Newbie Needs Help with DVD Fab Burning

[4795209]

The problem is frustrating because it seems as though there is a solution, but I can't figure it out. When I used DVD Fab before, it was the same problem. It would burn a few DVDs and then stop working. It would not read any new DVDs as being in the tray. I had been using HomeDVDCopy for a long time and that worked great, and then just stopped working one day as well. Uninstalling and re-installing did no good. It doesn't work no matter how many times I reinstall it and try different DVDs. That was not a trial version. But I just uninstalled it because it only takes up space if it never works any more.

The optiarc drive has worked very well for a long time, but the more programs I tried the less often it seemed to work well. When I say the drive has the title of the movie on it, if you go to "Computer," and then look at the DVD/CD drive which is the E drive, it has the title of the movie on the E drive. And the title stays there for a long time, almost as if it's stuck in what it was doing last. And I think the solution is somewhere in that. The program is stuck in what it was doing last and can't move on. It still thinks it's burning or trying to burn that same DVD title from before. If I can fix that weird glitch, I can fix the DVDFab program glitch.

[GregiBoy]

With the amount of time you are spending on this problem, it may be cheaper to just buy a new drive.

[W&B]

When I say the drive has the title of the movie on it, if you go to "Computer," and then look at the DVD/CD drive which is the E drive, it has the title of the movie on the E drive. And the title stays there for a long time, almost as if it's stuck in what it was doing last. And I think the solution is somewhere in that. The program is stuck in what it was doing last and can't move on. It still thinks it's burning or trying to burn that same DVD title from before. If I can fix that weird glitch, I can fix the DVDFab program glitch.

Understood, same glitch I had and as crazy as it sounds what I posted before fixed my problem with them not refreshing, only reason I tried that was after I Googled DVD drive not refreshing I found that somewhere and just tried it. Your problem sounds more serious and even with the many post I've read about ppl having problems burning with laptops with their internal burners I've never heard of that. Thats the only reason I suggested trying to borrow a usb type if possible to troubleshoot. Usually they just won't burn properly and when they do its either a bad burn that won't playback at all or skip/freeze. Other than that I really don't know since it is a general computer problem, sorry I can't be of more help.

[maineman]

Good advice from everyone...
It sounds like you're experiencing some sort of I/O conflict. Worse, the problem is somewhat intermittent and involves multiple software.
Worse still, you're there and we're not. It's not that your explanations are poor, they're actually quite good, but based on what we know, it's a bit of a crap shoot.

A few questions and I apologize if I've missed 'em.

I'm not understanding the free trial status...
As stated, the free trial will cease to function after 30 days unless you reformat your hdd or manually edit the registry...this would require knowing exactly how and what to edit.
Subsequent to the free trial period, the retail version will cease to function.
Only the freeware version will work and there is no burn utility...period.
It is a ripper only.

What OS are you using and how is your I/O mode configured in Fab...
ASPI, SPTI or Auto?

Do you have any packet writing software installed?
For eg., Nero's InCD is notorious for causing problems.

Have you tried what GregiBoy suggested and uninstalled the burner in device manager?

Is your burner in UDMA mode (if yes, which one?) and have ever you noted that it's fallen into PIO mode?

I hate to say it, but as GregiBoy said, slimline burners are crap when it comes to video archiving.
They're sure not inexpensive though, are they?
I would give serious consideration to buying an ext burner or tossing an internal burner into an external case.

[4795209]

To answer MainMan/Super Moderator's questions, I'll just list the questions and then my answers, since it's getting late and the caffeine's starting to wear off:

I'm not understanding the free trial status...
As stated, the free trial will cease to function after 30 days unless you reformat your hdd or manually edit the registry...this would require knowing exactly how and what to edit.
Subsequent to the free trial period, the retail version will cease to function.
Only the freeware version will work and there is no burn utility...period.
It is a ripper only.

Ok. All I can tell you is that I first installed it a while back, either a few weeks ago or a month ago. It worked great for a while and then just stopped altogether. I uninstalled it, ran C Cleaner (from CCleaner.com) and reinstalled in. It worked again and didn't show anything about it expiring by a certain date. Ran great one time but then conked out. I have a strong feeling I'm doing something wrong but can't put a finger on what.



