Can anyone decipher the following error from cdrecord, I have tried various CDs from CD-R to a CD-RW, the RW was too small being a 650MB one, this is the closest I have gotten to completing normally. My other attempts were with Brasero and Gnomebaker, both with no luck on any type of CD.

Thanks in anticipation.

Iain

iain@iain-laptop:~$ cdrecord -v speed=4 dev=/dev/cdrom /home/iain/Desktop/LinuxMint-3.1-BETA-021.iso
wodim: No write mode specified.
wodim: Asuming -tao mode.
wodim: Future versions of wodim may have different drive dependent defaults.
TOC Type: 1 = CD-ROM
scsidev: '/dev/cdrom'
devname: '/dev/cdrom'
scsibus: -2 target: -2 lun: -2
Linux sg driver version: 3.5.27
Wodim version: 1.1.2
SCSI buffer size: 64512
atapi: 1
Device type : Removable CD-ROM
Version : 5
Response Format: 2
Capabilities :
Vendor_info : 'HL-DT-ST'
Identification : 'CDRW/DVD GCC4244'
Revision : 'B101'
Device seems to be: Generic mmc2 DVD-ROM.
Current: 0x0009 (CD-R)
Profile: 0x0010 (DVD-ROM)
Profile: 0x0008 (CD-ROM)
Profile: 0x0009 (CD-R) (current)
Profile: 0x000A (CD-RW)
Using generic SCSI-3/mmc CD-R/CD-RW driver (mmc_cdr).
Driver flags : MMC-3 SWABAUDIO BURNFREE
Supported modes: TAO PACKET SAO SAO/R96P SAO/R96R RAW/R16 RAW/R96P RAW/R96R
Drive buf size : 1601712 = 1564 KB
Beginning DMA speed test. Set CDR_NODMATEST environment variable if device
communication breaks or freezes immediately after that.
FIFO size : 12582912 = 12288 KB
Track 01: data 690 MB
Total size: 793 MB (78:34.09) = 353557 sectors
Lout start: 793 MB (78:36/07) = 353557 sectors
Current Secsize: 2048
ATIP info from disk:
Indicated writing power: 5
Is not unrestricted
Is not erasable
Disk sub type: Medium Type B, low Beta category (B-) (4)
ATIP start of lead in: -11607 (97:27/18)
ATIP start of lead out: 359849 (79:59/74)
Disk type: Short strategy type (Phthalocyanine or similar)
Manuf. index: 18
Manufacturer: Plasmon Data systems Ltd.
Blocks total: 359849 Blocks current: 359849 Blocks remaining: 6292
Speed set to 706 KB/s
Starting to write CD/DVD at speed 4.0 in real TAO mode for single session.
Last chance to quit, starting real write 0 seconds. Operation starts.
Waiting for reader process to fill input buffer ... input buffer ready.
Performing OPC...
Starting new track at sector: 0
Track 01: 545 of 690 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf 99%] 4.1x.Errno: 5 (Input/output error), write_g1 scsi sendcmd: no error
CDB: 2A 00 00 04 43 C8 00 00 1F 00
status: 0x2 (CHECK CONDITION)
Sense Bytes: 70 00 03 00 00 00 00 0A 00 00 00 00 0C 00 00 00
Sense Key: 0x3 Medium Error, Segment 0
Sense Code: 0x0C Qual 0x00 (write error) Fru 0x0
Sense flags: Blk 0 (not valid)
resid: 63488
cmd finished after 0.684s timeout 40s

write track data: error after 572407808 bytes
wodim: A write error occured.
wodim: Please properly read the error message above.
Writing time: 985.488s
Average write speed 5.0x.
Min drive buffer fill was 71%
Fixating...
Fixating time: 0.003s
iain@iain-laptop:~$

The first thing to do is to verify that the cd drive is working correctly. That I/O error suggests it may not be doing so.

Try this simple test from the command line: eject /dev/hdc. You may have to be root to execute the command.

If the cd drive tray opens, the drive is working. If the tray doesn't open, the drive is not working.

Thanks bigrigdriver, I think you are right, have tried various other operations with the CD drive including trying to boot from a good iso image that I burnt on another pc with no luck. Am now on the hunt for a spare to fix it.

By the way the command you suggested did open the drive.

Thanks

Iain

I'm not sure if 'eject'ing the drive makes any sense if there are I/O errors..most of the drives I meet that have problems reading or writing (to/from discs) do open and close normally, either from the button or from a commend.

CD/DVD writers aren't so expensive nowadays, so if it's a struggle, just buy a new one.

Yeah but using a Dell Laptop means I need to do a bit of hunting. Thanks for the help.

Iain

... unless you're willing to go with an external USB drive.

Which I do have but use it for incremental backups of my home directory. I have now confirmed that it is the CD drive that is at fault as my brother in law also has a Dell with the same cd drive and I swapped them over and was able to boot from the drive. Hopefully ebay will be my friend.