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Semaphore timeout - all advice welcome & appreciated

Discussion in 'DVDR' started by TenMen, Dec 15, 2004.

  1. TenMen

    TenMen Regular member

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    ive read the threads & still havnt been able to fix my problem. the difference btwn my prob and some of the other ppl is - my burner is in an enclosure cnctd to my hp laptop. ive updated firmware,aspi,tried diff dvd's,swapped usb cables, even installed the driver for the enclosure. same semaphore err.
    the burner worked w/another persons laptop just fine. w/mines its hit + miss. i have like 3coasters for every one dvd i back up. i can burn regular data fine, i can rip fine. its just when i try to burn movies do i run into this err. ive used ridata,verbatim,+ spin-x(all -r). my progarams of choice are dvd shrink & decrypter,,also failed using 1clickdvdcopy
    -----------------------------------------
    HP Pavilion ze5570us - P4-M 2.66 GHz
    Pentium 4-M,,512 MB,,DDR SDRAM,,Hard drive size 60 GB
    Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition,,3 Hi-Speed USB
    -------------------------------------------

    NEC 16X Double Layer DVD±RW Drive, Black, Model ND-3500A BK
    Specifications:
    Write Speed: 16X DVD+R, 4X DVD+RW, 4X DVD+R9, 16X DVD-R, 4X DVD-RW, 48X CD-R, 24X CD-RW
    Read Speed: 48X CD-ROM, 16X DVD-ROM
    Interface: ATAPI / E-IDE
    Buffer: 2MB
    OS Support: Windows XP/ 2000/ ME/ 98SE
    Features: High speed writing performance.

    ---------------------------------------------
    enclosure is bytecme-320 u2 series
    IDE to USB 2.0

    *******************************************
    i would appreciate any help i can get. and if anyone out there have dealt w/this problem & successfully beat it, i would be very gratefull for any advice given.ive chkd for days, & many sites trying to find a solution and came up w/nothing.
    thanx
     
  2. TenMen

    TenMen Regular member

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    and let me add that im not running any other programs while im burning.
     
  3. ScubaPete

    ScubaPete Senior member

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    Howdy tenmen, welcome to aD,

    Let's try a couple of things, OK ?

    For starters, go into msconfig, startup tab, Disable all, apply, OK, OK to reboot and let's try again BUT this time, let's use a RW disc so that we don't build up your coaster collection.

    STILL NOT WORKING ?

    There are some things we should check as they have a direct influence over how our drive behaves -

    1. Let's check for up-to-date Firmware for your burner.

    "OK, so what is this "Firmware" garbage?" Fair question. Firmware is a "tutor" who's job it is to eliminate any "bugs" found in your drive and to "introduce" your burner to all the different kinds of media to your burner is likely to run into and to tell your burner a little bit about it. What type of media it is and at what speed to burn it. As new media is introduced OR, as the Mfgrs of your burner find new ways to use it, new firmware updates OR "Flash upgrades" come out to "school" your burner, keeping it up-to-date. It's good to keep your burner up-to-date as it "tweaks" your burner and keeps it operating at peak performance.

    Of major Importance – When dealing firmware, you must match your burner's exact model with the proper Firmware. Trying to "Flash" your burner with something "Close" won't do it. It must be the exact firmware for your drive. ("Flashing" is what the installation is referred to when you put the firmware into your drive.) Trying to "Flash" your drive with some other drive's firmware can ruin your drive.

    At the bottom of the page look for "What's my firmware? - Try this little tool I found," Download this tool and check out your Firmware's health (up-to-date wise). You can probably get a current upgrade there also –

    http://flashman.rpc-1.com/

    Firmware page -

    http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_all.php

    Always check your burner's Mfgr's "Support" section to see if some newer Firmware is there -

    Firmware, You can't burn without it -


    Now we need to see if we have a working ASPI Layer.

    "Yea right, and ASPI stands for Another Stupid Piece of Insanity, right ?" No, not quite, it stands for "Advanced SCSI Programming Interface". "Well that tells me nothing, what's it do ?" That's a much easier question to answer. It is kind of a "translator" allowing your software to talk your hardware in a manner that your hardware will understand. Let's imagine an Earthman trying to talk to a rock. Now, think of a sledgehammer as being the interface. With the interface in play, the Earthman can tell the rock to disperse into gravel no matter what planet the rock is from, OK ? Good, let's see if we have a sledgehammer –

    2. Check for your ASPI Layer. If one isn't present, we'll need to get one and reinstall it, then reboot our PC to allow it to "settle in".

