CD-RW problems since XP upgrade (not common) (1 Viewer)

[Max Leung]

Hmmm...if the music is skipping in the middle of a track, and not at the areas where the gaps are, then I doubt the gaps you see have any effect on that.
I'm thinking a possible timing issue could be a result of the burner's firmware or a weird mechanical issue. In either case, maybe the burner is burning a CD that is at the edge of tolerances for most CD players...writing the data a little bit too fast (the tracks are a teeny bit too squished together, physically) or a bit too slow (the tracks are physically stretched a bit). Sorta like mastering a record at the wrong speed. Mastering a record at 30 RPM, and playing it back at 33 RPM would sound funny. Maybe the CD burner (or Windows?) is doing the same thing, causing the CD players to go into a funk!
Maybe try a different brand of CD burner on your machine! Or maybe your real-time clock on your PC is running a bit too fast/slow, throwing out the PC's timings. Nah, couldn't be that.

 

[Todd Stout]

I'm trying to access the Dell support site but I keep getting an error message that my PC doesn't accept cookies when I perform the search for firmware for my drive. I know this PC does accept cookies so I guess I may be stuck until I get home.
Anyway, I did find a firmware upgrade for the LG branded 8120B drive that takes it to version 2.0 (my drive is at version 1.04). I know I'm not supposed to use this firmware in an OEM drive so hopefully Dell has something available on their Web site for download.
http://www.lgeservice.com/CED8120BFirm200-readme.htm
Is there some way to check the timing or track length on the CD-R discs that I'm burning? Maybe some sort of CD-R disagnostic software?

 

[Max Leung]

Any idea what they changed for that firmware?
As for the CDR diagnostic-type software...I have no idea. :frowning:
Todd, have you tried searching Google or Google Groups and found anyone with a similar problem as yours? It's definitely a tough nut to crack.

 

[Todd Stout]

I'm not sure what that firmware updates in this drive. It doesn't say anywhere on the LG Web site (at least not that I've seen) what it's supposed to fix. I posted a message on the Dell Support message board and was told that flashing with the LG firmware won't necessarily break the drive, it'll just void the warranty. I'm awfully tempted to try it out.

About the firmware issue, Flashing the drive with a non-Dell verified firmware will void the warranty, Dell-Cody stated this a week or so ago. But this does not mean the flash will not work nor is bad in that since. It is simply a risk of warranty issues, your choice.

Link Removed
Or maybe I should just step up to the plate and buy a new drive. Who sells black CD-RW drives at good prices? CD-RW drives that are 100% Windows XP compatible that is...

 

[Max Leung]

The weird thing is, it shouldn't matter at all if a CD burner is XP compatible or not. It should "just work" as long as the burner software supports the drive. Ack!

I have an ancient Plextor 8432 burner, and it works perfectly in XP...bought it in 2000, but was manufactured a year earlier.

If you can find a store that has a good return policy, then try buying the burner there...that way, if you have the same problem, you can take it back for a refund.

 

[Max Leung]

If you can get past the bad english, this page might interest you:
http://www.digit-life.com/articles/cdrw5/
I've had problems with CDRs burnt by my old Yamaha 4x SCSI CD-burner, and the guys results confirmed it is not unique to my drive. Another piece of junk!

 

[Todd Stout]

I called LG again this morning and asked about what the 2.0 firmware upgrade was for. He was a little hesitant to tell me anything after I said I have an OEM drive but he did say that, "it addresses XP issues." Unfortunately, he also recommended that I not use that firmware in my drive. He told me that the LG branded drives have two buttons on the front while mine only has one.

Any ideas where I can pick up a decent CD-RW drive at a good price? A black face to match the rest of the hardware would be nice.

Thanks.

 

[Max Leung]

Todd, check this thread out
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...threadid=76634
Mention is made of a black LiteOn 32x or 40x burner for under $100.

 

[Todd Stout]

Just an interesting addendum to this whole story...

I just was given a Dell Optiplex GX260 at work with a 2.4ghz P4 CPU, 1GB of RAM, and a Samsung SM-332B CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive running Windows 2000 (SP2). One of the first things I tried last week was making an image of an audio CD and burning that onto a CD-R. I also ripped some songs as WAV files onto the hard drive and then burned a second CD-R from those. Surprisingly this PC is having the same problem that the Dell I have at home is experiencing (after my XP upgrade... see above). Both CD-R discs ended up skipping at about track 6 or 7, and just like the discs I now make at home, never in the same place twice.

I don't understand why the CD-RW drive in the Dell at home worked fine under Windows ME and now has this problem under XP. Is Windows XP similar to Windows 2000? Could the firmware that Dell puts in their OEM CD-RW drives be to blame? I have not encountered this problem in any PCs other than Dells. I now know of three Dell PCs that burn audio CD-R discs that skip, The Dimension 8100 at home, the Optiplex GX260 at work, and my friend's laptop which is just a few months old and running XP Pro.

Any more ideas?