Sorry if this is long, I tend to type a lot when describing situations. I've been having trouble and I am not sure if it is a hardware or a software problem. I borrowed my friend's external DVD burner a few months ago. It is an HP 200j (for some reason I thought it was a 200i, but every program tells me it is a 200j). I bought a pack of 25 DVD+Rs, the brand is... well, I can't find the brand anywhere on it, but I haven't had problems with them. In the first 23 data DVDs I burned, only one had a mistake (and "unspecified target error"). I let my roommate borrow it for a few days (during which he didn't use it once), then I got it back and at the end of the burning I got a "burn process failed at 2.4x". I checked each of the large files on the DVD, and only the last one (I am assuming) was corrupted. It wouldn't open, but the others did so I kept the disc. The next DVD I burned on it worked perfectly, and then the last one of that first 25 pack had an error message. So I bought another 25 pack, this one is a Maxell 25 pack of DVD+R, Made in Taiwan, and the first one I tried burning data on using Nero Express (which I used for every single other one) messed up after less than 5 minutes. It said "unspecified target error" and "burn process failed at 2.4x". I restarted my computer, tried another disc, and the same thing happened, again within 2-3 minutes. I system restored back to a few days before, and still, mistake in the first 2-3 minutes. I was very angry since that was 3 wasted DVD+Rs in a row. Looking at the discs, I can see a thin little burned ring about a millimeter from where I assume the burning is supposed to begin. I looked at the log, using some of the threads in this forum as a reference and I saw the "1.36" or whatever it was version that I think is up to date. I didn't know if it was a problem on my computer, like with Nero, or a problem with the external burner, or a problem with the USB 2.0 cord (the previous one did not work at all, with that or with my webcam, due to a roommate possibly stepping on it). So I borrowed one of my roommate's laptops and used his program (Roxio Easy CD Creator Version 5.3.4.21 SP8) and set it to record a DVD. There was another error, and when I look at the disc the thin little burned ring seems to be in the same radius as the rings of the discs I burned using Nero on my computer. The log for the Roxio error said E80041882: CD error - power calibration area error - [03/73/03] E80041925: TrackWriter error - Command retry failed - [T7118] I then burned a CD on his computer to see if the DVD burner would at least do that, and it did perfectly. I can play it on that or on my computer. I didn't know if Nero was a large part of the problem, or the disc brand, or what. A difference I noticed each time I used Nero, before the error message popped up, is that the buffer never seemed to fill up. The status stayed at "Lead in" and the buffer didn't fill up, then the error message came. Also, when I would put in my already ruined discs, the ones with the thin little burned rings, I would hit "disc info" in Nero and it would say "This disc is empty", which I wasn't sure was true or not. I would retry by also burning the already messed up discs, just to see if whatever tweak I'd done had made the buffer fill up again, and none had. I still think the problem might be something to do with Nero, and that my roommate's laptop just wasn't fast enough to effectively run any DVD burner, I have no idea though since I'm not really good with this kind of stuff. My Nero log file is: DVD Burner 1A25-****-****-****-****-**** Windows XP 5.1 IA32 WinAspi: - ahead WinASPI: File 'C:\Program Files\Ahead\Nero\Wnaspi32.dll': Ver=2.0.1.59, size=160016 bytes, created 