont717 for delay I was away. You should be able to burn with your rated speed that says on dvd, if it doesn't the flow of info from your hard drive is slow . if your HD and dvd burner are on the same channel it will slow down. There are other reasons too. My advice is to start with a good media, the best is made in Japan and you can get them on sale from stores every now and then or online around 30 cents so you can be sure it is not media. if you divide the bad burns cost to the good ones cheap media will cost you more! FW update enable you to burn at higher rated speed which is not good specially with medium quality media. I will not burn at higher speed because there is a chance of freezeups and the difference in only 2 ~ 3 minutes.

[belmont717]

I just tried another DVD media and it still burns at 4x. My friend who gave me the DVD never had problems with it and always burned at 8x. I was told that having both the HDD and the burner on the same IDE cable didn't really matter. Any ideas is appreciated thanks.

[chas0039]

I just tried another DVD media and it still burns at 4x. My friend who gave me the DVD never had problems with it and always burned at 8x. I was told that having both the HDD and the burner on the same IDE cable didn't really matter. Any ideas is appreciated thanks.

HD and optical drives can be a lot of trouble but I still think your firmware is burning the media because it is not current.

I need the firmware in your NEC and the media ID of the new discs. CDspeed can get you the media ID.

[belmont717]

I've updated to the lastest firmware 3.06 and I still can't burn at 8x on my Ritek dvd-r. Any ideas what is wrong? Thanks.

[chas0039]

Now you are asking about -R Ritek. What is the media code, G04 or G05?

[ando2k5]

im having similar problems suuch as i can't read a dvd at over 1.4 speed and won't write over 2.4 speed i had the 1.UG firmware thinking that was the problem so i ugraded to the latest but still the same this is with all media

i have a cdrw on the same IDE but the NEC is set to MASTER

any ideas?

[bevills1]

Be sure you have latest 6.6.0.18 update available at http://ww2.nero.com/nero6/enu/Updates.html. I have NEC 3520A that burns Ritek Arita 8X DVD+R at 8X with latest official NEC firmware. Yours should burn 8X too if you have DMA enabled and have latest firmware and latest Nero update. Mine burns Ritek G04 -R discs at 12X!

[ando2k5]

but its not just nero its every app ive tried

alcohol 120%
blindwrite
nero
dvd decrypter


all the latest versions apart from nero which is a stable version

ok not sure how but my secondry ide controllers got switched to PIO moded instead of DMA don't know how it happened ive fixed the problem now by reverting back

but is there any way i can stop this from happening again

[bevills1]

Did you determine if DMA is enabled, and what Windows version is running? Nero displays buffer status during burn process, and it should remain between 90 to 100 percent if DMA is enabled. Fluctuation to low percentages even near zero is a sure sign DMA is not enabled. If you have latest firmware, latest Nero update, and problem persists even with other burning programs, this I think further indication DMA is not enabled. To check and/or change DMA for Windows 2000 with which I'm familiar open Device Manager, open IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers, for each one right click each controller, select properties, click Advanced Settings, from drop down menu select DMA If Available and click OK. Reboot is necessary before settings take effect if memory serves. Steps for Windows XP are likely slightly different, but you basically need to find the DMA settings within Device Manager and make selections necessary to enable DMA. I had similar problems when I first began burning DVDs, and enabling DMA was the instant fix. I did a Google search for "Enable DMA in Windows" and clicked link for "How to Enable DMA in Windows XP" which gives Windows XP instructions, and link for Windows 98 for Windows 98 instructions is next search hit below that. One of these links should tell you how to enable DMA if not running Windows 2000, and the problem should be remedied once DMA is enable.

[bevills1]

It just occurrred to me one other possible source of problems which may be why some of your settings were changed back to PIO only. You need to be sure DMA is enabled in your BIOS (sometimes called CMOS). During PC boot you should see message that tells how to enter BIOS setup. Mine is Award CMOS setup and displays "Press Delete to enter setup." I've seen other systems that requires pressing F1 or soemthing else to enter. The DMA settings in my BIOS are in the Integrated Peripherals area and are set to Auto. Yours may be same or different area, and you just need to find DMA settings and make sure they are enabled. Once enabled be sure to select "Save and exit setup" to make changes permanent. Hope this solves the problem. Take cuation though to not just randomly make other BIOS changes without knowing effects of those changes since problems booting could result if you don't know what you're doing.