Memorex 52X24X52X problem - Have mercy on my soul...

[rivals]

Hopefully this will not be a repost. I have seached several forums for the answer to my question including this one and cdrinfo without finding an answer or solution. So here we go...

I have the forementioned CD-RW drive (Memorex 52MAXX) and have never been able to break the 16X barrier with several 52X,48X, 40X, and 32X media including the 52X multispeed CD-R the drive came packaged with.

I am running Windows XP Pro with SP1 ( recently upgraded to try to solve this problem ) and have flashed my drive with the lite-on 6S08 firmware to attempt to see if this would fix my drive and/or problem. Windows XP states that on the secondary IDE slot it is using Ultra DMA mode 2 on Device 0 and Multi-Word DMA mode 2 on Device 1. A Pioneer DVD-Rom is Device 0 and my CD-RW is Device 1. Both Have the setting "DMA if available" selected.

I have tried 2 different pieces of software - Nero (CDSpeed and Burning Rom software with latest update) and Roxio Easy CD Creator (Latest Version).

I have tried making the drive the only device on the secendary IDE channel as a master to no avail as well. This drive sometimes actually starts at 21X in Nero CDSpeed but then I hear it slow down and it registers a constant 16X.

Hopefully I overlooked something very simple and someone will tell me how stupid I was to ask such a question and I will have to hang my head in shame. Of course then I will be burning at 52X finally and won't care!!!

Thanks for the replies ahead of time.

[Action Jackson]

What is the source of the data you are trying to burn from?

The harddrive, another optical drive or something else?

[cfitz]

Start Windows Task Manager (taskmgr.exe) and select the "Performance" tab. Then put a pressed data CD into your drive, start CD Speed, and begin a transfer rate test (F2). Report the CPU usage you are seeing in Task Manager while the CD Speed transfer rate test is running.

cfitz

[rivals]

Action Jackson :

From a 7200 RPM 80 GIG HD

Cfitz :

Did exactly as you asked using Task Manager and Nero Cd Speed. I put both programs side by side and saw the highest spike of CPU usage at 7%.

The burn program registered at 21X and then I heard my Rom slow up after 30 seconds and BOOM... 16X again. It flatlines out like the poor little things heartrate stopped

I should have said I am running an AMD 1800 XP with 512 DDR Ram on a Soyo Dragon Plus mainboard to show my computer is not so antient.

[cfitz]

Well, that verifies that DMA is enabled. Otherwise your CPU usage would be much higher. I was just double-checking since XP has been known to be coy with DMA settings, sometimes resetting to PIO mode without telling you. Too bad, though, because that would have been the easy solution. Even so, you still might want to try the DMA trick in the FAQ if nothing else helps and you haven't tried it already:

http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=6645

If I understand you correctly, even when reading a pressed data disc, you can't achieve speeds any higher than 16x (other than an occasional short burst to 21x when starting a transfer rate test). Similarly, you can't burn at any higher than 16x either, regardless of which of several different media you use. If it was just the burning, we might blame the media (although not with much conviction since you have tried so many different types). Since it also is a problem with reading, and reading pressed media at that, I want to blame the DMA settings. But that seems to be ruled out also. And this has been going on since the day you bought the drive. I'll admit it - I'm stumped.

Maybe the drive is bad. Can you install the drive in a completely different system (different mobo, processor, etc. - the more different the better) and see if it behaves the same way? That is all I can think to try at this point.

cfitz

[rivals]

I tried everything but popping it in to another computer so far. Which I have not had enough time for yet due to taking apart two computer at once and then installing the burner software.

Anyone else have a clue what could be going on with my drive and/or my computer? I have read some things about smartburn that could be the problem but I'm clueless at the moment at what could be the problem.

[coolestnitish]

I guess you have carried out all the troubleshooting tips generally recommended. Try the drive on another computer and if same problem exists, then maybe there is something wrong with the drive itself.

[Spazmogen]

Smart Burn will limit the recording speed of a disc down where it will recorded error free.

You seem to have tried different speed discs. Or where they all the same brand of disc, just different speed of recording?

I have a few discs that actually burn faster than their rated burn speed.

