Media Not Blank! - Oh yes it is!!

[dvdpete]

When trying to burn pics in Nero 5.5.9.0 (Demo) under XP Pro (XP1600+, 512Mb Ram), Nero reports that the media in the CDRW is <empty> and requires either CD-R or CD-RW.

The media is a blank CD-R (80 min) and I've tried several different disks - including RW's.

Nero fails when erasing a CD-RW too.

Win XP Explorer also fails to write. I have had one successful write since rebuilding my machine.

I can't help but think that the ASPI dirvers or something is wrong.

Can anyone advise on what to check to sort this out?

Many thanks
Pete

[dvdpete]

Oh, forgot to mention - if I use menu option "Recorder/Media Info", Nero reports that the media is a CD-R showing the data & audio time free!"

[Nelson37]

1. Remove and replace the ribbon cables. Do NOT check them, pull them off and put them back on. try a different cable, check for bent pins. Try a different power connector also.

2. Remove the drive in Control Panel, physically disconnect it, reboot, shutdown, re-connect the drive, reboot.

3. re-install software, try another burn prog.

Recent system rebuild and intermittent, incomplete operation make #1 highly likely. The drive could also be defective, if you have easy access to another drive try that.

Also check DMA settings in BIOS and Control Panel.

[dvdpete]

Great! I'll give it all a try.

Just one more thing, what should the DMA settings be for a CD-Rom drive?

It's set as the Secondary Master (only device on 2nd ctrllr) and I have a DVD-Rom on Primary Slave.

Thanks
Pete

[kinneera]

The most important issue with your IDE configuration is that you should not put a slow I/O device (CD/DVD) on the same channel as your hard drive. The best configuration would be to move that DVD-ROM to the second channel. (Personally, I have my DVD-ROM as master on the second channel and the writer as slave).

[dvdpete]

Ill try moving them as you suggest.

I've replaced the power connectors and IDE cable but the problem still exists.

Have upgraded Nero to 5.5.9.0 and InCD to 3.1

InCD recognises RW format but crashes out halfway through with error message illegal operation / call to media.

Will keep you posted. Thanks to all to date!

Pete

[dvdpete]

OK - have now uninstall, rebooted, re-installed and moved the devices as follows:

Pri Master: IDE-0 40Gb HDD
Pri Slave: None

Sec Master: NEC 7700A CDRW
Sec Slave: Memorex DVD-Max48-Rom

The damn thing is still playing up!

The CDRW's are already used and I can't format them using InCD.
The CDR's are all new and I've tried about 5 so far at random intervals from the 100 stack!

Would you agree that the media should be OK and this is looking like a H/W problem?

Thanks
Pete

[mh2360]

Seeing as Nero is a well used and tested platform, i would certainly say the problem is hardware related....

BTW: I have my DVD rom as the Secondary master and my re-writer as slave... no problems at all.

[dvdpete]

Worth a bash - I'll swap them round that way.

Thanks
Pete.

[dvdpete]

OK.

InCD (Nero) still wont format the used CDRW. However, it seems to be getting further with a blank RW.

Why can't it erase a used RW? (Yes it is definately a RW!)

WHEN BURNING IN NERO, YOU DON'T NEED TO FORMAT THE DISK FIRST DO YOU?? (I may be going mad - but someone please help clear this up)

Thanks
Pete

[neuerkunde]

Hi

I have the same problem. Nero worked fine for years now! Since yesterday it gives me the same error message: "No CD-R or CD/RW Media inside"

It seems not to be a problem of Nero itself. Let me guess u re trying to burn a cue / bin compilation... (at least there I got this error message)
extract the *.dat file out of the *.bin with ISOBuster for example. Convert the *.dat to a normal *.mpg stream with VCDEasy's Mpeg Tools. No u can burn the Mpeg with Nero again.

That was the very hard way *g*

Just mess around with the *.cue file u want to burn. It seems that it gives Nero wrong or insufficient information about the *.bin structure.

[mh2360]

Nero has never been very good at burning BIN/CUE files... Use Fireburner instaed...

[mh2360]

OK.

InCD (Nero) still wont format the used CDRW. However, it seems to be getting further with a blank RW.

Thanks
Pete

I had this problem once. One of my Rewritable disks refused to format, newer disks were ok, i guess re-writable disks have a limited life.. is the disk you are using "well-used"?

[dvdpete]

No,

The CDRW I used last night was brand new - it formatted OK and I copied a 66mb file to it ok within explorer using InCD.

When I came to reformat the disk (Quick format) it returned the same error.

I was able to do a direct CD to CD copy using Nero Express but I can't create a new ISO Data CD with directory structures (e.g Different folders for different JPG subjects)

The CDRW's are made by Bush - perhaps they're as reliable as their Hi-fi gear?

[RoopeT]

Do you need to use InCD at all? Furthermore, do you have other Cd burning software installed on your system? Nero has problems on systems having EasyCDCreator/WinOnCD installed too.

You will definately get Nero working by uninstalling ALL Cd writing software and then installing just Nero (without InCD). You can install some other burning software after that, I haven't had any problems with CDRWin, CDRDao (VCDEasy), CloneCd sitting on the same system (WinXP, previously Win2k) with Nero. Don't install any packet writing software (DirectCD, PacketCd, InCD) if you aren't absolutely sure you can't live without it!

[Martok]

There seems to be a problem with the newest version of InCD.
I reinstalled v3.29.1 and all is well.

[dvdpete]

Nero is all that's loaded - I've uninstalled InCD and no other Packet s/w is loaded.

