Yet Another DRU-500A Burning Problem

[LighthouseJ]

I have the 500A and I wrote several DVD's and CD's with the same Nero released around when I got my 500A, it was fine back then. Since then I've upgraded my firmware to 2.0f because I hear of the speed upgrades for different media formats (-R(W) and +R(W)) and Nero was upgraded to 5.5.10.28 and lately, since about 1.0f, I'm getting nothing except DVD coasters and I'm getting tired of these. I'm almost at the point where I have an even number of good DVD's and bad DVD's and this is unacceptable. I try to burn my data to disc and 1/4 through and Nero and the packaged software VERITAS RecordNow both just fail. I wrote a CD flawlessly at 24x yesterday and now I can't write a DVD at 1x. I also read somewhere that someone was convinced that PowerBurn wasn't being used and it seems like to me that this might be a factor in my problem. I need to stop wasting money on DVD's that become coasters and get stuff written. Can anyone increase my success rate and lift my spirits about this drive? I'll be waiting, Nate.

[sumibas]

hi,

i had some problem like that. But When i started using nero express for authoring my DVDs i had no problems an dthye paly with out any problem. I am still with the frimware 1.0f.

[LighthouseJ]

I wish I could go back to 1.0d or 1.0f because that's what my drive was shipped with and that worked fine, got 2.4x writing with my 500A and it worked fine. But I can't go back, I gotta fix what I have.

[Jester700]

I wish I could go back to 1.0d or 1.0f because that's what my drive was shipped with and that worked fine, got 2.4x writing with my 500A and it worked fine. But I can't go back, I gotta fix what I have.

Why can't you? They're free for the taking at
http://www.sonydru500a.com/

[donpedro]

You can... http://www.sonydru500a.com/

[LighthouseJ]

Nice link, I'll look though. However, can I just downgrade my firmware from 2.0f to say 1.0f? I thought you couldn't.

[donpedro]

Jester700, you were faster....

[donpedro]

LighthouseJ, It wouldn't be somethink that I will recommend you, but I saw posts where people did that. Look arround to see if you can find some ...

[Jester700]

donpedro, good try...

I've flashed mine 7 or 8 times now - newer, older, etc. as I tried to make sense of the speeds it burned various media. No probs yet. But I think there is SOME risk, and flashable ROMS do have some lifespan I suppose, so I'm just waiting for the "good one" to come out As it is, I'm using 1.0f, as I have a bunch of Ritek 1x that do well at 2x with this firmware.

[LighthouseJ]

I downgraded my drive to 1.0d which is what came with my drive. I tried to write and it stopped in the same place but didn't give an error, the progress bar stopped and the estimated time kept growing and growing. I think I'm gonna send my drive back to Sony or where I got it from and get a replacement.

[jwsons]

I had same problems before. Firmware 1.0e is OK. Then I upgraded to f , all DVDs burn in 2x and 2.4x before now burned only in 1x. Then I upgraded to frimware g. All DVDs burned back to 2x but no matter softwares I used it never burn in 1x anymore, only coasters.
So, both firmware f and g had bugs.
SONY decided to use firmware e to develope the new (latest) firmware so-called 2.0e. I updated this latest 2.0e, everything now fine, every DVds can burn in 4x and can also burn back to 1x , 2x and 2.4 as disk speed verify.
jwsons

[LighthouseJ]

What kind of media are you using, I have DVD-R and DVD+R media made by Imation at my fingertips to use. I'll try 2.0e now.

[jwsons]

I burned Ritek -R (4x goldface with purple on data side) Verbatim +R (4x)
Laser (2.4x this cheap, from Taiwan I think).
jwsons