But I have a few where Smart Burn steps in and limits it to the rated speed. I also have a few that start out fast, then Smart Burn does its job and slows the burn down accordingly as it goes.

[coolestnitish]

But he seems to have tried 32x, 48x, and even the packaged 52x disc without any success. None would burn above 16x for him. Very wierd....Even I can get my 48x24x48 to burn at about 49.something with SmartBurn enabled.

[cfitz]

Not only that, but it won't read faster than 16x either. SmartBURN doesn't have anything to do with reading.

cfitz

[TCAS]

If by any chance you do have VIA chipset based Motherboard, would it be advised to go ahead and upgrade to newer VIA 4in 1 (v4.45) driver, may be that is slowing down your IDE Controllers operataion and having effect on your CD-RW read/write operation. This is just a suggestion that I did experienced myself at one time.

[rivals]

Hmmmmm.... Very interesting tests I have just completed with my 52MAXX - worked perfect on another computer. Brought it back to mine and back to garbage. Unplugged the DVD rom and still no good - switched the 52MAXX to secondary Master and all of a sudden it works?

So the question is what is wrong with my computer?

I've owned 6+ computers in the past and they've all seemed to be touchy about 2 CD-ROMs on 1 IDE port. It just proves history repeats itself doesn't it?

I'm guessing if I put my DVD Panasonic on slave though it will have possibly the same problem though. What do you think?

Oh. I did update to the newest VIA before I posted as well, I'm still quite baffled as to what my computer is doing. Latest Motherboard BIOS flashed b4 this recent post.

[cfitz]

What is/was your IDE setup? I hate to ask, but is there any chance you had both drives on the same IDE channel set to master or both to slave? Maybe one was on cable select and you didn't notice? Go ahead and explicitly set both drives, one to master and one to slave, and see what happens.

For completeness you should probably configure them four ways:
1. CD-RW end of cable & master, DVD-ROM middle of cable and slave
2. CD-RW end of cable & slave, DVD-ROM middle of cable and master
3. CD-RW middle of cable & slave, DVD-ROM end of cable and master
4. CD-RW middle of cable & master, DVD-ROM end of cable and slave

And in each configuration check both drives to verify that both are okay and that you don't have a cable problem.

If you want to be lazy, just find the first configuration that works (check both drives) and then leave it alone until (hopefully never) you run into a problem.

You aren't using 24" or 36" IDE cables, are you?

Personally, I found that the default VIA drivers supplied by Microsoft (for Windows 2000) worked better than the VIA 4-in-1 drivers. But if you get things working with the 4-in-1 drivers, then by all means leave them alone.

cfitz

[coolestnitish]

switched the 52MAXX to secondary Master and all of a sudden it works?

So the DVD-ROM as slave on secondary and Memorex as master on secondary works?

[rivals]

Yes. It seems as long as the Memorex is set to master it does not care whether the Panasonic is connected or not.

I went back and set the panasonic to Master again (Made sure pins were correct and used end of cable) as well as Slave for the Memorex and both are on Secondart IDE. Still 16X with a possible 21X burst.

The Panasonic does not seem to care where it is connected to - it runs at the same speed even solo.

[coolestnitish]

Ok, then if the Memorex works if its connected as master, then why are you so keen as to setting it as slave? Why not have the panasonic as slave and Memorex as master?

[cfitz]

Well, at least you know one configuration that works. Are you satisfied with that?

cfitz

[rivals]

Never satisifed to know my computer is picky

But if it works one way I'll just leave it alone and life goes on.

Thanks for all the input and help with my 52MAXX!!! Now I can actually use it at the top speed and run some tests of my own

Rivals signing off...

[cfitz]

Okay. I think you have made the right decision.

You are welcome back anytime. And please feel free to contribute your own knowledge to help others as well.

cfitz

[coolestnitish]

Glad it works, and I agree with cfitz. Don't sign off, start helping others the best you can.
Hope you enjoy the 52x burning, definately a lot faster than the 16x you were getting. lol.

[rivals]

Signing off : As in this specific post is toast unless someone runs into the same problem. Already bookmarked this forum and will contribute to what I know

Rivals has left the building... let's hope he can find his way back!