Problems with DVD burning for backup

[DDieggo1000]

Hi,

I'm having trouble backing up some data such as .m4v, disk images, dvd movies on with my dvd burner using blank dvd-r media. Whenever I burn a dvd with any of the files above, it all works fine until I eject the burned DVD-R. I've been looking in the forum for guides but none seem to answer my problem.

I used the Apple burn command under file. Before I eject the dvd-r after burning, I test the files burned in the dvd if they can be opened by the appropriate application directly from the burned dvd.

For example, I checked if .mv4 files can be played by either Quicktime, iTunes, MPlayer OSX Extended, or VLC; checked if disk images can be mounted and files on mounted disk can be opened; and checked if unencrypted movies that I personally own (using MacTheRipper 3.0) with Video_TS and Audio_TS folders that were compressed by DVD2OneX 2.3.1 can be played on Apple DVD Player.

I also verified the dvd by using the disk utility and it said it appears to be OK. After I eject it and re-insert it in the dvd drive, the drive ejects it after a few second. I also tried resetting PRAM: turned off computer, held Option+Cmd+P+R before the grey screen comes up, hears the start-up sound, then I let go of the keys for the computer to turn on.

The media I've been using is RIDATA (Ritek) DVD-R, 4.7 GB, 120 min. I also set my DVD system preferences to "Open Finder" when you insert a blank dvd and also to "Ignore" when inserting a video DVD.

Here are my hardware specs:

HARDWARE OVERVIEW:

Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: PowerMac6,1
Processor Name: PowerPC G4 (3.3)
Processor Speed: 1.25 GHz
Number Of CPUs: 1
L2 Cache (per CPU): 256 KB
Memory: 768 MB
Bus Speed: 167 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.6.8f4


ATA SPECS:

ATA Bus:
PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-106D:
Model: PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-106D
Revision: A606
Removable Media: Yes
Detachable Drive: No
BSD Name: disk1
Protocol: ATAPI
Unit Number: 0
Socket Type: Internal
Low Power Polling: No
Power Off: No
Mac OS 9 Drivers: No
Partition Map Type: Unknown
S.M.A.R.T. status: Not Supported

ATA Bus:
WDC WD800BB-98JHC0:
Capacity: 74.53 GB
Revision: 05.01C05
Removable Media: No
Detachable Drive: No
BSD Name: disk0
Protocol: ATA
Unit Number: 0
Socket Type: Internal
Low Power Polling: No
Mac OS 9 Drivers: No
Partition Map Type: APM (Apple Partition Map)
S.M.A.R.T. status:Verified

Volumes:
Hard Disk:
Capacity: 74.41 GB
Available: 2.29 GB
Writable: Yes
File System: Journaled HFS+
BSD Name: disk0s3
Mount Point: /


DISC BURNING SPECS

PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-106D:
Firmware Revision: A606
Interconnect: ATAPI
Burn Support: Yes (Apple Shipping Drive)
Cache: 2000 KB
Reads DVD: Yes
CD-Write: -R, -RW
DVD-Write: -R, -RW, +R, +RW
Write Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, CD-Raw, DVD-DAO

I'm currently using OSX 10.5.7. I also burned CD's with back-up files before which can be read by the drive at any time. Also commercial DVD's that I've bought, can be played on the drive.

What am I doing wrong? Please help!
DDiego1000

[guns1inger]

Ritek media has not be good for several years, and even back then it only OK, not great.

I would

1. Test your discs in another Mac, and also in a Windows PC and see if the content can be read

2. Try a better brand of disc (Verbatim/TY) and see if that helps

[DDieggo1000]

Hi,

Thanks for the tip. I just removed some movie files in my HD and currently have 17.85 GB free space and changed to using Verbatim DVD-R and Sony DVD-R. I also used Toast Titanium 10 to burn some .m4v files with a Data Disc setting with either a Mac Only and Mac & PC setting and got this result--can't be read by my Mac G4 but can be read by a laptop with Windows XP. Before I buy a new dual-layer DVD burner, I just want to explore if flashing my firmware would work (not an expert on this subject). I went to http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=25930 and downloaded the DVRFlash 2.2 for Mac. These are the instructions for it:

[Mac OS X Flashing]

You don't have to install anything special. Just open a Terminal (Located
in your Utilities folder) window and set the directory to your DVRFlash
folder. Be sure that your firmware file(s) are in the same folder. The
simplest way to do this is to place DVRFlash and your firmware file(s) into
a folder called "DVRFlash" on your Desktop. Now enter the following into a
Terminal window:

cd Desktop/DVRFlash

Now run a command like:

./DVRFlash -vf PIONEER R5100004.133 R5100104.133

If you have more than one Pioneer Drive, run DVRFlash without any parameters to discover the driver identifier (Like A:, B:, etc.) and add that just before the word PIONEER (IE: A:PIONEER). Alternatively, if your drives are of different models, you may use the full name if the drive enclosed in quotes. IE (Note the two spaces before the drive model):

./DVRFlash -vf "PIONEER DVD/RW DVR-105" R5100004.133 R5100104.133

The command above will force flash a 105 compatible drive with the Pioneer DVR-105 v1.33 firmware The command above also works with USB and Firewire drives.

Note: The word 'PIONEER' refers to the Vendor Name of the drive. This may appear differently on some OEM drives. Verify the name by entering './DVRFlash' without any parameters.

If flashing a drive to an official update that includes only a single firmware file, the 'f' (force) parameter is not necessary. Neither is the 'v' (verbose) parameter ever necessary. For example:

./DVRFlash PIONEER R5100104.133

…will update a Pioneer DVR-105 to version 1.33 without the kernel file. It is most important that both firmware and kernel files be used when downgrading a drive or cross-flashing OEM models


However, after reading this, I got confused because I don't even know where the firmware files are in my Mac?

DDiego1000

[guns1inger]

The firmware files will be something you have to download, so they will be where ever you choose to put them. The process of "flashing" will copy these files over the existing firmware in your burner.