Sense Key = Medium Error sense Code = 0x73, 0x03 in Toast

[arythmic]

Everytime I try to burn a DVD in Toast in OS X I get the error message Sense Key = Medium Error sense Code = 0x73, 0x03 while it is trying to write the lead in /// does this mean these are a bad batch of discs? Will bestbuy take them back>?
thanks

[lordsmurf]

Everytime I try to burn a DVD in Toast in OS X I get the error message Sense Key = Medium Error sense Code = 0x73, 0x03 while it is trying to write the lead in /// does this mean these are a bad batch of discs? Will bestbuy take them back>?
thanks

Could be.

But could also be dirty laser, dying laser, the software glitched ... any number of possible errors here.

[skylowlow]

Everytime I try to burn a DVD in Toast in OS X I get the error message Sense Key = Medium Error sense Code = 0x73, 0x03 while it is trying to write the lead in /// does this mean these are a bad batch of discs? Will bestbuy take them back>?
thanks

I may be wrong but have you checked "Buffer Underrun Prevention" in "recorder settings". It could simply be because your HD is unable to send data fast enough to the recorder. It's worth one more coaster just to try.

[pusa]

It happens to me too. I think it's cause of these crappy DVD-R (LiquidVideo)."

I know for sure that this brand is crappy cause I tried buring an image to disk utility, Toast 6.0.5, dragon burn, and the DVD-R just keeps coming out.

[FCPguy]

Do you guys check Buffer underrun prevention even if you are burning at 1X??? I thought that was just for 2X and faster. I'd love to hear some advice on this. Peace

[pusa]

I always check for buffer underrun even I'm still burning at 1x.

[lordsmurf]

It happens to me too. I think it's cause of these crappy DVD-R (LiquidVideo)."

I know for sure that this brand is crappy cause I tried buring an image to disk utility, Toast 6.0.5, dragon burn, and the DVD-R just keeps coming out.

OPTODISC normally, really not a bad DVD, no better or worse than RITEK.

[miksu]

Had this same kind problem using old Philips CDD 3600-burner (cd-r) with Toast. Tried same burner with PC (+Nero), same problem but different error code of course. Laser is propably dying, no difference whatever media I chose.

[goat]

I started to have this same problem with Memorex DVD-R 4x discs.
I found a way for toast to burn these bad discs. I manually sellect 4x in the burn speed box (instead of BEST) and try to burn. This usually works ... if that does not try a lower burn speed to, 2x. And if for some reason this fails burn at 1x. Out of 26 bad disc this trick has worked for all but 3 discs.

[havema-1]

My 1.25 GHz PB G4 burns 1-2x and 1-4x TDK DVD-R just fine.

But 1-8x TDK DVD-R only very occasionally burns and i get a power calibration error instead. I'll try to burn my batch of 10 such disks with reduced speed or via a disk image, if that helps. I hope I can get 1-2 or 1-4 disks in the future. I'm also planning to try a batch of Ritek.

There is a related thread in MacInTouch:

http://www.macintouch.com/dvdproblems5.html#mar14

[eu_marcosdavi]

i got the same problem with my new macmini with superdrive. same media burns fine with i-dvd, mac os and even roxio popcorn. but everytime i toast, i get "sense Key = Medium Error sense Code = 0x73, 0x03". i'm using toast 6.0.3. tryed updating to 6.0.9, same (and worse) error messages. already lost 4 new dvd-r, which doesn`t make me too happy... i have buffer underrun activated, and get the same error even when i try simulation. any clue?

[mhar4]

i got the same problem with my new macmini with superdrive. same media burns fine with i-dvd, mac os and even roxio popcorn. but everytime i toast, i get "sense Key = Medium Error sense Code = 0x73, 0x03". i'm using toast 6.0.3. tryed updating to 6.0.9, same (and worse) error messages. already lost 4 new dvd-r, which doesn`t make me too happy... i have buffer underrun activated, and get the same error even when i try simulation. any clue?

Me too. I have had disks which burn fine using the painfully slow drag-drop-trash method built into OS X but then produce this error when using Toast.

[AntnyMD]

Everytime I try to burn a DVD in Toast in OS X I get the error message Sense Key = Medium Error sense Code = 0x73, 0x03 while it is trying to write the lead in /// does this mean these are a bad batch of discs? Will bestbuy take them back>?
thanks

This started happening to me the moment I upgraded to Tiger. I havent tried version 6.1 yet as I just learned of its existence two minutes ago.

I've lost two DVD+R DL so I'm pissed!

[chikanakan]

Toast is working fine for me in Tiger with 6.1 Medium errors are the media unless your drive is going out. There is a good chance the Tiger upgrade caused corruption if a clean install was done. I had 2 kernel panics upgrading my system to Tiger.

I would only use Verbatim media for DL, also update the firmware. Pioneer keeps fixing media issues.

[AntnyMD]

Toast is working fine for me in Tiger with 6.1 Medium errors are the media unless your drive is going out. There is a good chance the Tiger upgrade caused corruption if a clean install was done. I had 2 kernel panics upgrading my system to Tiger.

I would only use Verbatim media for DL, also update the firmware. Pioneer keeps fixing media issues.

I use Verbatim media for DL (the Staples by my apartment also sells Memorex DVD+R DL but the Verbatim is slightly cheaper). I now use Sony DVD+R as I cant find my favorite TDK anywhere now. These same two brands burned just find the day before I installed Tiger. My burner is one of the new dual layer burners for Powerbooks that you can get from MCE Technologies. I went to their site looking for any firmware upgrade but saw nothing. For now, all DVD+R DL burning is on hold until I figure something out.

