software or hardware issue?

[King Evil]

i upgraded my os to vista a while ago. i soon discovered i couldn't use regular nero, so i had to install nero express. that worked a few times (i also use dvd fab and dvdshrink), but now i'm having issues. i can't seem to burn a proper dvd, as i keep getting errors when it writes the lead-in (or maybe it's lead-out.) i am also unable to properly use the lightscribe function. it prints a bunch of smears, instead of text. so then i tried using dvdshrink and outputting to iso then burning with imgburn. imgburn gave me another error message, which i believe was also on lead-in on one disc, and lead-out on the other.

so now i'm wondering if i have:

1. bad software (vista issues)
2. bad media (verbatim +r from best buy)
3. bad dvd drive

strange thing is - the drive works fine when using dvd fab, it also reads other cds/dvds just fine. i'm hoping it's the media.

[guns1inger]

You have to download and install the Vista compatible version of Nero. Did you do that when you started using Express ?

[King Evil]

no, i didn't. but would that also mess up lightscribe? like i said, it was working fine a few days ago. i'm hoping it's not my drive, but it kinda looks that way.

[guns1inger]

If you use an incompatible or semi-compatible version, who is to say what it will do. It's cheaper to download and install a new version of Nero than to buy a drive you may not need.