CD burner problems: "cannot open /dev/sg*"

First off, the problem: While trying to burn a cd from gtoaster-1.0Beta5, I get this message:

cdrecord: No write mode specified.
cdrecord: Assuming -tao mode.
cdrecord: Future versions of cdrecord may have drive depentent defaults.
cdrecord: Continueing in 5 seconds...
scsidev: '1,0,0'
scsibus: 1 target: 0 lun: 0
cdrecord: No such file or directory. Cannot open '/dev/sg*'. Cannot open SCSI driver.
cdrecord: For possible targets try 'cdrecord -scanbus'. Make sure you are root.
cdrecord: For possible transport specifiers try 'cdrecord dev=help'.

Here are the details:
I built this computer fairly recently (Jan 2004) from newegg.com, so all the components are new. My CD-RW drive is a Lite-On LTR-52327S (IDE). I've just upgraded to Fedora Core 2 from Red Hat 9. The CD Burner has never worked since I've upgraded, but worked fine with gtoaster before. Currently, 'cdrecord -scanbus' shows my Lite-On to be on "scsibus1: 1,0,0" and I can read data perfectly fine from it.
After I upgraded the distribution, I upgraded the kernel to 2.6.8 and reconfigured it to get my ipod to work with linux -- iPod works PERFECTly! I'm so happy :) Anyway, 'lsmod' showed no scsi-ide, so I ran 'modprobe scsi-ide' to add the module to my kernel.
My /etc/fstab file has the line '/dev/hdc /mnt/cdrom udf,iso9660 noauto,owner,kudzu,ro 0 0' I read somewhere to try /dev/scd0 instead of /dev/hdc, but that resulted in the same error as shown above.

I don't understand why it won't work now when it worked so easily before. With Red Hat 9, gtoaster was already installed, and I simply opened it, set it up in under 5 minutes, and I was burning audio CDs. Simple!

If anyone has any suggestions, tests to run, or helpful hints, please reply. Thanks,

Beebop

There's a bug in the 2.6.8 kernel that won't let (some) users burn CD's (it seems to depend on hardware and what version cdrecord you're using). Does it work if you setuid cdrecord so that it runs with root privilages if you use it? Does it work if you login as root and burn a CD? Apparently if it's run by root it can work more reliably as it can hog the resources it needs. It can ruin a CD if it get's interrupted in mid burn. Do you get the same problem with a 2.6.7 kernel

I just looked at the cdrtools website:
"Important information: Linux-2.6.8.1 breaks CD/DVD writing for suid root applications.
If you have related problems, try to call cdrecord as real root or go back to Linux-2.4"

Before, I was logged in as user and su'ing into root. Perhaps that was the problem. But then I logged all the way out of user and logged back in as root and tried again with the same results. I can't go back to the 2.4 kernel because of my ipod. On another note, I just talked with someone at #linuxhelp who said the 2.6.8 kernel would support direct IDE interaction without using the scsi-ide emulation. He thought the problem was cdrecord was trying to use emulation when it wasn't needed. Have you heard of that?

There are sooo many options to choose, I'm not sure if it's me that's the problem or the software that's messing up... Well, I'm going to focus on cdrecord and skip gtoaster to see if that will record a cd. That will reduce my options, at least...

Be right back.

OK, I've tried using just cdrecord, but I get the same errors. It must have nothing to do with gtoaster. It seems the #linuxhelp guy may be right in that it's the scsi emulation that's screwing things up. Here's what I did, and below that is the details:

# cdrecord -scanbus
# mkisofs -R -o DireStraits.raw BestOfDireStraits <-- BestOfDireStraits is a folder of mp3 files which I'll treat as data.
# cdrecord -v speed=2 dev=1,0,0 DireStraits.raw
# cdrecord -toc -v speed=2 dev=1,0,0 DireStraits.raw <-- Try -toc mode instead of the default -tao (track at once)
# cdrecord dev=1,0,0 driveropts=help -checkdrive <--- argh! Even this doesn't find anything.
# cdrecord dev=help <--- Nothing about IDE devices... maybe I should continue with the scsi emulation?

