Hi
I have a problem with my QSI DVDRW SDW-041 burner. It always worked well enough, but recently I’ve continuously been getting burn errors. I’ve tried using Nero, DVD Decrypter, DVD Shrink and DVD clone, all of which used to work fine, but now fail about 90% of the time. I’m using Sony and Ricoh discs. CD’s still burn okay, it’s just dvd’s I’m having trouble with. Any ideas? Thanks.
Welcome to the forum 
To exclude a media issue, can you try to do a burn on a different media? Maybe a Verbatim.
If you used too intensively the drive, there is also the possibility that now the drive is damaged 
cheers 
I really don’t think it’s a media issue, as I’ve always had very good results with both Sony and Ricoh discs. Until recently, anyway.
So the drive could be damaged? Is there any way to find out for sure?
It is a possibility, because as you said you have problems only with DVDs, but CDs give you no problems.
The most simple thing to exclude is a media problem, so if you can try with a different media this possibility can be clarified quickly.
To check if the drive is damaged, I think that the simplest way is to install it on a different computer, and see if the same problem is still present.
Okay, I tried both a Memorex and a Philips dvd, but no luck. I don’t have any Verbatim discs around atm.
Could it also be something else than a damaged drive? I’d like to exclude all the other possibilities first, cause I don’t have a different computer on which to install it. (I’m using a laptop).
But assuming the drive is indeed damaged, but would that mean exactly? Would I need to buy a new burner, or could it still be fixed? thanks for yor help, btw.
This is a three years old drive model (4x) and it deserves retirement.
Buy a new one, I think NEC will be compatible, read here.
I would buy a new one, but I have no idea how to install it. Is there really nothing else I can try to fix my current one??
Can you boot from the drive?
Did you clean it maybe by using a cd lens cleaner?