12/16/2003 8:18:06 PM Nero version: 6.3.1.17 (Nero Express) Recorder: <HP DVD Writer 200j> Version: 1.36 - HA 2 TA 0 - 6.3.1.17 Adapter driver: <> HA 2 Drive buffer : 2048kB Bus Type : default (0) -> ATAPI, detected: ? CD-ROM: <SAMSUNG DVD-ROM SD-616F >Version: F100 - HA 1 TA 1 - 6.3.1.17 Adapter driver: <atapi> HA 1 === Scsi-Device-Map === DiskPeripheral : WDC WD1200BB-22CAA0 atapi Port 0 ID 0 DMA: On CdRomPeripheral : MITSUMI CR-48X9TE atapi Port 1 ID 0 DMA: On CdRomPeripheral : SAMSUNG DVD-ROM SD-616F atapi Port 1 ID 1 DMA: On === CDRom-Device-Map === MITSUMI CR-48X9TE D: CDRom0 SAMSUNG DVD-ROM SD-616F E: CDRom1 HP DVD Writer 200j F: CDRom3 ======================= AutoRun : 1 Excluded drive IDs: WriteBufferSize: 74448896 (0) Byte ShowDrvBufStat : 0 BUFE : 0 Physical memory : 511MB (523760kB) Free physical memory: 249MB (255804kB) Memory in use : 51 % Uncached PFiles: 0x0 Use Static Write Speed Table: 0 Use Inquiry : 1 Global Bus Type: default (0) Check supported media : Disabled (0) 15.9.2005 ISO compilation 3:45:17 PM #1 Text 0 File Isodoc.cpp, Line 6065 Iso document burn settings ------------------------------------------ Determine maximum speed : FALSE Simulate : FALSE Write : TRUE Finalize CD : TRUE Multisession : FALSE Burning mode : DAO Mode : 1 ISO Level : 1 (Max. of 11 = 8 + 3 char) Character set : ISO 9660 Joliet : TRUE Allow pathdepth more than 8 directories : TRUE Allow more than 255 characters in path : TRUE Write ISO9660 ;1 file extensions : TRUE 3:45:17 PM #2 Text 0 File Reader.cpp, Line 118 Reader running 3:45:17 PM #3 Text 0 File Writer.cpp, Line 124 Writer HP DVD Writer 200j running 3:45:17 PM #4 ISO9660GEN -11 File geniso.cpp, Line 3899 First writeable address = 0 (0x00000000) 3:45:17 PM #5 Text 0 File Burncd.cpp, Line 3172 Turn on Disc-at-once, using DVD media 3:45:18 PM #6 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 245 Last possible write address on media: 2295103 (510:01.28, 4482MB) Last address to be written: 2276847 (505:57.72, 4446MB) 3:45:18 PM #7 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 257 Write in overburning mode: NO (enabled: CD) 3:45:18 PM #8 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 2137 Recorder: HP DVD Writer 200j, Media type: DVD+R 3:45:18 PM #9 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 418 >>> Protocol of DlgWaitCD activities: <<< ========================================= 3:45:18 PM #10 Text 0 File ThreadedTransferInterface.cpp, Line 813 Setup items (after recorder preparation) 0: TRM_DATA_MODE1 (CTransferItem) 2 indices, index0 (150) not provided original disc pos #0 + 2276848 (2276848) = #2276848/505:57.73 relocatable, disc pos for caching/writing not required/required, no patch infos -> TRM_DATA_MODE1, 2048, config 0, wanted index0 0 blocks, length 2276848 blocks [HP DVD Writer 200j ] -------------------------------------------------------------- 3:45:18 PM #11 Text 0 File ThreadedTransferInterface.cpp, Line 984 Prepare recorder [HP DVD Writer 200j ] for write in CUE-sheet-DAO DAO infos: ========== MCN: "" TOCType: 0x00; Session Closed, disc fixated Tracks 1 to 1: 1: TRM_DATA_MODE1, 2048/0x00, FilePos 0 0 4662984704, ISRC "" DAO layout: =========== __Start_|____Track_|_Idx_|_RecDep_|_CtrlAdr_ 0 | lead-in | 0 | 0x00 | 0x41 0 | 1 | 0 | 0x00 | 0x41 0 | 1 | 1 | 0x00 | 0x41 2276848 | lead-out | 1 | 0x00 | 0x41 3:45:18 PM #12 Phase 24 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1845 Caching of files started 3:45:18 PM #13 Text 0 File Burncd.cpp, Line 4182 Cache writing successful. 