I still can't erase an RW - even a new one. But I can do a direct CD to CD copy....

Weired - and pi**ing me off now.

[Nelson37]

This IS strange. I have had MANY problems with packet-writing software, you might want to try uninstall and re-install NERO, and/or some other burner package (but just ONE at a time!).

You do not need to format a new RW to burn.

I believe the laser is set to a higher power setting to erase, still possible its a hardware problem but format an empty is same as format a used disk, so it should be OK. Media does change slightly, failure to recognize disk in drive sorta points to problem with media, try some different brands. Have you changed brand from what worked before? Is the drive new with the system upgrade? If within 30 days, try to exchange it.

Some CD drives, even alone on cable, don't work on Master setting, must be set to Slave. Try as standalone just for test. Check BIOS for CDROM setting, Reverse whatever DMA is set to in Control Panel.

This is a puzzler, but if this drive worked before with the same media, and re-install NERO doesn't work, I'm leaning towards a crapped-out drive.

[TotmacheR]

Hey.. well i dont really have a solution for the initial problem, sorry =(, but i would just like to add that my burner has also started to give me problems. It's weird, last weekend i was burning fine, then all of sudden.. no more, =(
I am using nero , the latest one .. .9 or whatever it is.. and initially i was trying to burn bin/cue files.. and it messes up because the buffer under run is wacked out or something. i defragged my HD, still have the same problem. If anyone could help me out, I'd appreciate it, also.. how do you get into the DMA settings on win2k?

[ItsMe]

I hads a similar problem with XP. If you are using 3rd party UDF software, i.e. InCD then check to see if XP's UDF software is enabled, if it is enabled then disable it.

[musotechy]

How old is the drive? I had a similar problem. Sometimes it would write and sometimes it would fail. I took it to a friend in the business, he replaced the heads and all was fine. It may just need a clean inside but would not suggest you do that yourself nor use a lense cleaner.

I have been told that the writing heads are only good for a certain amount of writes/writing hours

[dvdpete]

Its only about 6 months old and Ive only burnt @ 10 disks to date.

Now that I'm ready to burn VCD's the damn thing fails.

I'll try a can of compressed air on the lens. We have had some building work done and maybe dust has got in .

[TotmacheR]

Hmm i got win2k, i've had my burner for about a year, probably burned around 200 or so discs YOu think its finally had its life?

Also, how do i check my DMA settings in win2k?
Anyone?

THX!

[MikeV]

TotmacheR, Don't change your drive yet. I've had mine for over 3 years and recorded hundreds of CDs and it is still working fine.
Here is how to check your DMA settings in Win2k.
1. Right click My Computer
2. Click on properties
3. Click on hardware, then device manager
4. Look for the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers and expand
5. Double click the Primary or secondary IDE channel, which ever you want to look at, or each one seperately
6. Click on advanced settings
7. If the drive allows it you should be able to change the Transfer Mode.

[Nelson37]

Well, here's the short story on the drive from someone who does this for a living. They SHOULD last for 3-5 years but many of them don't. If there have been NO hardware or software changes, OR they are reversed back to EXACTLY the condition they were when it worked, the drive has been cleaned, couple of different media tried, you need to ask yourself how much effort you want to spend on a drive you can replace with a newer, faster, better one for under $100.00?

Try swapping drives with a friend, WRITE DOWN THE ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION FIRST, if yours fails in his machine, and his works in yours, unless you set his up wrong, there you go. Master/slave setting primary to make it work, DMA less important to FUNCTION, more for performance. Try both DMA settings.

I do not install packet-writing software unless specifically requested, and then I try hard to talk them out of it. Just too many problems for too little benefit.

[KevN2002]

Im having a similar problem with my burning recently. Yes, some .bin/.cue's wont burn in Nero without extracting with Iso Buster. This seems to be the case when the .cues have many more lines in it than the typical VCD .cue. This will burn TAO fine but not DAO.

WHen trying to burn a .bin like this, I get an error: "Cannot perform start of Disk at Once."

After this, I cannot burn DAO (or copy a CD) at all without rebooting.

I know something's screwed up somewhere, because Nero is the only thing I can get to work. CDR-WIN wont recognize any of my drives, same with Fireburner.

Ive tried reinstalling everything but to no avail. I guess Ill try unplugging the ribbon cables, but Im completely stumped and frustrated. I wont even go into trying to burn DVD's.

I use WinXP, and the drive is a Pio DVR-103 CD and DVD writer.

What is Windows UDF writing?

[TotmacheR]

Hey guys, thx for the advice...

ONe thing, whats the PIO setting then?
DMA gives the best performance right? when reading from a CD drive.?

I might just call up alienware and tell them to send me a 40x writer, hehe .

Also the last successful write i did was a cd copy, i had it write the image to the HD first then write it, but i noticed it took longer than it normally does.. maybe that was a sign it was dieing, or maybe i changed a setting.
I was using nero at the time.
any more suggestions?

[TotmacheR]

Holy SMokes!

I changed one of the settings to DMA cuz it was onPIO and the burner works now!

Yes!

All though there goes my chances of gettin taht 40x writer now =(
lol

THX a bunch!

[PsY]

i would also check your ASPI drivers, cause XP is picky with that stuff, i would also check to see if you have a VIA chipset, if you do, get the latest via drivers (www.viahardware.com) u want the Via 4n1 drivers, i beieve 4.39 is the latest.. and for the ASPI drivers goto www. adaptec.com and do a search for ASPI XP.... hope it helps..