DVD burning write error, speed drops to zero

[ministryofmind]

Hi all, I'm backing up some anime DVDs and managed to rip to ISO successfully on my PC with DVD decrypter. I was burning a lot of DVDs, one or two a day, with no problems. Occassionally there would be a skip here or there in a disk but I wrote it off to crappy disk media. But as I've only occassionally gotten coasters I stuck with them and everything was fine.

Just this week things started getting worse and I suspect it's a hardware problem. Burning with either Nero or DVD Decryptor of the ripped ISOs (or any ISOs for that matter), it would give me a I/O error DVD decryptor after the write speed drops down to zero with the buffers all at 100% and me running a clean and healthy system. After checking ignore write errors it would stop reporting the I/o error but it would still drop down to 0 write speed. The DVD burner itself sounds a bit unhealthy like it's trying to spin up fast but just drops over and over again.

Is my dvd burner just crapping out on me? It seems that the discs that come out (the coasters) seem unusually hot. Maybe it's over heating? I tried rebooting and waiting a bit but that didn't help. Please help.

The write speed dropping to zero occurs at any random point during the burning process. Here's all the info about what I'm using:

Hardware:
P4 2.8 GHz, 1.2 Gigs of Ram, WinXP SP2
Samson SH-W162C with the latest firmware DVD burner CD burner combo
HP DVD-R media 8x (so they claim but disc info turned up CMC media and wouldn't write at anything but 4x, crappy, yes, but I had very few problems before for about a year)

Software:
DVD decryptor 3.5.1.0
Nero Burning Rom OEM 6, 6, 0, 15
Alcohol 120 (which wasn't used for this project)
No Roxio (I never had that crap)

Here's my Nero log, problem in bold:

Windows XP 5.1
IA32
WinAspi: -
ahead WinASPI: File 'C:\Program Files\Ahead\nero\Wnaspi32.dll': Ver=2.0.1.74, size=164112 bytes, created 10/26/2004 12:35:32 PM
Nero Version: 6.6.0.15
Internal Version: 6, 6, 0, 15e
(Nero Express)
Recorder: <TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-W162C>Version: TS10 - HA 2 TA 0 - 6.6.0.15
Adapter driver: <atapi> HA 2
Drive buffer : 2048kB
Bus Type : via Inquiry data (1) -> ATAPI, detected: ATAPI
Connected to MMC as unknown drive with class-nr : 1
Drive is autodetected - recorder class: Std. MMC recorder
CD-ROM: <HL-DT-ST CD-RW GCE-8483B >Version: B105 - HA 2 TA 1 - 6.6.0.15
Adapter driver: <atapi> HA 2

=== Scsi-Device-Map ===
DiskPeripheral : WDC WD400BB-75FJA1 atapi Port 0 ID 0 DMA: On
DiskPeripheral : ST3120026AS atapi Port 1 ID 0 DMA: On
CdRomPeripheral : TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-W162C atapi Port 2 ID 0 DMA: On
CdRomPeripheral : HL-DT-ST CD-RW GCE-8483B atapi Port 2 ID 1 DMA: Off

=== CDRom-Device-Map ===
TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-W162C D: CDRom0
HL-DT-ST CD-RW GCE-8483B E: CDRom1
=======================

AutoRun : 1
Excluded drive IDs:
WriteBufferSize: 83886080 (0) Byte
ShowDrvBufStat : 0
BUFE : 0
Physical memory : 1278MB (1309680kB)
Free physical memory: 705MB (722872kB)
Memory in use : 44 %
Uncached PFiles: 0x0
Use Inquiry : 1
Global Bus Type: default (0)
Check supported media : Disabled (0)

23.6.2006
Burn DVD Image
3:10:40 AM #1 Text 0 File Reader.cpp, Line 127
Reader running

3:10:40 AM #2 Text 0 File Writer.cpp, Line 122
Writer TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-W162C running

3:10:40 AM #3 Text 0 File Burncd.cpp, Line 3231
Turn on Disc-At-Once, using DVD media

3:10:41 AM #4 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 267
Last possible write address on media: 2298495 (510:46.45, 4489MB)
Last address to be written: 2172216 (482:42.66, 4242MB)

3:10:41 AM #5 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 279
Write in overburning mode: NO (enabled: CD)

3:10:41 AM #6 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 2457
Recorder: TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-W162C, Media type: DVD-R
Disc Manufacturer: CMC MA - G. AE1
Disc Application Code: 64, Disc Physical Code: 193

3:10:41 AM #7 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 445
>>> Protocol of DlgWaitCD activities: <<<
=========================================

3:10:41 AM #8 Text 0 File ThreadedTransferInterface.cpp, Line 830
Setup items (after recorder preparation)
0: TRM_DATA_MODE1 (2 - CD-ROM Mode 1, ISO 9660)
2 indices, index0 (150) not provided
original disc pos #0 + 2172217 (2172217) = #2172217/482:42.67
not relocatable, disc pos for caching/writing not required/not required, no patch infos
-> TRM_DATA_MODE1, 2048, config 0, wanted index0 0 blocks, length 2172217 blocks [TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-W162C]
--------------------------------------------------------------

3:10:41 AM #9 Text 0 File ThreadedTransferInterface.cpp, Line 1043
Prepare recorder [TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-W162C] for write in CUE-sheet-DAO
DAO infos:
==========
MCN: ""
TOCType: 0x00; Session Closed, disc fixated
Tracks 1 to 1:
1: TRM_DATA_MODE1, 2048/0x00, FilePos 0 0 4448700416, ISRC ""
DAO layout:
===========
__Start_|____Track_|_Idx_|_CtrlAdr_|_RecDep_______ ___
0 | lead-in | 0 | 0x41 | 0x00
0 | 1 | 0 | 0x41 | 0x00
0 | 1 | 1 | 0x41 | 0x00
2172217 | lead-out | 1 | 0x41 | 0x00

3:10:41 AM #10 Phase 24 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1832
Caching of files started

3:10:41 AM #11 Text 0 File Burncd.cpp, Line 4116
Cache writing successful.

