I've spent two weeks getting Slackware 10.2 up and running - every day a different problem to solve but this one's driving me mad.
I'm running the default kernel, 2.4.31. I installed k3b and, first, I got the 'Not running as root' error messages for cdrecord and cdrdao, which I fixed by running "chmod +s /usr/bin/cdrdao" and "chmod +s /usr/bin/cdrecord" as root in a console (found this fix on forum - respect!). This seems to have sorted that problem.
Now I'm getting something else - when I launch k3b, go through the whole procedure of selecting the ISO I want to burn, set the burn speed and burnfree, I get the following:

i using cdrecord 2.1
i starting SAO writing speed at x8
i enabled burnfree
i performing optimum power calibration
i sending cue sheet
i starting writing
i input/output errer. not necessarily serious

Then, the whole thing hangs for several minutes before spitting out the disk and making the wa-wa-wa-wa! error sound (the bastard's taunting me, I know it is!).
What's even more annoying, k3b seems to dump just 1MB of data onto every disk before hanging, rendering (so far) six new CDs useless.

I checked out a few forum posts and one suggested burning through a console using "cdrecord -v dev=ATAPI:0,0,0 speed=8 filename.ISO"
I tried this but got the longest, slowest readout of any error message I've seen so far - and I've seen a lot.

This is really sapping my desire to keep using Slackware - this was fun at first, now it's seeming like a lot of work to do really simple stuff which other distros seem to handle without any problems.
Can anyone help?
Thanks

PS My CD-RW seems to be mounting fine (although during install it was detected as just a CD - not a CD-RW - and entered as such in fstab - I don't think this matters as k3b seems to be identifying it as a CD-RW). I can access data disks like the Slackware 10.2 disk, and audio disks fine.

This is what happens when ppl dont run k3bsetup before running k3b. Messy mess you did there mate. Try setting proper permissions via k3bsetup. Also, try getting your hands on a better distro or at least get a 2.6 kernel, it wont bite you.

Try DAO instead of SAO

Mebrelith... tried running k3bsetup before I did anything else (only about a gazillion times) - froze every single damn time. Thanks anyway.

PS Reinstalled k3b (as root), used k3bsetup (as root), tried burning (as root and user) - same thing as before... input/output error blah blah.

Don't seem to have the option to burn in DAO mode from list, either.

Couldn't hang about any more - burned ISO in Windows XP using Nero... took three minutes, disk now loading on another machine. Don't like taking the easy way out but time of the essence - will return to Slack 10.2/k3b problem later.

There is no better distro.

Moohoohaha, lets not start a distrowar ok? (Ill just say that Gentoo and Fedora rule!!!)

Just a couple of thoughts. One, consider using CD-RW disks when first experimenting. No coasters created that way .

Additionally, are you using the K3B that is packaged with Slackware in Extras or are you using K3B packaged by somebody else, such as at Linux Packages? I have had great success with Linux Packages but not with the updated K3B packages. I am using 0.12.4a that came with Slack (10.2). YMMV.

Depends upon how fast the moon is rising and from which direction the wind is blowing. There are days I enjoy Slack and other days when I hold the distro in full contempt. But I have that attitude about computers in general. Generally, computers remain far more user-hostile rather than user-friendly and Slack is merely another element in the game. Just look at all the threads here at LQ from people simply trying to use the damn things, let alone install. Remaining objective and not embracing any fan-boy mentality is the only way I have survived the past two decades using these complex tools. Slack is just another distro. Nothing more, nothing less. [Two cent rant mode off]

in order for you to burn cd's with the 2.4 kernels, you need scsi drivers. Sooooo, your probably need to rebuild your kernel with scsi support, or just change to a 2.6 kernel, theres one on the slack 10.2 second disc

mebrelith wrote:
Go recruit windows xp users like everyone else, and let slackers be slackers =)

stevielawson, what kernel are you using? If 2.4.x the /etc/lilo.conf will need append line hdx=ide-scsi where x is letter for recorder. If 2.6x then append line not needed. Can you post your /etc/fstab and /etc/group file. Some maven may be able to help you better then.

cdrecord --scanbus
what does it shows???,
do u have 2 cd roms???
for2.4, as lestoil said, do it and
if u have only one cd drive, u also need to put a link in /dev, after scsi emulation.

slackers are diff some times u have to tweek much, but u know what ur machine is and what all it want.everything is possible with slackeware. but u must a slacker...

In short...I was just joking around. Let the other distros fight about which is "best". Truly enlightened people and Slackware users know that the best distro is the one which works the best for you. It just so happens that most of us who hang out in this forum feel Slack suits us best.

I'm content for my distro to remain less popular but deliver on the things which are important to me: low-bloat, stable, simple, and infinitely customizable.

uh? what? what you talking about?

Of course! We're so coddled with 2.6 these days, we forget that burning cds under 2.4 was a bit of a mission!

Not one of the better articles I've found, but, it'll have to do.

http://linuxreviews.org/howtos/cdrecording/

It's important to realise that k3b is only ("only"!) a frontend for other programs (as you already know), so you can test those other programs from the command line to see where the problem is.

lestoil and chrisortiz are bang on the money, imho, and it is most likely a SCSI emulation problem.

As lestoil has already pointed out, but seems to have been skipped over:

What he's talking about is doing the following in /etc/lilo.conf (assuming it isn't already there):

Obviously hdb will need to be replaced by whatever your burner is, but in principle (not principal!) that might help =)

All the best,
- Piete.

You know I totally forgot those pesky 2.4 issues. Spot on piete!