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#1
06-April-2002, 12:45
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embarrassing CDROM problem
Okay - here it is.
About a year ago, I bought a combined CDRW/DVD drive. The main reason was because my hard disk was filling up and I wanted to make backups of my MP3's. Didn't intend to get DVD at first but thought that since the price was reasonable, I went for it. However, at the time that I bought it, I also had a second hand hard disk which was cast off by one of my relatives. I didn't know how to install hard disks in computers at the time. However, once I got the new CDROM drive and followed the instructions, it occurred to me that these IDE devices are all pretty similar, so I managed to install the second hand hard disk pretty much by following the instructions for the CDROM drive.  Thereby doing away with the immediate need for having a CD burner in the first place.Which was fortunate. Because have I managed to get it to make CD's? Have I hell! I managed to get it to make an audio CD copy of Garbage's album Beautiful Garbage once successfully, but that's it. Ever since then, when I try to start adaptec easy CD creator, it says it's not plugged in. However, fortunately, it plays CD's and DVD's. And now my second hard disk is almost full of MP3's and MPEGs downloaded from the internet, and encoded from ripped CDs and DVDs. So, erm, it's kinda important that it works again. Snags? I uninstalled the adaptec easy CD software. Plus, I've hunted around my flat and can't find the CDROM to reinstall it. I did try the trial version of Nero as well, but couldn't get that to work either. So I'm fairly confident that if I got a new or second hand CDROM drive, I'd be able to plug it into the computer so that it reads CD's, however, I'm not so confident about being able to get burner software to work. Of course, sorry to hear about WL's problem at http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/s...?threadid=4985 - which makes me particularly anxious to make sure that the same thing that doesn't happen to me. Sorry that it's a bit of vague question about a daft situation, but where do people reckon I should go from here, preferably involving minimum spend on new software and hardware? Thanks, it's really really appreciated.
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#2
06-April-2002, 12:56
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what os are you running?
that apart get rid of creator, it is nor that good, the fact that the system reads cd's tells you it works, however that is a pretty basic function performed as a plug and play function within windows. it does not prove it is installed within the computer correctly. it would be better as the master on the second ide line, if it is not then you could get problems one you finally get it working. the problem with creator and nero could be that you are using an early version that does not recognise your drive most of the updates are just adding new drives to the programs database. before looking at cacles and installation download the latest nero, it gives you 30 days before you need to spend money or search for a serial number [not difficult] this should/will recognise the drive, see how you go from there
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#3
07-April-2002, 21:21
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Thanks, that's appreciated.
Am using Windows 98SE, the hardware device in question is a Samsung 304B combo or something like that anyway. At the moment it's secondary slave - do you reckon that would make a difference? Shouldn't be too difficult for me to change that. Do you reckon it would be better on an IDE by itself too, that is, not have a hard disk on the same one?Will give your suggestions a try, thanks.
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#4
07-April-2002, 21:30
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never a good idea to have the cd burner on the same ide line as the device you are copying from, so if you are doing disc to disc copying then have the cd and the burner on differant lines, if most of your stuff comes off the hdd then again hdd on one line, burner on the second,
do not think that if your problem though, that is just for future referance. feel sure it is simply the vesion of the burner software that is older than your burner, an update should solve it
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#5
08-April-2002, 11:19
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Thanks. At the moment, hard disk I usually boot windoze from is on primary IDE, and the CD/DVD drive and the hard disk I keep all my music on is on the secondary IDE, my reasoning being that this should reduce the chance of playback quality being compromised by windows background processes, like handling the swap file.
It's just, I feel like a bit of a prat, because I started a few threads about six months ago on this one but never followed it up - again, as I say, the need wasn't as important then as it is now. But then I'd also have mates over and offer to make CD's for them, in return for them doing something similar for me perhaps, and as I say, it worked once, but after that, I'd be faffing about with a computer that doesn't work whilst they're standing there getting increasingly impatient! Embarrassing.  Am currently in the process of getting my paws on Nero burning - will post again in the next few hours to say how it all goes. Thanks again.
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#6
08-April-2002, 12:14
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Okay - I think the problem lies in my computer not recognising blank cd's as being blank cd's for some reason. Dunno, that's just a guess. Here's a log file that nero spewed out.
