Sony DRU-800A burning problem with Taio Yuden DVD+R

[wincewega]

My first time on this forum and I'm a relative newbie when it comes to using advanced DVD testing methods, so please forgive me if I don't post all the required info.

Just got myself a pack of 50 Taio Yuden (YUDEN000T02 TG000041) DVD+R with great difficulty coz I had heard such great things about it.

My burner is a Sony DRU-800A flashed with Codeguys' KC4B firmware. It is 3 years old and recently developed a problem of its tray closing automatically after it has been ejected.

I tried to burn some data on the DVD+Rs when they arrived. I had never used DVD+R media upto this point and all my media had been Moser Baer/HP DVD-R.

The first TY DVD+R disc burnt fine with Nero 8, multisession turned off and speed 8x. I had verify written data checked and the results were fine. However once the disc ejected and I reinserted it, Windows XP showed it as blank. Nero Discspeed and Infotool strangely showed the Disc as a "DVD+RW" although they could read the Media ID correctly. Also Discspeed could not do a test as it showed a "Failed to begin test" or some similar error.

I restarted the PC and tried to burn another TY DVD+R. It too burnt perfectly but showed exactly the same results as above when I reinserted the DVD. Windows XP could not read it and Nero Infotool and Discspeed identified it as DVD+RW and refused to test it.

I tried using ISOBuster to access both these DVDs and it gave me some error like "No files or folders present, only a track/session layout" or something similar. It was worded differently but I did not note it down then.

Then I tried to read an old DVD-R to see if the drive was working properly. Windows XP could read the DVD-R perfectly. I reinserted my DVD+Rs which could not be read earlier and this time Windows XP could read it and I could access the files on both of these.

I used Nero Discspeed to test the quality of both the DVD+Rs and I got the following results.

Disc 1 (Taio Yuden DVD+R)

General Information
Drive: LITE-ON DVDRW SOHW-1693S
Firmware: KC4B
Disc: DVD+R (YUDEN000 T02)
Selected speed: 4 X
PI errors
Maximum: 24
Average: 1.51
Total: 25301
PI failures
Maximum: 9
Average: 0.05
Total: 6684
PO failures: n/a
Jitter: n/a
Scanning Statistics
Elapsed time: 13:28
Number of samples: 123234
Average scanning interval: 1.09 ECC
Glitches removed: 0

Disc 2 (Taiyo Yuden DVD+R)

General Information
Drive: LITE-ON DVDRW SOHW-1693S (actually a Sony DRU-800A)
Firmware: KC4B
Disc: DVD+R (YUDEN000 T02)
Selected speed: 4 X
PI errors
Maximum: 18
Average: 0.95
Total: 16014
PI failures
Maximum: 7
Average: 0.01
Total: 1989
PO failures: n/a
Jitter: n/a
Scanning Statistics
Elapsed time: 13:27
Number of samples: 121967
Average scanning interval: 1.10 ECC
Glitches removed: 0

For comparison, following are the results of testing an HP DVD-R which I had burnt a few days ago using the same hardware/software:

Disc 3 (HP DVD-R)

General Information
Drive: LITE-ON DVDRW SOHW-1693S
Firmware: KC4B
Disc: DVD-R (MBI 01RG40)
Selected speed: 4 X
PI errors
Maximum: 76
Average: 15.02
Total: 251674
PI failures
Maximum: 4
Average: 0.07
Total: 9013
PO failures: n/a
Jitter: n/a
Scanning Statistics
Elapsed time: 13:35
Number of samples: 123202
Average scanning interval: 1.09 ECC
Glitches removed: 0

I have absolutely no idea what to make of this data. Are these results good, and typical of Taio Yuden media? Are the results better for TY than for HP? Should I be concerned about my optical drive?

Also what caused the initial problems of DVD+R not being read properly? Will this happen again and what can I do to prevent it? Please advise.