What OS are you using and how is your I/O mode configured in Fab...
ASPI, SPTI or Auto?

I have a Dell Inspiron 1501 running Vista, laptop. I think it's a Sampron processor or something like that. I have no idea what I/O mode is or what the other things are, so I'd choose Auto if given the chance.

Do you have any packet writing software installed?
For eg., Nero's InCD is notorious for causing problems.

Not that I know of. I DID have HomeDVDClone.com's product for a while. That, too, worked great for a long time. It was paid for and just stopped working about two months ago. Just wouldn't read any more DVDs. Then I uninstalled it completely and tried DVD Fab.

Have you tried what GregiBoy suggested and uninstalled the burner in device manager?
I don't know how to do that. I was laid-off a few months ago and can't really afford a new burner yet, so don't want to do something I can't make right if I screw it up. If you guys tell me how to do it, how to fix whatever might come up, and tell me it's safe to do on my laptop, I'll try it and see if that works. It might. Wouldn't I need the burner device CD or original program to uninstall it and reinstall it?

Is your burner in UDMA mode (if yes, which one?) and have ever you noted that it's fallen into PIO mode?
This is way over my head, and don't know the answer to.

I really appreciate everybody helping so much, and I think DVD Fab is a great product. There seems to be some weird glitch going on from when it's done working, like a hiccup or something, that I'm not understanding. Seems to have something to do with a setting or something I'm not doing correctly.

[4795209]

repsonse

I remember now how I fixed my drives not refreshing. All I did was go to Control panel and selected the autorun icon. I keep mine always disabled since I do alot of video work and I don't like the pop up or any program starting after inserting a disc but after I installed a virtual drive it mucked something up. All I did was re-enable it, rebooted and then disabled it again and my drives would refresh after I ejected my disc or UNmounted my virtual drive. Might not be the fix for your problem though. I'm running Vista Ultimate x64 btw. As for the optiarc drive not working well with vista, I have a ad-7200a installed for about 6 months now and never had any problems and never personally heard of anyone having problems with any optiarc drives, less its a slim type but even then it's not brand specific.

I would like to say that this might be something. I've had problems in the past with trying to install programs on CD before onto the laptop and it would not read them. I tried tinkering around with autorun, but when I put a CD-ROM program into the tray, I have a very tough time getting it to install. That's why I prefer to download programs, since I haven't been able to get that right. As you can tell, I'm more of a web guy than a techie.

I have to read all the new comments and get step-by-step instructions on how to proceed so I don't totally muck-up my laptop, but it seems that some of these ideas might get closer to the problem.

[AGJ]

Ok to find out what filters you have on the computer download and install ImgBurn. Once installed click tools and then click Filter Driver Load Order. Click copy to clipboard and then OK. Then you just paste that to your reply here on forum.

Now to uninstall your DVD drive in device manager you need to click start then right click computer and select properties. Then click device manager and under DVD/CD-ROM drives right click your drive and select uninstall. Close everything down and reboot and windows will reinstall it when it reboots.

Now to check to see if you are in DMA mode to do that you need to right click on Computer located in the Start Menu. Once you have right clicked on it then choose Properties again.
The next thing to do is to click the Device Manager again. Under device manager you need to find your hard drives. These are normally found under IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers. Under this you will have a number of items. The ones that we are interested in are the ones with channel in their name.

You will need to do the same to all of the ones with channel in their name. To bring up the next window you will need to double click on the item. We will take the first ATA Channel 0 to start with.The device with Target ID 0 is the primary device on the channel and Target ID 1 is the slave device. In the Current Mode box you should be seeing somthing like DMA If Available or a specifc DMA mode such as Ultra DMA Mode 2. If not and you are seeing PIO Only then you need to click on the line with the PIO reference and then tick the box underneath that says Enable DMA.

To finished simply click the OK button to exit the windows. You will now need to check your other IDE channels for the same thing.
Now you will have to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
If when you have restarted the computer one of the channels is back on PIO-Only mode the last thing you can try is to uninstall the channel from the Device Manager window. When you then restart the computer it will force windows to reinstall the drivers and hopefully use the DMA if available mode. There is a way to also check in the BIOS but not familiar with that procedure currently.

DO NOT delete the IDE channel if your hard drive containing Windows is also on that channel!