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#7
08-April-2002, 12:32
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bloody hell, is all i can say, sure it all means something to somebody.
not sure what nero support is like, they allow you to download a 30day demo to try the software, so maybe it would be worth asking them as obviously you are in a test stage and would not be buying with the results so far certainly worth investigating the hdd/cd rom setup, again dont know what would happen if jumpers were wrong on one or the other, check that one is master and other is slave, should not matter which as long as you have one of each on same line after that i would be trying it in another computer
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#8
08-April-2002, 13:28
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http://www.adaptec.com/worldwide/sup...=aspi_v470.exe if you have had several different bits of software installed aspi can be the problem--- you could try using this and see if it helps
__________________
A little bit of Madness keeps you sane.
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#9
08-April-2002, 13:37
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Robin, burner is an IDE so dont think software you pointed to will help?? as this is for scsi, however your point is a good one, there are other pieces of software so imatate an aspi layer [which may be needed] on ide drive.
you may know of some, will have a search and return later
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#10
08-April-2002, 13:44
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nah- is a quirk of cdrom burners- they like to use an aspi layer for some reason, lots of software provide their own but it tends to walk over copies belonging to other things. Windows XP cheats by not including one at all thereby passing the prblem onto someone else. I needed a new aspi layer to get CDRWIN to work
__________________
A little bit of Madness keeps you sane.
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#11
08-April-2002, 13:50
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Okay, found a phone number for them, apparently it's + 49 7248 911 800 and they're in from 10 til 6 central european time. Not sure if they speak english yet but I'll give it a go, will post again later, but have to go out now.
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#12
08-April-2002, 13:51
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think you need 'forceaspi' have a look at
http://aspi.radified.com/ again as far as i know to install the Adaptec aspi layer on its own you must have a scsi card in your system,, cannot check as all i run is scsi so it obviously installs forceaspi gets round this in some way. but certainly agree with your thinking Robin
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#13
08-April-2002, 16:03
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I have once tried using Forceaspi before, it worked once - managed to print that Garbage CD just afterwards. But then that was it, and it hasn't worked again since then. That was using Easy CD creator. Have tried using Forceaspi again but doesn't work at all this time. Perhaps I'll try it once again.
Phoned up ahead software, they do speak english, and better still, the bloke who picked up the phone didn't pass me to anyone else, said he thinks he knows what the problem is, and he'll email me a patch. Hmmm - wish I'd thought of that! Would have signed up for an email address specifically, still, not to worry. I have received an email from nero tech support, yep, checked the IP addy's in the header using a whois client, and I reckon it really is them. Snag is, it's in german. Not to worry, have run it through google's automated translator, and it seems that they're after a bit more info on my operating system. Here's the bits they ask about that I don't understand ....
Everything else they ask pretty much makes sense to me. I'll try using ForceASPI again though, perhaps. Thanks.
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#14
08-April-2002, 16:27
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SCSI Hostadapter how do I find that out? the cd burner is ide? not scsi, there is no scsi host adaptor, think that needs making clear before you go much further. rest, as far as i can see is not relavent. i would tell them you have tested it with just the burner and hard drive, which is basically true, other periferals, printers etc can have no effect main board make will be marked on it? maybe, do you have a manual for the board the info will be in that, chipset could be intel, sis or via
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#15
08-April-2002, 16:55
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Thanks, I've emailed them back now - in English! But I answered all the questions they asked in German apart from that one about the mainboard and chipset - perhaps I'll send another one. Have been trying to phone them up too, but it's always engaged now. CET is one hour ahead of GMT isn't it? In that case, will probably have to wait until tomorrow now.
Incidentally - ForceASPI is a popular utility that will install version 4.60 (1021) of Adaptec's ASPI drivers, *without* an Adaptec card or software in your system [hence: force]. Force ASPI v1.7 is the latest version. Last edited by squidgy; 08-April-2002 at 17:08.
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#17
08-April-2002, 20:21
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It crossed my mind that I've bought a box full of dud blanks
But, erm, yeah - I have a box full of blanks, and have tried two of them. Actually, not quite full, because unless I'm greatly mistaken, I successfully used one of the blanks out of this particular box to create that Garbage CD about six months ago using Adaptec Easy CD Creator ..... Okay, more specific info on what happens now. If there's a blank in the drive when I start Nero, then it only offers the virtual image recorder. If there happens to be a CDROM or DVD in the drive with stuff on it, then Nero will recognise the drive (provided that I've rebooted since last trying a blank CD) but it falls over when I then try to change it to a blank again. I'm pretty sure that what isn't happening is that it's doing something to these blank CD's so that they're no longer blank any more - but I could be mistaken - will check that out now. The only other "blanks" I have are rewriteables - I could try one of those, I guess, because it ought to master them in much the same way - it's just they'll be slower, that's all. Will try that now, or just after trying yet another blank. Thanks.
