Help Please! Inexperienced User!!!! DMA/PIO Mode

[danrumsey]

I am an inexperienced user in DVD writing. I got a Optorite DD0201 DVD+-RW a few months ago and i installed it about 2 months ago. It had been running fine up until about 2 weeks ago. I have been told that the setting must be in DMA mode, but for some reason, it will not change from 'PIO Mode Only'. Even if i try to change it to DMA Mode, it just doesnt work!!! I upgraded the firmware a while ago because DVD-Rs were only writing at 2x instead of 4x. The original firmware was 2.13 and i upgraded to 2.50. The discs i am currently using is Datawrite Red V3 4x.....i have tried others too but still with the same result!

The error message that appears when i try to write with Nero is "Track Following Error". When i write in simulation only mode, it seems to work fine. So far over the past couple of weeks ive wasted about 20 DVD-Rs and it is really starting to get annoying!

I have been told before that it may be because my DVD+-RW should be set as Master drive but i dont even know how to do this! So any help, either way would be great

If anyone could help me with this problem i would be very greatful. My system spec is:
2.50 Ghz Intel Celeron Processor
128MB DDR RAM
40GB HDD
Optorite DD0201 DVD+-RW
eMachines CD-RW & DVD Rom Drive
3D AGP Graphics Card

Its not the best of PCs but i know it isnt because of the PC itself as it worked on here many times before to burn about 80 discs

[pete2828]

Here what you need to do:

1- click on control panel then to system.
2- On the hardware tab click on device manager
3- under catagory IDE controllers make sure each channel has DMA enabled if not then remove that chanel and restart. DO NOT REMOVE THE CONTROLER. REMOVE THE CHANEL ( either "primary IDE channel" or "secondary IDE channel"). I repeat not the conrtoler. if you do so you will miss up your system.

[Redd]

I assume you running WinXP

Right Click My Computer
Choose Properties
Choose Hardware
Choose Device Manager
Click the + in front of IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers
Double Click the secondary IDE Controller
Choose the Advanced Settings Tab
Enable DMA

[RJJ]

Make sure your DVD-RW is set as a master on secondary IDE.

You may need to reconfigure your computer.

Primary IDE: Master HDD (c, slave your other CDR/DVD. Either set jumper manually or set both to cable select. Put HDD on end of 80 wire cable and CDR/DVD in the middle.

Secondary IDE set your DVD-RW as master on this ribbon. Again use CS and set drive at end. DONOT put both CD/DVD drives on the same cable.

XP will automatically reinstall drives on next boot. XP has lowered the speed of the DVD-RW to PIO due to some reoccuring error. As someone has already suggested, if the PIO problem persists you need to delete the offending drive from the hardware Device manager in system. On reboot XP will reinstall the drive, hopefully in DMA.

[RJJ]

Buy some more memory.

512MB is considered minimum these days. (256MB is the absolute minimum on an XP system).

[budz]

here's a guide with pictures on how to set to DMA mode in XP
http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=7625

here's a thread on problems with DMA mode in XP
http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=6645

good luck