    ASPI Checker -
    http://www.adaptec.com/worldwide/su...oduct/EZ-SCSI_5.0&filekey=aspichk.exe&sess=no

    Force 1.8 ASPI Layer -

    http://forceaspi18.w.interia.pl/

    Finally, we need to check your DMA. "Ooohh, no you're not ! Only my husband or my Doctor checks my "D", "M" . . whatever . . ." No, no, it's OK, DMA stands for "Direct Memory Access" transfer mode OR as we say in the computer field, it's a really, fast way to move stuff. Many PC's today are using UDMA or "Ultra Direct Memory Access transfer mode, or as we like to call it, a really super-duper fast way to move stuff as opposed to the PIO mode. The PIO or Programmed I/O mode, is a technique whereby the system CPU and support hardware directly control the transfer of data between the system and the hard disk since shortly after the beginning of PC's up until the mid-1990's. So we want DMA (fast) more than we PIO (slow).

    3. Let's check your Drive's transfer mode. It should be DMA-4, not PIO.
    Windows XP downgrades the Ultra DMA transfer mode after receiving six CRC errors and drops it down to the much slower PIO mode.

    To enable DMA mode using the Device Manager
    1. Open Device Manager
    2. Double-click IDE ATA//ATAPI Controllers to display the list of controllers and channels.
    3. Right-click the icon for the channel to which your burner is connected and select Properties. Now click the Advanced Settings tab.
    4. In the Current Transfer Mode drop-down box, select DMA if available if the current setting says, "PIO Only."
    If the drop-down box already says, "DMA if Available" but the current transfer mode is PIO, then the user must "toggle" the settings. That is, change the selection from "DMA if available" to PIO only, and click "OK".
    Then repeat the steps above to change the selection to "DMA if available".

    OPTION: Right-click the burner and select "Uninstall" and then "OK" all prompts until the PC reboots. Upon rebooting, the PC should "find" your burner and reinstall it setting it by "Default" to DMA.

    Lastly, when did you last defrag your Hard Drive (HD) ? If you have to stop and think about the last time you did it, then it's way, way overdue. Here we go, (Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter. When it opens, choose your HD, analyses it to see where we stand then if you need it (you probably will) choose Defragment.).

    After you finish doing it now you might want to think about having "Scheduled Tasks" in your Control Panel do it for you on a daily basis.

    A fragmented HD not only drastically slows down your system but it can cause all number of things to happen inside your PC, a messed up burn being one of them.

    Once we've done that, our DVD burner should operate at peak efficiency :D)

    Cheers,

    Pete

    Now let's see if everything will work together the way we want it to, OK ?

    Give it a test run and let us know how you make out -
     
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2004
  4. TenMen

    TenMen Regular member

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    im very sorry it took me so long to respond.
    id like to thank you for the time and effort it took you to respond, i really appreciate it. i just got busy w/some stuff.
    step 1 - i did prior to posting. step 3 - didnt apply-external drive...i disabled all programs and defragged.
    what made it work was downloading Force 1.8 ASPI.
    i went from having a near 30% success rate to nearly 90%.
    your advice was amazing. i even used your technique for burning a scratched dvd and it worked!!
    ppl who get responses from you should count themselves lucky, as i do.
    thanx alot pete, your the best!!!


     
  5. ScubaPete

    ScubaPete Senior member

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    TenMen,

    Going from 30% to 90% is pretty good BUT I think we can do better - remember to get yourself some good Discs - Have a Merry Chrictmas and Heh, heh, Remember to cast your vote for me, I'm running for King of the world :D)

    Let's not think about saying "Goodbye" just yet -

    We'd still like you to stop by and visit even when you don't have problems you need help with - "Pop" in when you can and cruise around the different forums. You never know when we might have something that can make your computer work a little easier. You might pickup some valuable tips to boot. Checkout the "Safety Valve", it's a place where we "Chew the fat" on just about every topic under the sun. Heck, check out our forums on Digital Camcorders, Photography, Home Theater components, Games OR p2p topics.

    As an extra added bonus, when you see another person with a problem and you feel you might know something that could help, join in. As the Ogre said to the Cyclops, " Three heads are better than two." (Lol) You'll then see how much fun we have helping others. As a current member of our little club you can welcome the new guys in -

    We'll look forward to seeing you. "Me ?" You'll find me hangin' out over there by the water cooler, sittin' under the potted palm with my feet propped up, sipping on a "cold one", waiting for the next "Newbie" with a problem that I can help them with - maybe you'd like to join me . . . ? I'll be lQQkin for you - -

    Till then, I'll be Sea'n you -

    Pete ;p)


     

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