I did a clean install as this should be the best way of upgrading OS X .. I'm not yet ready to wipe the drive and do it over.

[chikanakan]

Do you know what MCE is using? Is it the Pioneer K04?

[AntnyMD]

Yes, I believe thats the one. I should have just checked Pioneer. I'm losing it over here!

[the_reever]

I have found (with my lowly 1x SuperDrive) that it is notoriously picky about the media it chooses to accept.

The no-name stuff I pick up locally just gets ejected and is relagated to my ThinkPad burner. I've never had any trouble with with Apple branded DVDs but we all know how much they cost. A colleague uses StarMedia which has shown excellent compatibility at work but I don't know what the cost is like. I've been using Princo with fairly good success. Only 3 coasters out of a batch of 100 and I'm on my second spindle now.

Reeve

[terryj]

if you are still using a 1x or 2x Pioneer superdrive
( or some other) burner, I'd high ly reccommend
since TDK media is now firmly entrenched at 8x speed,
to switch over to Samsung BeAll media, which you
can find at meritline.com, shop4tech.com, and
allmediaoutlet.com.

We still buy these for our G4 machines at work
that have A03 and a04's, and they work great.
25 for $20 bucks, never a coaster.

[sjk]

Would you recommend TDK (TTG02) for 8x media? I'm trying to decide which 8x media to bring back from the mainland in a few weeks. Prices here for higher quality media are high and shipping rates are outrageous (except for 4x RiData I've bought from Amazon).

Oh, I thought Princo was generally considered low quality (e.g. poor shelf life)?

[terryj]

Would highly reccommend TDK 8x media.
In fact, I already did.

[sjk]

Cool, thanks.

[basskadet]

A Medium Error is in reference to the media used (i.e. a problem with he disk). However, there are lots of things that can go wrong with the media which is what the 'sense code' refers to. 0x73, 0x03 is to do with laser power calibration.

Every disk brand and type uses different power ranges for the laser and it is down to all sorts of reasons (even the dye used on the disk affects it). Therefore, every disk manufacturer incorporates a section of the disk that the drive reads before any burning takes place. That effectively calibrates the drive's laser for the specific media being used and it does this before writing the lead-in.

Lots of people are suggesting changing the media to rectify the issue but, while this might prove successful because every disk uses different ranges of power, it isn't really solving the problem.

This is a VERY common problem with the Matshita drives Apple choose to use and I have come across it regularly myself which is why I have looked into it. I am no great expert on the subject and am merely stating what I have so far discovered for myself.

There are lots of threads on this topic and people seem to suggest numerous solutions. However, be careful because, as I pointed out earlier, there are lots of things that can go wrong with media and that is what the sense codes are for. So what might work for one sense code does not mean it will work for another, even if they are close.

I do have a few suggestions though. the sense code 0x73 0x03 is basically down to 4 variables, the laser, the power to the laser, the thing controlling the power and the media.

So, use a media you know should work (i.e. one that always has for you in the past). Clean your laser and your drive thoroughly. Check your RAM and if there is anything fishy you should replace it. Reset the PRAM (Shut down then reboot holding Command-Option-P-R altogether until you hear the startup noise for the second time). Finally, and perhaps the most straightforward suggestion, try a different PSU/Battery. Apple power supplies can be dodgy and this has worked for external drives with the same troubles.

However, I am no expert so someone who knows more about drives might have some other ideas.

[fsilva]

I cleaned the Superdrive on my MacBook Pro with Dust off and it fixed this issue. BTW, I was getting all the errors mentioned above. This appears to be a hardware issue not a software issue?!?

[AntnyMD]

Waking the dead, are we?

[Oosterbeek Hoog]

Everytime I try to burn a DVD in Toast in OS X I get the error message Sense Key = Medium Error sense Code = 0x73, 0x03 while it is trying to write the lead in /// does this mean these are a bad batch of discs? Will bestbuy take them back>?
thanks

I had this problem which was fixed after using a CD lens cleaning disc. After that everything went smoothly!

[nomad_pete]

I too had this problem, and thanks to Oosterbeek Hoog tried cleaning the CD lens with a lens cleaning Disc.
$25 well spent.
All is working fine now.

[Rob P.]

Thanks for everyone's input and help with this issue. You all helped me solve the problem and in time... I was making a funeral DVD and I could not burn. Again, thank you!
I fixed this 'error' issue with a CD/DVD cleaning [laser brush] disk. I can burn!

[Doctor X]

I [Troll--Ed.] help out at a Mac fora or two and when my DVD driver--Matshita [MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857E--Ed.]--started blurting out your error, yours was the first--and most helpful--response to "Googling" the error! Same media normally burned fine--Verbatim 8.5 GB 2.4X Dual-Layer DVD +R. I have not had a problem with this media, but I note the recommendations for -R on the Matshita.

So I am going to try the solutions and post the results. Hope it works!!

Edit and it does not recognize the CD/DVD cleaner I bought nor do any of the other DVD/CD players I have

So I will try to test one in store to see if that solves the problem. Converting the data to a disc image then trying to burn with Disk Utility results in the thing "burning" for about 30 minutes then telling me that "there is a problem."

Edit Edit well the new disk cleaner still worked . . . and the thing will still not burn. Off to shop!

--J.D.

[willymarshall@hotmail.com]

Thanks for the advice to simply CLEAN the laser head with a cleaning disk. Fixed all error problems instantly! (Disk with little brushes underneath - the $10 cure.)