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#18
08-April-2002, 20:38
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do you have access to another computer, i think it would be a good move to put your burner into another system, preferably one that does not have a burner in it now.
if that is possible then do that, install Nero and see what you get. that will start to isolate things and make it possible to have facts instead of guesses what version of nero are you running?
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#19
08-April-2002, 21:19
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Am using version 5.5.8.0 - don't have immediate access to another computer but that could probably be addressed in the not too distant future.
Okay - if I have CD or DVD with something on it in the drive, right click the drive in "My Computer, then I get a screen like this ..  Running Nero and selecting "Choose Recorder" from the Recorder menu will bring up this screen ....  However, if there's a blank in the drive, and I right click in "My Computer, then I get a screen like this ...  And running nero and trying to choose recorder device will do this ...  Well, usually it does that. Sometimes it offers the SAMSUNG COMBO like before, but if I try to accept it at this stage with a blank CD in the drive, Nero crashes. Computer seems to be happy for me to change CD's and DVD's, as long as I don't put any blank ones in. However, once I've put a blank CD in the drive, I have to reboot in order for it to read any CD or DVD in the drive again. And sometimes, if I try to boot up the computer with a blank CD in the drive, I get a blue screen error. The word "NERO" appears in this blue screen error, but it doesn't always happen. Will write down exactly what it says next time. Oh and when I say blank - it doesn't matter if it's a CDR or CDRW, it still behaves / misbehaves in much the same way. Originally, I tried to burn a CD without realising that I didn't have a blank in the drive! So I replaced it before clicking Write CD from Nero's file menu. That caused it to spew out that log file which I quoted earlier, and if I do the same thing again now - start Nero with a DVD in the drive, take it out and replace it with a blank after Nero has started but before trying to start writing, then the same thing happens. Erm - I think that's covered pretty much all the symptoms ..... anyone any the wiser? Thanks.
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#20
08-April-2002, 21:23
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humm - weird one
 I spect you've already checked throughly but are totally sure there's not some other cd s/w also running - something like adaptec direct cd (or anything like that?) also - have you tried updating the drivers for the cd - I guess it's possible they are out of date or corrupted ? Sil
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#21
08-April-2002, 21:34
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the first 3 screen grabs are fine, they are as mine and as i would expect
its the last one that is odd, have just opened nero with a blank in and i get virtual and actual drive taking sils point. you have had easy cd creator on, this could have included direct cd, have had that on my system with nero and both were happy, but i am running xp. 98se may be differant. the nero you are running is the latest so cannot see that being a problem even in demo mode do you have a serial number, worth trying that after that i think another computer is next
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#22
08-April-2002, 22:02
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Thanks. Incidentally I have also just tried taking the gamepad off, and also taking the hard disk on secondary IDE off, and sticking the CD burner to master instead of slave. Exactly the same, makes no difference at all, except that obviously it says D: instead of E: for the drive letter assignment when I take one of the hard disks off.
Actually - on my other hard disk, I do still have Easy CD creator installed, and Nero has never been installed on it. I'll try that one again, but if I remember rightly, again, pretty much the same sorts of problems. Happily reads, plays and rips CD's and DVD's but won't burn, and won't read any further CD's or DVD's after a blank one has been put in until I restart. Will gather some info on it anyway .....
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#23
08-April-2002, 22:30
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Well - another hard disk which happens to be bootable with Windows is the nearest thing I have to a different computer. This other one does have Adaptec Easy CD Creator installed on it, and, as far as I can remember, has never had Nero installed. It also has version 4.60 of Adaptec's ASPI layer. Have tried making a CD with Easy CD - and ....
 That's all it says. Pretty much all the other symptoms, as I say, are the same, that is, it'll read CD's and DVD's quite happily until a blank one is put in. Oh - also had a blue screen error when I rebooted from HD with Nero on it. It said .... An exception 0E has occurred at 0038:C15542CD in VxD NEROCD95(01) + 0000405D. This was called from 0028:C182DC28 in VxD scsi1hlp(03) + 00000508. It may be possible to continue normally.  I have successfully used MS Sidewinder programmed with windows reserved keystrokes (which you aren't supposed to do according to the Sidewinder documentation, but I've found a way) to clear down blue screens in exactly the same way as you would do from the keyboard. Which suggests to me that Windows carries on doing stuff after you get blue screens if you let it - but you might not know what it's actually doing. Best not give it the opportunity, then, in my opinion.Erm .... any nearer? I'll check to make sure that I don't still have bits of Adaptec installed too.
