PC Soft said I have a hardware problem so I am submitting this to you

I don’t know if I have a software or a hardware problem of if the two problems are related
I have an HP pavilion 7920 running Windows ME. Lately I have been experiencing trouble with the HP’s CD  R writer using Adaptec CD Program running on disk drive M.  Initially  merely placing an Imation CD –R 700MB disk in the drive caused the system to crash. Recovery is only possible through killing the power and rebooting.  Then I tried applications restore and  the program worked fine up until, create the CD. I had chosen a small program which I had copied before on a floppy. But on  starting the create CD the disk is rejected as not having enough space for record.  Clicking on retry crashes the system immediately I am puzzled. This drive and disks use to work.. I have gone back and done a  system restore ,and tried to do scan disk, and defrag. All to no avail.
And then to add to the problem each time I boot up in the morning it goes to scan disk due to improper shut down. I shut down using Microsofts shut down menu.
However I can not do a scan disk or defrag, as scan disk just loops over and over even in safe mode.
What do you suggest? Robert Molson

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