@celibate I agree w/ Locoeng. Go for this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827101010 Reputable site - many here use them w/o problems.
The link says it is a new drive, but like I said be wary...if you are going down the new drive road, it wouldn't hurt to try and flash your drive. If you are getting a new drive anyway who cares if the other gets fried. EDIT: There is also a disclaimer that states product may different than shown...the cheapest shipping to me is over $10, wheras Newegg often offers free shipping so for ten dollars more you know you are getting what you pay for. http://www.compuvest.com/Description.jsp?iid=175077
Update the firmware :0) Same thing. Basically the file you download 'flashes' the drive w/ new info to help it 'learn' read and write strategies for media.
Thats ok .. i have a seperate cd drive.. but if the one you showed me does both for 10 bucks more why not.. so i can flash my drive right now ?? and if so can you give me a link to do so ? And a quick summary on how to do it ? Thanks..
@celibate Do you have a floppy disc or something on your pc that may say something like Arttec flash tool? You can try running a windows search for flash tool. I'll see if I can find the flash tool but it doesn't look promising.
Lightscribe will 'etch/print' pictures/text on a lightscribe dvd. Nero comes with software to do this also. Here's a pic - (they are a bit pricey - the pic is for cd's but dvd's are look the same). http://www.supermediastore.com/verbatim-lightscribe-cd-r-52x-30pk-spindle.html
The SONY dru-810a I recently got for 60 bux after rebate has been working fine. I have no coasters yet using fuji (prodisc) dvd-r and ritek (memorsux) dvd+r DL burns. Although I think I read somehere that its a rebadged benq drive. Not sure if its the one previously mentioned. Personally it would take much less time to swap out that drive than try to get that mad dog to work. I have been burning the dvd-r's at 16X trying to see if I would get a coaster and havent yet after 40 or so...
I do have a few last questions on this subject.. Why did my dvd burner burn at whatever i wanted it too not even a month ago and then all of a sudden only burn at 1 ?? Also.. If i decide to go with that benq dvd burner, do i need to uninstall anything from my present dvd burner ??
From what I found on this drive - it was not very good. The company is no longer around - at least on the web. The support has been non exist for this drive since 2004. So it's probably a combination of things: poor manufacturer, no new firmware to 'teach' the drive read/write strategies of new media, it's time for it to retire. You'll find usually with better/quality manufacturers you'll get more support and the drive will last much longer. I have a Liteon that's about 2 years old and has done probably around 1000 burns. Rarely a problem with it though I don't use it as much. The last firmware update was 2 months ago. All drives are not made equally well. Some go sooner than others. Now for the new drive you'll just need to disconnect it from the power supply and ide cable. Put the new one in it's place. Set the jumper to master. Your drive will come with an instruction manual to follow thru for the installation. Pictures and all (usually). edit: fix quotes
Thank you binkie.. you've went above and beyond what I could of asked for.. You're a life saver.. smiles.. The rest of you as well, thanks..
Nah we're all help out where we can!! As a mod here says (ddp) 'teach and learn' Any more problems you know here to go! But stick around - I'm sure you can help some out here too! Happy Burning!
The cause of your problem is with the brand of media you are using vs the dvd burner, not any specific burning application. The burner does a quick check prior to burning and determines the appropriate burn rate and stores this in its own onboard memory. Once it is in memory it stays there for that particular brand of disk and manufacturer. Sometimes manufacturers lie about their claimed burn rate especially on cheaper brands. I have proven this on my 2 PC's. The same disk brand will burn at different speeds at max as determined by the burner on 2 different PC's using 2 different brand burners but both using the same applications be it Nero, Alcohol etc.
