DRU500a with Nero 5.5.10.7b burns CDR's at 4x?

[Justin42]

I've noticed I've been having a lot of troubles recently burning CDR's in my DRU500A. I *think* the problem started around the time I put Nero 5.5.10.7b in (which I wanted due to the various DVD compatibility fixes it included). It seems that recently when I try to burn to CDRs, it appears to mis-read them as CDRW's and tells me that my speed options on my DRU500A are 4x or 10X. I can "override" it by not putting in the disc until I start the burn process and start a 24X burn, but 90% of the time, it takes about 2 minutes to write the lead in, and drops the speed to 4X to do the burn.

This is using Sony and TY media, both of which (even discs from the same spindles) had been fine for a long time...

I am still using the 1.0f firmware, as I haven't read quite enough about 1.0g to take the plunge.

Is this a burner going bad or a case of Nero having a really messed up bug? I ran the DriveC checker last week and it passed with flying colours, and things seem fine using RecordNow Max...

[gianniz]

i noticed that before it happened with older nero too.. infact it happened when i upgraded the firmware (first one) but i dont really care it fixed up dvd-r problem which was the major issue.. i have plextor 24x for my cdr

[bobmitchell]

I don't know. I just copied a 652 MB disk and the write portion took 3:42 seconds to complete. That is 24X and I used both TY and Sony disks. I am however, using the winaspi32.dll file from Nero 5.5.8.0 because later versions cause real slowups in reading...but I have never experienced with writing.

Bob

[jrlo]

i found this thread because i have been experiencing this exact problem tonight. Installed the Sony DRU-500-AX drive around three days ago.

Not sure exactly if it is a Nero problem, as that's all i usually use to burn CDR's, and haven't tested anything else yet. However, I can say that several CDRs burned with this same drive all seemed to burn at different speeds, despite Nero indicating 24x burn speed mode. One took around 8 minutes for a 697MB data cd; another burn took 21 minutes for a similar amount of data on a different data CD. Neither of these burns had millions of tiny files or anything weird; mostly 2-5MB files being burnt across maybe 40 folders. On other occasions, the drive seemed to burn at the advertised speed. Same blanks used each time (specified below).

DVD burning works fine in Nero; burned a few Data DVD-R's using 4x media -- smoking fast burn speeds there -- took around 18 minutes total for 4.2GB of data! If only 4x media were as cheap as 1x media...

my setup :
850Mhz P3
Sony DRU-500-AX (factory firmware - v2.0c - dated Jan 08, 2003)
Nero 5.5.10.7

Blank CDRs : ePerformance 80-minute blanks (worked fine in Plextor 161040A drive and many others - my cheap media of choice for past several months)

if anyone wants more specific information on my setup, or wants me to try anything else out, let me know.

[MonteLDS]

i recently formated my box and re config everything.. and i am burning @ 4x as well runing 5.5.9.17

before that i was burning fine @ 24x... it claims 24x but never burns that fast...

DRU500a firm 1.0g

[bobmitchell]

What happens when you run CD Speed? This should give you an indication of the actual speed of the drive! Try different media and see if you can reach 24X.

Bob

Another thing you CAN do...run the Sony diagnostic...

http://sony.storagesupport.com/cdrw/diagnostics.htm

[MonteLDS]

Unit #: 0
Drive Letter: K:\
Vendor: SONY
Model #: DVD RW DRU-500A
Firmware: 1.0g
Supported Firmware: 1.0c
Can write CD-R
Current: 0x Max: 0x <)--------- WHAT THE
Can write CD-RW
Current: 0x Max: 0x
Can read CD-R
Can read CD-RW
Can read DVD-ROM
Can read DVD-R
Supports test write
Can write DVD-R

[MonteLDS]

i ran that test, and well now my burner is burning @ 24x again.. so *shrug*

[jrlo]

mine too... no idea. and i didn't run the test.

[SurfDrifter]

Actually, it's not only with Nero the problem...
I tried CloneCD and recordNow MAX v.4.6 and have this problem...
I read somewhere that one had found a workaround...
In order the DRU to write at 24x, he had to put a CD-ROM before, in order the DRU to read a CD first. Then he inserted the blank CD-R and then he was able to burn at 24x...
For me it didn't work(v.1.0g). He was using 1.0f

Also, when i simulate it writes at 24x, but if i actually burn, it burns at 4x...
Today, i downgraded to 1.0d and the Lead-In was 2 minutes, yet it burned at 24x...

I'll try the test and report back

[jrlo]

was there ever any resolution to this? my sony dru-500-ax drive still burns CDR discs at anywhere from 3 minutes or so, up to 20 minutes or so, for the same amount of data, using the same kind of blanks!

this is in nero (5.5.10.15a), fireburner, and clonecd. It's obviously not some program-specific symptom.

anyone else?

[Justin42]

I think the problem comes and goes, and it does seem to depend on what kind of disc was in the burner BEFORE the "current" disc... either Nero, or the DRU500, seems to get confused at a media switch and doesn't always properly read the type of disc.

Since the problem doesn't seem to occur in other software (at least in my experience) it appears to be an issue in Nero that comes and goes.

[soccerkid]

i had this problem with a cdr of mine..I formatted my pc,installed last version of nero and the cdr was able to write at its true speed (32x)...At the time being i have this this problem on my second pc with my dru500 too(my second dru500-the first died on my hands )..I'll try format the pc and install everything to see if the problem occurs again..

[SurfDrifter]

Ok, this thing drives me crazy...
It isn't sth that i can replicate...
I have a problem with ONE specific disc...
I have tried at least 4 other brands and i could write at 24x...
Actually i wouldn't mind if it constantly had sth to do with the disc, but occasionally i can write them properly at 24x...
Also i haven't managed to burn a 800MB disc at Disc-At-Once mode using Nero...
Can anyone help me pls?

Thanks