3:45:18 PM #14 Phase 25 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1845 Caching of files completed 3:45:18 PM #15 Phase 36 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1845 Burn process started at 2.4x (3,324 KB/s) 3:45:18 PM #16 Text 0 File ThreadedTransferInterface.cpp, Line 2344 Verifying disc position of item 0 (relocatable, disc pos, no patch infos, orig at #0): write at #0 3:45:18 PM #17 SCSI -1066 File Cdrdrv.cpp, Line 1188 SCSI Exec, HA 2, TA 0, LUN 0, buffer 0x03356000 Status: 0x04 (0x01, SCSI_ERR) HA-Status 0x00 (0x00, OK) TA-Status 0x02 (0x01, SCSI_TASTATUS_CHKCOND) Sense Key: 0x05 (KEY_ILLEGAL_REQUEST) Sense Code: 0x24 Sense Qual: 0x00 CDB Data: 0xAD 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x08 0x04 0x00 0x00 Sense Data: 0x70 0x00 0x05 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x0C 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x24 0x00 3:45:18 PM #18 Text 0 File DVDR.cpp, Line 4887 Drive: HP DVD Writer 200j Book Type request: DVD-ROM 3:45:18 PM #19 Text 0 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1703 Set remaining time: 23:40,537 (1420537ms) -> OK 3:45:18 PM #20 Text 0 File DVDPlusRW.cpp, Line 613 Start write address at LBA 0 DVD high compatibility mode: No 3:46:52 PM #21 SCSI -400 File Cdrdrv.cpp, Line 1442 SCSI Exec, HA 2, TA 0, LUN 0, buffer 0x05970000 Status: 0x04 (0x01, SCSI_ERR) HA-Status 0x00 (0x00, OK) TA-Status 0x02 (0x01, SCSI_TASTATUS_CHKCOND) Sense Key: 0x04 (KEY_HARDWARE_ERROR) Sense Code: 0x91 Sense Qual: 0xC2 CDB Data: 0x2A 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x20 0x00 0x00 0x00 Sense Data: 0x70 0x00 0x04 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x0C 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x91 0xC2 3:46:52 PM #22 CDR -400 File Writer.cpp, Line 304 Unspecified target error 3:46:52 PM #23 Text 0 File ThreadedTransfer.cpp, Line 229 all writers idle, stopping conversion 3:46:52 PM #24 Text 0 File ThreadedTransfer.cpp, Line 223 conversion idle, stopping reader 3:46:54 PM #25 Text 0 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1703 Set remaining time: 0:00,000 (0ms) -> OK 3:46:54 PM #26 Text 0 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1703 Set remaining time: 0:00,000 (0ms) -> OK 3:46:54 PM #27 Phase 38 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1845 Burn process failed at 2.4x (3,324 KB/s) Existing drivers: File 'Drivers\atapi.sys': Ver=5.1.2600.0 (XPClient.010817-1148), size=86656 bytes, created 8/17/2001 3:51:56 PM (Adapter driver for src) Registry Keys: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\AllocateCDROMs : 0 (Security Option) Thank you very much for listening to my problem. I know a lot of people have similar problems, and I checked other threads trying to find the answer to mine with no luck.
- too old, update to 6.6.0.16 - your burner's firmware is out of date. Go to HP's website and get the latest firmware for your drive, the latest i have come across is 1.72 - that question mark is fine, as you said the burner is external - you're burning too close to outer edge of discs. If you use DVD Shrink, set target size in Shrink's preferences to 4300MB, thus avioding outer edge of discs and not sacrificing much space - as i say, firmware is out of date, thus isn't recognising those discs correctly. if the firmware was up to date, this should be a 3-liner similar to this - - splat! For help with Power Calibration errors, see my comments here - http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/223764
Thank you very much creaky! I've grown quite pessimistic with computer problems, since most of the advice I am given whenever something goes wrong fails. This is the first time the problem has actually been fixed. You've renewed my faith in computers, grazie.
Omg! I know you did not insult my laptop! My system works great. Next time you go judging things again, make sure you have more than just your own petty opinions. Ly