3:10:41 AM #12 Phase 25 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1832
Caching of files completed

3:10:41 AM #13 Phase 36 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1832
Burn process started at 4x (5,540 KB/s)

3:10:41 AM #14 Text 0 File ThreadedTransferInterface.cpp, Line 2643
Verifying disc position of item 0 (not relocatable, no disc pos, no patch infos, orig at #0): write at #0

3:10:41 AM #15 Text 0 File DVDR.cpp, Line 2340
Recording mode: Sequential Recording Mode

3:10:41 AM #16 Text 0 File Mmc.cpp, Line 21627
Set BUFE: Super Link -> ON

3:10:41 AM #17 Text 0 File DVDR.cpp, Line 2494
Start write address at LBA 0
DVD high compatibility mode: Yes

3:10:41 AM #18 Text 0 File Cdrdrv.cpp, Line 8821
---- 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 (LBN: FFFD0000 h, 4193920 MB)
Data in Burst Cutting Area (BCA) does not exist
Start sector number of the current Border-Out: 0 h
Start sector number of the next Border-In: 0 h
Media Specific [16..63]:
00 30 00 10 20 00 00 00 - 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .0..............
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 ................

3:11:58 AM #19 Text 0 File Cdrdrv.cpp, Line 1288
03:11:58.140 - TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-W162C\H2 T0 : Queue again later

3:35:05 AM #20 SCSI -1135 File Cdrdrv.cpp, Line 1436
SCSI Exec, HA 2, TA 0, LUN 0, buffer 0x067B0000
Status: 0x04 (0x01, SCSI_ERR)
HA-Status 0x00 (0x00, OK)
TA-Status 0x02 (0x01, SCSI_TASTATUS_CHKCOND)
Sense Key: 0x03 (KEY_MEDIUM_ERROR)
Sense Code: 0x0C
Sense Qual: 0x00
CDB Data: 0x2A 0x00 0x00 0x19 0x82 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x20 0x00 0x00 0x00
Sense Data: 0x71 0x00 0x03 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x0A
0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x0C 0x00

3:35:05 AM #21 CDR -1135 File Writer.cpp, Line 311
Write error

3:35:05 AM #22 Text 0 File ThreadedTransfer.cpp, Line 228
all writers idle, stopping conversion

3:35:05 AM #23 Text 0 File ThreadedTransfer.cpp, Line 222
conversion idle, stopping reader

3:35:05 AM #24 Text 0 File DVDR.cpp, Line 2732
EndDAO: Last written address was 1671679

3:35:05 AM #25 Phase 38 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1832
Burn process failed at 4x (5,540 KB/s)


Existing drivers:
File 'Drivers\ADPU160M.SYS': Ver=v3.60a (Lab01_N(johnstra).010529-2218), size=101888 bytes, created 8/17/2001 3:07:32 PM
File 'Drivers\CDRALW2K.SYS': Ver=8.0.0.212 , size=2560 bytes, created 5/19/2006 5:16:24 PM
File 'WNASPINT.DLL': Ver=V1.18, size=57344 bytes, created 3/20/2006 1:00:00 AM
File 'Drivers\PXHELP20.SYS': Ver=3.00.11B, size=46080 bytes, created 5/16/2006 4:23:54 PM (Prassi/Veritas driver for win 2K)
File 'Drivers\atapi.sys': Ver=5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158), size=95360 bytes, created 8/4/2004 1:59:42 AM (Adapter driver for rec)

Registry Keys:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\AllocateCDROMs : 0 (Security Option)

[Krispy Kritter]

The fact that you can hear the drive speed changing as it is trying to burn, would seem to indicate hardware failure. The drive will usually spin up then run at a constant speed as it burns (slowly increasing rpm's as it writes across the disc). you shouldn't hear it starting/stopping.

[aedipuss]

speeding up and slowing down can be the "burn proof" system trying to write data over again a number of times before it fails. could be a bad media batch. try some verbatim or t.y.

[oldandinthe way]

You say you've been running the drive for over a year. Although it could be a bad batch of media, may bet would be that the drive has decided to die. My Samsung drive failed at 11 months, as did a close friend's. Try other media, try cleaning the drive, and consider replacing it with either another Samsung or a LG drive (you really do not want to have to become concerned about the brands of media you use and most other drives are very picky).

If you burn a lot of disks your media savings will more than cover the cost of a new drive each year, and you will have better results overall..

[budz]

Use better dvd media.....CMC is just pure crap!

[oldandinthe way]

Users of Samsung and LG drives do not have problems with CMC media.

[ministryofmind]

Hmm, thank you all for your replies. Any ideas on how I can clean my drive or something?

I never did have problems with CMC media. I'm pretty sure it is a hardware problem. Thank you all for your input.

Edit:

How come I can read and rip just fine?