Dear fellow Linux bods

I have recently purchased a DVD-writer ASUS DRW-1608P2 for my linux machine hoping to write some DVDs but now I have end up with 5 DVD's on the floor and none of them work!

Before I move on let me give the following background about what distro/linux version/hardware

Linux Distro:-
HD disto: Fedora Core 3 Kernal 2.6.9-1.667
Live distro: Knoppix3.9

Software:-
K3B on both Knoppix and FC3
x-cd_roast 0.98alpha15 with DVDPro (key etc..) -on FC3

Hardware:-
ASUS DRW-1608P2 Dual layer.
connect to Mother board via IDE as secondary slave
mounted as /dev/hdd.

media:-
8x DVD+R 4.7G Verbatim

I tried to write some DVD+R, out of the 5 times, all 5 times the burning software (both K3B and claimx-cd_roast ) claim it has sucessfully written to disc but when I try to read it again (via many different machine via different OS). They all fail to read anything from the DVD...

I try burning CD using the DVD-writer in question and it burns fine.

I have looked at one of the threat in the forum and did the following command:-

dvd+rw-mediainfo /dev/hdd

INQUIRY: [ASUS ][DRW-1608P2 ][1.17]
GET [CURRENT] CONFIGURATION:
Mounted Media: 1Bh, DVD+R
Media ID: MCC/003
Current Write Speed: 12.0x1385=16620KB/s
Write Speed #0: 12.0x1385=16620KB/s
Write Speed #1: 8.0x1385=11080KB/s
Write Speed #2: 6.0x1385=8310KB/s
Write Speed #3: 4.0x1385=5540KB/s
Speed Descriptor#0: 00/2295103 R@12.0x1385=16620KB/s W@12.0x1385=16620KB/s
Speed Descriptor#1: 00/2295103 R@8.0x1385=11080KB/s W@8.0x1385=11080KB/s
Speed Descriptor#2: 00/2295103 R@6.0x1385=8310KB/s W@6.0x1385=8310KB/s
Speed Descriptor#3: 00/2295103 R@4.0x1385=5540KB/s W@4.0x1385=5540KB/s
READ DVD STRUCTURE[#0h]:
Media Book Type: A1h, DVD+R book [revision 1]
Legacy lead-out at: 2295104*2KB=4700372992
READ DISC INFORMATION:
Disc status: appendable
Number of Sessions: 1
State of Last Session: incomplete
"Next" Track: 1
Number of Tracks: 2
READ TRACK INFORMATION[#1]:
Track State: partial/complete
Track Start Address: 0*2KB
Free Blocks: 0*2KB
Track Size: 281088*2KB
READ TRACK INFORMATION[#2]:
Track State: blank
Track Start Address: 281104*2KB
Next Writable Address: 281104*2KB
Free Blocks: 2014000*2KB
Track Size: 2014000*2KB
READ CAPACITY: 1*2048=2048

Since it can burn CD okay can I eliminate, it is a burner problem?

I am open to any recommandation or suggestion... I did try to find a linux firmware for my DVD writer but I couldn't find any...

many thanks in advance

Ivan

"media:-
8x DVD+R 4.7G Verbatim"

"Current Write Speed: 12.0x1385=16620KB/s"

You may be trying to burn DVD at a faster speed (12) than the DVD media will allow (8). If that is the case then try burning at speed 8.

-------------------------
Steve Stites

Steve

Sorry I didn't reply to this thread earlier partly because I have been doing investigation to the problem and of course I try out your advice too...

You are right...but the story doesn't end there...

...let me tell you what I have done...

After I read your e-mail I have tried to force K3B to burn at a predefine speed x8. unfortunately it didn't work either....

I contact ASUS for advice. They sent me a DVD compatibility list.. A list which has a series of DVD brand with their model number.

I went to a computer shop and brought one of the blank DVD which was listed on the compatibility list (TDK DVD-R 1-8x speed "photo quality inkjet printable disc"

I use K3B to write the DVD again and as you have suggested set the speed to x8. I wasn't too optimistic about it but to my surprise it works...

When I used the TDK dvd disc I noticed some different than the Verbatim dvd disc:-

1.The TDK disc actually burn slower than the Verbatim disc.

2.When burning I looked at the progress bars, The “overall progress” is more or less in sync with the “burning progress” bar for the TDK disc, this is not the case with the verbatim disc.

For the verbatim disc it always seem to fail at the very last bit of burning. It never seems to able to “finish” the disc.

I think you are correct about the fact that it simply burning at the wrong speed but I think it can only burn at the correct speed if the writer can understand (compatible) with the DVD disc itself otherwise it will still burn at an incorrect disc.

I am not too sure does my theory sound okay...at least your post did get me to the right direction to solve the problem

...again any comments/suggestions from anyone is more than welcome!