How do you know when you have a bad burner?

[will7370]

Lately when I have tried to burn a DVD my burner will spin up to speed, but it just sits there. The light will not flash, and the progress bar on my burner software (Nero and AVS) never goes beyond 1% completion. If I try to abort the burn it never shuts down----I have to reboot the whole computer. So how can I know if I have a bad burner drive or just some bad configuration in my settings? I'm not sure what brand burner I have, it's listed as ATAPI iHAP322 9.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. The burner is only about a year old or so.

[rumplestiltskin]

If you have not already, try quality media like Verbatim. My experience (and others may disagree) has been that everything else readily available in stores is something less. If it still fails, your drive may be bad. Do try to clean the drive with some compressed air, as well.

[Noahtuck]

You have not read much here in the last 3 year eh.....

Use ImgBurn to burn disc's...

You also never stated what "brand" of dvdr.....

As rumplestiltskin stated, Media can make a BIG difference.
As well as the burning program you are using.

There are many other unknown factors also.... Seeing as you did not give much information.

[will7370]

Here's an update: I used a DVD lens cleaning disc on my burner and it immediately gave me a good burn (just on the one I tried so far). So I'll have to see if that fixed my problem.

As for the brand of media I've been using, shamefully I'll have to admit using Memorex (only because they've been the cheapest and most easily available at Sam's Club). Even then, I burned hundreds and hundreds of those with out a single coaster before this. I used to use Sony and TDK, but I just haven't seen those available in my local stores.

It's amazing to see the price differences for the same product. I can get that stack of 100 Memorex DVD-R for $28.00 at Sam's Club, but if I go over to Best Buy (yeah right), that same stack costs about $46.00. Go figure.

[wulf109]

With DVD burners at less than $20.00 perhaps you should buy a new burner and stop using Nero to burn. Use Imgburn as most people do.

[Noahtuck]

It's amazing to see the price differences for the same product. I can get that stack of 100 Memorex DVD-R for $28.00 at Sam's Club, but if I go over to Best Buy (yeah right), that same stack costs about $46.00. Go figure.

And if you watch newegg for sales you can get a 100 pack of good media, Verbatim, for $19.99 w/free shipping like i did last monday.

Took 3 days to arrive and they have sales 1-2 times a month.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817507003

With DVD burners at less than $20.00 perhaps you should buy a new burner and stop using Nero to burn. Use Imgburn as most people do.

Ditto