[TGMcCallie]

I use Optiarc Drive with Vista 64 bit and it works perfectly with DVDFab so THAT is not his problem.

[AGJ]

I use Optiarc Drive with Vista 64 bit and it works perfectly with DVDFab so THAT is not his problem.

What works for one person may not work for another person as all computers are different because of all programs installed and the configuration that the user has done to it.

[4795209]

I did a few things you said, but wanted to clarify a few other things before trying, since I'm still a little new to this kind of stuff:

I checked the IDE channels like you said. They all have DMA enabled and all are "working properly." I also uninstalled the DVD/CD drive and rebooted the computer like you said. I reinstalled the trial version of DVD Fab latest version on the website and also checked and changed the auto run settings. It would not let me choose to run DVD Fab automatically when I put a blank DVD in, though.

I did not understand if you wanted me to uninstall the IDE drivers. I don't know if Windows is on one of those channels, also. So, I uninstalled the DVD/CD driver and rebooted the laptop, then uninstalled DVD Fab and reinstalled the latest trial version, then checked the IDE drivers like you said and make sure they all have DMO or whatever running and enabled.

I won't be able to download IMgBurn until later today, but so far nothing has changed. I put in a new DVD and nothing happens with DVD Fab. But the DVD is new and can be watched on the laptop and it was burning DVDs just a few days ago. I have to go to work but will check back later this evening when I get home.

Thanks for the help.

[4795209]

Part 2

I uninstalled the DVD/CD-ROM drive, cleared the cache, did everything else you said to do except install ImgBurn. When I turned on the laptop later after going to work for a few hours, the DVD Fab program runs again and will burn a new DVD. The problem is that when it comes to the point where I'm supposed to put in a blank DVD, it does not recognize any blank DVD, brand new ones out of the box, as being in the tray to write on. I went through a stack of brand new Verbatim DVDs and it just kept saying that there was no blank DVD in the tray over and over again.

So I'm closer to the solution, but only got part one solved. DVDFab works again, but it still does not recognize any blank DVDs. Brand new blank DVDs out of the box cannot be all bad or unwritable. Can you please help me get this resolved since I feel so close?

[4795209]

This is what I got from Img Burn. What does it mean?

The DVD Fab program works now after I did the other things you suggested, but it will not recognize any new blank DVDs as being writable, however. DVD Fab burns the DVD but when I put a brand new blank Verbatim DVD in the tray, it just keeps saying to put in writable media. It's a brand new batch of 100 blank DVDs so they can't all be bad.

Can you please help me get "over the hump?" I feel like I'm half-way there to resolving this.


===============================================
Filter Driver Load Order - ImgBurn v2.5.0.0
===============================================

Upper Device Filter: [None Found]
Upper Class Filter: GEARAspiWDM
Device: CD/DVD-ROM Device
Lower Class Filter: PxHelp20
Lower Device Filter: [None Found]

Filter Name: GEARAspiWDM
File Name: C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\GEARAspiWDM.sys
File Version: 2.02.00.01 [2.2.0.1]
File Description: CD DVD Filter
Product Name: CD DVD Filter
Product Version: 2.02.00.01 [2.2.0.1]
Company Name: GEAR Software Inc.
Copyright: Copyright (C) GEAR Software Inc. 1997-2009

Filter Name: PxHelp20
File Name: C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\PxHelp20.sys
File Version: 3.00.41a [3.0.41.0]
File Description: Px Engine Device Driver for Windows 2000/XP
Product Name: PxHelp20
Product Version: [2.0.0.0]
Company Name: Sonic Solutions
Copyright: Copyright © Sonic Solutions

[GregiBoy]

Just a quick look at the drivers you have listed make me suspect that you have Roxio/Sonic Software installed and this is a known problem.

Check whether you have anything like MyDVD or Easy CD Creator installed. It may have came as a freebie with one of your drives.

[4795209]

Roxio

I did have "Easy Roxio CD and DVD" at one time and thought I'd gotten rid of it. Also, I think it came with another Roxio program installed with it or something. Would it do me any good to try to delete/uninstall everything with the name Roxio?

[GregiBoy]

Sure would...

Roxio/Sonic SH^T is known to cause conflicts but it seems that it is using the Sonic drivers for the DVD drive.

Hmmmm. Maybe maineman can comment on that.