Why are so many of my burns crashing at 4x?

[meehog]

I am using datasafe ritek discs at the moment, and 1 in about 4 discs is crashing during the burn process. I am using Recordnowmax 4.5, with the latest burning engine installed & a pioneer 106d drive. There doesn't seem to be any pattern to the crashes, whether I am burning an .img file, a data disc, or a disc to disc copy. Sometimes it will crash when the disc is initialising, sometimes halfway through. An odd thing is sometimes, when the disc crashes during the initialisation period, I can use the disc again to do a working copy. Maybe this is because the burn process hasn't started yet, I don't know.

I've also tried using Nero 6 for the disc to disc copies and data discs, but more often than not, the disc crashes immediately with a power calibration error.

If I am paying for Ritek discs, am I being unreasonable thinking I should be able to burn them at 4x, or is my burner dying?

[VicodiN]

That would depend on the speed the Riteks you purchased can handle... Some are only built to handle 1x, 2x, 2.4x etc... The packaging would tell you the the speed capabilities of the discs.

[johns0]

You should lower the burning speed to 2x on the dvd`s that give you power calibration error,i got the error message on crappy an-32 that were given to me and lowering the speed allowed me to burn them.

[StarofRadiance]

I am using datasafe ritek discs at the moment, and 1 in about 4 discs is crashing during the burn process. I am using Recordnowmax 4.5, with the latest burning engine installed & a pioneer 106d drive. There doesn't seem to be any pattern to the crashes, whether I am burning an .img file, a data disc, or a disc to disc copy. Sometimes it will crash when the disc is initialising, sometimes halfway through. An odd thing is sometimes, when the disc crashes during the initialisation period, I can use the disc again to do a working copy. Maybe this is because the burn process hasn't started yet, I don't know.

I've also tried using Nero 6 for the disc to disc copies and data discs, but more often than not, the disc crashes immediately with a power calibration error.

If I am paying for Ritek discs, am I being unreasonable thinking I should be able to burn them at 4x, or is my burner dying?

I have never had a failed Ritek (over 700 burned and counting, but I have had a calibration error at 4x on an XP Pro system and a TDK Burner. It works fine at 2x.

[indolikaa]

If you are having Power Calibration Errors that is likely a media issue and not a burner issue. The burner runs a test to ensure it can correctly write to the disc in question.

How sure are you that the discs in question are actually 4X discs?

[meehog]

If you are having Power Calibration Errors that is likely a media issue and not a burner issue. The burner runs a test to ensure it can correctly write to the disc in question.

How sure are you that the discs in question are actually 4X discs?

It has 4x printed on the discs, they can burn at 4x, because I have. They are certainly 4x. I have even been having the same problem with a different brand of Ritek 4x disc, so I think it is definitely a problem with either my system settings or my drive.

[indolikaa]

It has 4x printed on the discs, they can burn at 4x, because I have. They are certainly 4x. I have even been having the same problem with a different brand of Ritek 4x disc, so I think it is definitely a problem with either my system settings or my drive.

I only ask because there have been cases where the write speed encoded within the media and the advertised write speed didn't match. That issue being resolved, I would suspect the drive more than the system itself...

[Phil Thomas]

When you say "1 in about 4 discs is crashing during the burn process", what do you mean by crashng ? what error message are you getting.

The ones that Nero spits out with Power Callibration error ..... certainly sounds like bad media, but it could be a dirty laser also .... maybe worth trying a clean.

The other things that may have a bearing .... are you using official or hacked firmware ?
and how many burns have you made with this drive ?