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#24
08-April-2002, 22:58
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Okay - I like uploading screenshots! Here's another one - but I'll link to it this time instead of embedding it. It's a screenshot of the process watcher, which shows all the programs running which I don't immediately seem to be able to shut down without actually shutting Windows down - with the obvious exception of the process watcher (wintop.exe) itself. Find it at http://upload.the-scream.co.uk/squidgyprocwatch.gif - I don't think any of those things are bits of Adaptec stuff are they?
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#25
08-April-2002, 22:58
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try downloading discjuggler
http://www.padus.com/free.htm the demo only works at 1x but speed is not as issue, it is a disc copying program, but works pretty much with everything. make an image from a cd and then burn it to a cdrw, that way you have not lost a disc it uses all its own dll's and not much from windows. certainly an odd one 
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#26
09-April-2002, 02:14
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Thanks, am downloading discjuggler now, though, to be honest, I don't hold out a lot of hope!
However, just to make sure that I haven't missed something really obvious - there's a multicoloured power lead plugged into the drive, and the 40 pin IDE lead. And that's it. There aren't supposed to be any other kinds of connection wiring, are there? I haven't bothered with the audio out soundcard connection, but that didn't get in the way of me making that Beautiful Garbage CD that one time that I did manage to get it to work many moons ago. The other thing I might try is Adaptec's new ASPI layer version 4.70. However, I've heard it's had bad reviews. So, does anyone know what files I need to make a backup of in order to get back to 4.60 again if I need to, before I update it? Thanks.
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#27
09-April-2002, 03:23
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Progress!
 Well - okay. I've made my first frisbee! Seriously, though, it's a step in the right direction, I can see that discjuggler has done something, because I can see the marks on the CD.Of course, it had the same initial problem as Nero. If there's a blank CD in the drive, it doesn't recognise the drive at all. But stick that DVD of American Beauty in, it accepts that, whereupon I take it out and shove a blank in and it does something to it. It'll be interesting to see if it can be read on other people's computers, so perhaps I'll take the "frisbee" into a cybercafe tomorrow to see if there's anything on it. Meanwhile, I have a suspicion that it's merely that my computer doesn't like discs that aren't closed. I have CDROMS from rellies with pics on them, and they read okay in my combo drive. Perhaps I'll try making an audio CD now.
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#28
09-April-2002, 04:05
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Nope, they're all definite frisbees, the audio CD wouldn't play in a CD player. Well, I think it was an audio CD anyway, discjuggler said "CD-DA" but it doesn't make it that clear whether it's audio or data ....
Still, it shows that maybe workarounds are possible. I'll try configuring Nero not to test before it burns, see if that makes any difference. Except I'll use RW's this time.
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#29
09-April-2002, 04:48
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Patience pays off! Neither Adaptec Easy CD Creator nor Nero Burning Rom nor DiscJuggler recognise that the drive is available if the program is started with a blank CD in the drive. You have to start off with a CD or DVD with something on it. You then choose what to stick on your CD. And choose not to bother testing before burning. So what happens after that? Take the pre-written CD out and replace it with a blank CD. Nero packs up at this point, and says an unspecified error has occurred. DiscJuggler makes frisbees. But Adaptec Easy CD Creator actually works, and creates CD's that really play. Of course, it would never have occurred to me to do this until now. But that perhaps explains why I managed to get one CD out of it - because you'd normally check that you have a blank CD in the drive before starting. But one day, I forgot. And I guess that was the only time it actually worked. Now, though, I can see that this behaviour is regular as clockwork. Having said that, it seems that reading these CD's back is not totally without the odd blue screen error saying that the disc might need cleaning ... but I haven't noticed any consistency there yet.
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#30
09-April-2002, 05:54
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Have to say, I don't want to overstate this, but really, I think that having a CD burner which I know how to use is going to change my life! I mean, really, I'm no longer trapped by the size limits of my hard disks. And if I can easily make backups of things, I don't have to be so protective about the stuff on my hard disk. And therefore the hard disks themselves, therefore the whole damn computer, and the flat that contains it.
Oh yeah, and it'll be nice to take music around with me too.So, big big thanks for all your help, it's really appreciated, I'd never have sussed otherwise. So I'll post again in a few days to say if it's still working okay.
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