1. #1
    PF_Coastie's Avatar Senior Member
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    Hey all,

    I posted a quick blurb with my problem in another fellows recent thread, but I did not want to crash his thread since my problem is a bit different.

    I recently decided to do some back-ups to DVD/CD since I have not done it in a while and I need to make some room on my hard drive partitions. I have not burned a disc in 3+ months.

    Without going into my step by step, here is my problem.

    The burn process seems to work just fine. It goes through all the motions and completes. However, when I open the newly burned disc, it appears empty.

    I take it to my wifes computer and the files are there and work just fine! Now here is the kicker: I can put an old back-up disc in and my drive will see and read all files on them. It just will not see anything on newly burned discs, DVD or CD.

    Here is what I have done so far:

    1. updated firmware to the latest, 1.11. My drive is a Plextor 716a.

    2. uninstalled both my DVDrw and CDrom drives from device manager and reinstalled.

    3. removed all possible "malware" (bit torrent, daemon tools etc...)

    4. defragged, cleaned up all partitions.

    5. uninstalled all programs I no longer use or need.

    6. searched the web for related problems and come up with blanks.

    7. Ordered new Samsung combo drive from newegg.

    Hopefully, number 7 will solve my problem, but what if it doesn't? What could be the culprit here?

    Any and all suggestions are welcome.
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  2. #2
    The question to answer here is: What makes a 'newly burned disc' turn into an 'old back-up disc'?

    What burn-software do you use?
    Is it up-to-date?

    Have you checked hidden devices in device manager? Something Securom like there?

    Indeed, very weird problem.
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  3. #3
    Very long shot, but is the 3 months old or older CD material the same brand as the new one(s)?
    Otherwise, since it will read on your wife's machine it's obviously getting burned correctly on yours. But it is possible for the write portion of a drive to work while the read portion is "broken". Most likely the new drive will work perfectly.
    Is it possible that the old drive has gotten lint or pet hair sucked into it since it hasn't been used to burn anything for 3+ months ? Seems like the "burn" laser might be able to punch thru crud, but the "read" sensors might not get enuf feedback.
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  4. #4
    PF_Coastie's Avatar Senior Member
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    Originally posted by FoolTrottel:

    What burn-software do you use?
    Is it up-to-date?

    Have you checked hidden devices in device manager? Something Securom like there?

    Indeed, very weird problem.
    Nero6 ultra, not really up to date but has always worked fine......till now.

    No hidden devices
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  5. #5
    Probably no help but ---

    From one of the "stickies" at the top of the Nero forum at :
    http://club.cdfreaks.com/forumdisplay.php?f=48

    Note the Plextor drive info in the poster's machine info

    "Programs as InCD / DirectCD and InstantWrite, which is so called packet writing software have been designed to make the access of CD-RWs / DVD-RWs easier and to allow writing them via explorer.
    The idea itself is of course good, but these progams have proved being rather unreliable.

    Getting a freeze / blue screen when writing to a packet writing disc will result in an unreadable disc!

    There are several other known bugs without any reliable workaround:

    * A disc is formatted, but when you reinstert it, it isn't recognised as being formatted
    * The disc works for some time, and suddenly, without any reason, it is unreadable / recognised as not being formatted
    * blue screens / freezes caused by packet writing software


    The worst is that all packet writing software I know has these issues. Therefore I strongly recommend not to use packet writing but make multisession discs

    There are of course some people who have no problem with packet writing (it had worked for me for about 4 years before making the abovementioned **** suddenly), but the risk of data loss is always present and too high in my opinion.

    Please don't ask me to state advantages of different packet writing softwares. I don't know any.

    Note that these issues have been mainly experienced with InCD, DirectCD and InstantWrite. There may of course be new packet writing software which is more reliable. However, if you try new packet writing software, you should run tests (inluding resetting your PC while writing, so simulate a power loss) before using it to store important data!

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  6. #6
    MaxMhz's Avatar Senior Member
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    I'm usig Nero 7 Ultra myself, so I'm not sure if 6 has this;
    Check for Nero CD/DVD Speed under 'Tools' and run a test on the drive. That should at least show if the read section is faulty.
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  7. #7
    PF_Coastie's Avatar Senior Member
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    Good stuff RJ, thanks!

    But your other post got me checking some discs. The "old" disc that works fine was a different brand. However, I did find an old disc that is the same brand "memorex". I put it in and I could read it just fine.

    Then I found one of these same discs not burned yet, so I tried it. It burned and I can read it fine! So, I dug down to the bottom of the "new spindle" and grabbed a disc. I burned a file on it and I can NOT read it! WTF!!!

    These new discs are the same brand, same style and same size. Just the layout of the typing on the top is different. What is really strange is that I have burned several discs from this spindle a few months ago with no problems.

    So, I guess I will give these to my wife and try the new discs I get with my new Burner on Monday.
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  8. #8
    Isn't chemistry wonderful ?
    Probably a different phase-change dye from a different sub-contractor.
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  9. #9
    MaxMhz's Avatar Senior Member
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    More often than not cd/dvd media is produced by completely unknown factories. It's then bought by the different brands and packaged under different names. Sometimes the real manufacturer is displayed near the center hole.
    Nero CD/DVD Speed will also identify the manufacturer.
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  10. #10
    PF_Coastie's Avatar Senior Member
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    Yeah, I checked the Manufacturer, the Memorex discs that do not work are made by Ridata, which I have always stayed clear of because they are cheap.

    The Memorex discs that work are CMC Magnetics, which I never heard of.

    I scanned each disc and the Ridata ones kept showing 100% bad. Funny thing though, I created a test disc and it ran fine, but then would not do anything else.
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