[wincewega]

I am facing the same problem again. Both the discs are once again not being recognized by Windows XP.

Iso Buster is giving the following error:
“No file systems and/or files found. During mounting of the disc only a sessions/track layout could be found. No file-systems nor files and folders could be found. Assuming you are looking for certain (missing) files, we suggest you run this option: “Find missing files or folders "

Nero Discspeed is showing it as DVD+RW and says “Error intializing test” while trying to do a Disc Quality Check.

Attached is the Disc Info.

Someone please help. I went through a lot of trouble to get these DVDs and now I can’t even use them.

[Cressida]

Welcome [B]wincewega[/B],

The tray closing upon eject sounds like a software problem, some program doesn’t like it to be open. Test it with the ribbon cable disconnected (or when Windows isn’t loaded yet), does it stay open then?

As for the other symptoms/results, I think your drive’s laser is getting weak with age. You could try cleaning the lens with alcohol, but if that doesn’t help it may be time for a new burner.

[professor_nova]

I also have a 2 year old 1693s (the same as yours sony), and a month ago it started showing the same symptoms, DVD+R shown as empty DVD+RW. It happens mainly with tayo yuden DVD+R discs T01 and T02, and I have to open and close the tray until the discs are recognized.
First I thought it was windows fault, but last week I tested it in another computer with the same results. I have opened it and the lens seems clean. The laser getting week was my second guess, but I still get good burns. I guess I must start thinking of buying a new one

PS: the 1693s stores a learning strategy of the last four discs, so if you want to get good burns, you have to burn with the same type/MID until he “learns” the best stratagy. If you switch to other brand, he discards the first and starts learning again.

[wincewega]

Thanks professor nova, that was very helpful. So according to you the problem is in the burner and not my software. Guess I’ll have to get a new burner soon in that case.

Just to clarify, when you say “I tested it in another computer”, you mean you plugged the same burner in another computer, right? Could other drives recognize it easily?

[Cressida]

…the lens seems clean…

You don’t have to actually [I]see[/I] the dirt for it to be there. It’s more often than not an invisible film of grime and micro-particles that covers the lens. Can do wonders to clean it, especially after 2-3 years.

[wincewega]

Okay, will try that too. I know this must’ve been discussed on these forums to no end but what would be the easiest and safest method to clean the lens.

[Cressida]

[QUOTE=wincewega;2026935]Okay, will try that too. I know this must’ve been discussed on these forums to no end but what would be the easiest and safest method to clean the lens.[/QUOTE]

http://club.cdfreaks.com/2013717-post40.html

[professor_nova]

[QUOTE=wincewega;2026872]
Just to clarify, when you say “I tested it in another computer”, you mean you plugged the same burner in another computer, right? Could other drives recognize it easily?[/QUOTE]

Yes, I took the burner from the computer it is in, and plugged it in another computer. The simptoms were the same, so the problem was in the burner. The discs themselves don’t have problems beeing recognized in other drives. And it’s mostly YUDEN T01 and T02. Yuden T03 (most) and MCC004 (all I tested) are imediatly recognized.

PS: I’ll try later to clean the lens also. First I have some things to burn.

[professor_nova]

[QUOTE=Cressida;2026885]You don’t have to actually [I]see[/I] the dirt for it to be there. It’s more often than not an invisible film of grime and micro-particles that covers the lens. Can do wonders to clean it, especially after 2-3 years.[/QUOTE]

Thanks! Thanks! Thanks! Just cleaned the lens as sugested in the thread, and it worked better than I expected! Not only it now reads all those Tayo Yuden T02 disc it detected as DVD+RW, but a DVD+RW I thought was dead (it refused to erase it) now works fine

Now I just need something to burn to a DVD+R to see if the cleaning improved or not the burning.

[professor_nova]

No problem burning. The cleaning was great!

[Cressida]

Good job, [B]professor_nova[/B]! I hope there’s many good burns and scans left in your venerable Litey.