----- Original Message -----
From: Rode <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 1999 3:12 AM
Subject: [PCBUILD] Burner problems


> I have a IDE Mitsumi CR-2801TE ....flashed with the latest
> firmware.....that is about 9 months and 75 burns old. It is slow but
> reliable and I have never had a problem with burning data CDs until a
> couple of days ago. The burner locks up during the burn..usually toward
the
> end. After the first bad burn I don't burn anything without doing the test
> first and it fails during the test.
>
> First I checked the cable and power connection...I swapped out the ribbon
> cable to be sure it was good.....no change.
>
> Then I removed and reinstalled...re configured EZ CD Creator Deluxe 3.5b.
> no change.
>
> Then I tried a different media and got a successful burn and I thought OK
> ..bad media. But with the next burn I am back to the same problem...and
> then inexplicably I get a successful  burn  ....maybe on a few meg
> directory ...
>
> EZ Creator doesn't give any warning messages and I have to fight my way to
> a restart of Win98 after it locks.
>
> I think this is a problem with the burner OR some bad file in the
> OS..however I am not having any other software or OS problems.
>
> Has anyone seen this sort of behavior before ? Any idea....solutions ?

When a burner becomes unreliable there are several steps to take to insure
that it is the system and not the burner.

    1. Reinstall the software, (it may have become corrupt.)

    2. Reinstall Windows, (it always is corrupt. :-) )

    3. Defragment your hard drive.  Most IDE CD burners copy to the hard
drive first, then copy to the burner.  If you have a fragmented hard drive
it may be delaying just enough to throw the burn timing out of sync, and
therefore fail.

    4. After nine months you may simply have to clean out your burner.  I
simply pull mine from the system and blow it out real good with a can of
air, (with no solvents in it.)  Some people are brave enough to open and
clean the lens with a Q-Tip and WATER, (no solvents!)  This usually helps
the best... and sounds (after nine months), like it might be your problem.

    5. I recently installed a drive bay cooling fan under the CD-ROM which
also seems to have helped.  Perhaps as they get older burners are more
affected by their own heat...  (www.compgeeks.com, $12)

John

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