[root@abecker-dt tmp]# cdrecord -scanbus
Cdrecord-Clone 2.01a27-dvd (i686-pc-linux-gnu) Copyright (C) 1995-2004 Jörg Schilling
Note: This version is an unofficial (modified) version with DVD support
Note: and therefore may have bugs that are not present in the original.
Note: Please send bug reports or support requests to <warly@mandrakesoft.com>.
Note: The author of cdrecord should not be bothered with problems in this version.
scsidev: 'ATA'
devname: 'ATA'
scsibus: -2 target: -2 lun: -2
Warning: Using badly designed ATAPI via /dev/hd* interface.
Linux sg driver version: 3.5.27
Using libscg version 'schily-0.8'.
cdrecord: Warning: using inofficial libscg transport code version (schily - Red Hat-scsi-linux-sg.c-1.80-RH '@(#)scsi-linux-sg.c 1.80 04/03/08 Copyright 1997 J. Schilling').
scsibus1:
1,0,0 100) 'LITE-ON ' 'LTR-52327S ' 'QS0C' Removable CD-ROM
1,1,0 101) 'JLMS ' 'XJ-HD166S ' 'DS18' Removable CD-ROM
1,2,0 102) *
1,3,0 103) *
1,4,0 104) *
1,5,0 105) *
1,6,0 106) *
1,7,0 107) *
[root@abecker-dt tmp]# mkisofs -R -o DireStraits.raw BO-BestOfDireStraits3.00
INFO: UTF-8 character encoding detected by locale settings.
Assuming UTF-8 encoded filenames on source filesystem,
use -input-charset to override.
Unknown file type (unallocated) BO-BestOfDireStraits3.00/.. - ignoring and continuing.
15.20% done, estimate finish Fri Sep 10 16:35:00 2004
30.36% done, estimate finish Fri Sep 10 16:35:00 2004
45.56% done, estimate finish Fri Sep 10 16:35:00 2004
60.72% done, estimate finish Fri Sep 10 16:35:00 2004
75.90% done, estimate finish Fri Sep 10 16:35:00 2004
91.06% done, estimate finish Fri Sep 10 16:35:00 2004
Total translation table size: 0
Total rockridge attributes bytes: 1534
Total directory bytes: 2370
Path table size(bytes): 10
Max brk space used 0
32951 extents written (64 MB)
cdrecord dev=help
[root@abecker-dt tmp]# cdrecord -v speed=2 dev=1,0,0 DireStraits.raw
cdrecord: No write mode specified.
cdrecord: Asuming -tao mode.
cdrecord: Future versions of cdrecord may have different drive dependent defaults.
cdrecord: Continuing in 5 seconds...
Cdrecord-Clone 2.01a27-dvd (i686-pc-linux-gnu) Copyright (C) 1995-2004 Jörg Schilling
Note: This version is an unofficial (modified) version with DVD support
Note: and therefore may have bugs that are not present in the original.
Note: Please send bug reports or support requests to <warly@mandrakesoft.com>.
Note: The author of cdrecord should not be bothered with problems in this version.
TOC Type: 1 = CD-ROM
scsidev: '1,0,0'
scsibus: 1 target: 0 lun: 0
cdrecord: No such file or directory. Cannot open '/dev/sg*'. Cannot open SCSI driver.
cdrecord: For possible targets try 'cdrecord -scanbus'. Make sure you are root.
cdrecord: For possible transport specifiers try 'cdrecord dev=help'.
[root@abecker-dt tmp]# cdrecord -toc -v speed=2 dev=1,0,0 DireStraits.raw
cdrecord: No write mode specified.
cdrecord: Asuming -tao mode.
cdrecord: Future versions of cdrecord may have different drive dependent defaults.
cdrecord: Continuing in 5 seconds...
cdrecord: No tracks allowed with this option
Usage: cdrecord [options] track1...trackn

Use cdrecord -help
to get a list of valid options.

Use cdrecord blank=help
to get a list of valid blanking options.

Use cdrecord dev=b,t,l driveropts=help -checkdrive
to get a list of drive specific options.

Use cdrecord dev=help
to get a list of possible SCSI transport specifiers.
[root@abecker-dt tmp]# cdrecord dev=1,0,0 driveropts=help -checkdrive
Cdrecord-Clone 2.01a27-dvd (i686-pc-linux-gnu) Copyright (C) 1995-2004 Jörg Schilling
Note: This version is an unofficial (modified) version with DVD support
Note: and therefore may have bugs that are not present in the original.
Note: Please send bug reports or support requests to <warly@mandrakesoft.com>.
Note: The author of cdrecord should not be bothered with problems in this version.
scsidev: '1,0,0'
scsibus: 1 target: 0 lun: 0
cdrecord: No such file or directory. Cannot open '/dev/sg*'. Cannot open SCSI driver.
cdrecord: For possible targets try 'cdrecord -scanbus'. Make sure you are root.
cdrecord: For possible transport specifiers try 'cdrecord dev=help'.
[root@abecker-dt tmp]#
[root@abecker-dt tmp]# cdrecord -dev=help
Cdrecord-Clone 2.01a27-dvd (i686-pc-linux-gnu) Copyright (C) 1995-2004 Jörg Schilling
Note: This version is an unofficial (modified) version with DVD support
Note: and therefore may have bugs that are not present in the original.
Note: Please send bug reports or support requests to <warly@mandrakesoft.com>.
Note: The author of cdrecord should not be bothered with problems in this version.
Supported SCSI transports for this platform:

Transport name: sg
Transport descr.: Generic transport independent SCSI
Transp. layer ind.:
Target specifier: bus,target,lun
Target example: 1,2,0
SCSI Bus scanning: supported
Open via UNIX device: not supported

Transport name: pg
Transport descr.: SCSI transport for ATAPI over Parallel Port
Transp. layer ind.:
Target specifier: bus,target,lun
Target example: 1,2,0
SCSI Bus scanning: supported
Open via UNIX device: not supported

Transport name: ATA
Transport descr.: ATA Packet specific SCSI transport
Transp. layer ind.: ATAPI:
Target specifier: bus,target,lun
Target example: ATAPI:1,2,0
SCSI Bus scanning: supported
Open via UNIX device: not supported

Transport name: ATA
Transport descr.: ATA Packet specific SCSI transport using sg interface
Transp. layer ind.: ATA:
Target specifier: bus,target,lun
Target example: 1,2,0
SCSI Bus scanning: supported
Open via UNIX device: not supported

Transport name: RSCSI
Transport descr.: Remote SCSI
Transp. layer ind.: REMOTE:
Target specifier: rscsi@host:bus,target,lun
Target example: REMOTE:rscsi@host:1,2,0
SCSI Bus scanning: supported
Open via UNIX device: not supported
[root@abecker-dt tmp]#

I agree, don't use SCSI emulation on a 2.6 kernel, it's not needed, just configure your kernel for the hardware you have. I don't have /dev/sg* but it doesn't stop me burning with /dev/hdc

Got it!!! One simple change. Instead of identifying the cd burner by numbers, I used letters :)
1,0,0 -> /dev/hdc
Thanks for the last post. That's what popped the idea into my head to try
cdrecord -v speed=2 dev=/dev/hdc DireStraits.raw
instead of
cdrecord -v speed=2 dev=1,0,0 DireStraits.raw

Incidentally, that worked in the gtoaster preferences, too. There were two boxes in the "add CD Device" section: "device name" and "scsi ID". I originally had '/dev/hdc' and '1,0,0' respectively. So to fix allll my problems, I simply made it '/dev/hdc' and /dev/hdc'.

Why the 1,0,0 didn't work, I have no idea. According to the 'cdrecord -scanbus' command, /dev/hdc and 1,0,0 should be equivalent. Could it be related to the SCSI Emulation, perhaps?

I appreciate the replies. Thanks again.

Beebop

Oops... 'sed s/Got it!/Almost got it!/'

Well, gtoaster burns data perfectly. I can completely fill up a CD with as much data as I want. However, I just tried burning an audio CD from 10 mp3s and at the 52% point my computer crashed. It simply stopped doing anything, the mouse wouldn't work, but the CPU was working like crazy. I let it be to see what it would do, and after about 5 or 10 minutes it logged itself out and went back to the X login screen. Weird! I took the CD it was writing to out of the drive and noticed about 52% of the CD had been written on. I tried accessing it, first as a data CD and then as an audio CD, but the disc is now a coffee coaster. Useless.

I tried burning another audio CD, but the same thing happened. Freeze then reboot at 52% completion. I wonder if it has something to do with temp space... My /tmp is on the same partition as /, so if /tmp was full, that may explain the freeze. I'm going to make another coaster and track my tmp space as it burns. Be right back.

No, that's another bug in the 2.6.8 kernel, a memory leak whist writing audio CD's. It will (so I've read) be fixed in 2.6.9 http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3263 There's loads more on the kernel mailing list, eg http://www.uwsg.iu.edu/hypermail/lin...08.3/0824.html

Originally posted by beebop Why the 1,0,0 didn't work, I have no idea. According to the 'cdrecord -scanbus' command, /dev/hdc and 1,0,0 should be equivalent. Could it be related to the SCSI Emulation, perhaps? Beebop [/B]

Presumeably 1,0,0 means you are using SCSI emulation, whereas /dev/hdc you are talking direct. After reading this post and it working I edited /etc/cdrecord.conf and changed

cdrom= ATA:1,0,0 -1 -1 burnfree

To

cdrom= /dev/hdc -1 -1 burnfree

The founding fathers of the Kernel kinda goofed up cdrom prividledges in 2.6.8 and they are supposed
to be fixed in 2.6.9 from what I have heard.
Use kernel-2.6.7-1.494 it wil take care of cdrom problems, until 2.6.9 comes out.

jim tate

Thanks for your efforts! I just made the move from RH9.0 to Fedora Core 2 figuring the new kernel was stable enough. I ran into the exact same problem with my cdburner and K3b. All I had to do was change ATAPI:1,0,0 to /dev/hdc in /etc/cdrecord.conf, save the change, fire up K3b and presto! I love it! Now to get all the updates....

Cheers,
David