DVD Burning Woes

I have a TEAC DVD+RW DV-W58E that came with my Dell computer. I tried to burn a file to a CD last night without any luck. All I got was BSOD (Blue Screen of Death). I did a search and tried the various suggestions:

1. Uninstall Driver and reboot to let the computer reinstall the driver
2. Checked for updates
3. Downloaded the various file fixes…no changes (support.dell.com, BR77686.exe)
4. Uncheck the DLA

Initially with the BSOD I get reference to tfsnifs.sys.

Unchecking the DLA did stop the BSOD, but I still can’t burn anything…operation just freezes up. Also while the CD is in, I am unable to access My Computer. I have to open the drive and remove the CD to get access back.

Ideas?

Tried the Dell online chat support....was told to call Technical Support.

I have been on hold for an hour now and still no help...have to say that's pretty poor customer support.

Giving up for now and heading to bed.

Well wouldn't you know it...they just picked up. More to follow later.

Well wouldn't you know it...the tech person says that they aren't the right department and are going to transfer me to another division. Who wants to bet I get hung up on or have to wait forever again.

Guess what...got hung up on.

BSOD, even with WinXP?

I'd go one step further and delete it from your System > Devices and actually power down the computer and pull the powercord (my own drive manufacturer, Plextor, recommends going even further and disconnecting the power cable to the drive). This will eliminate any trickle charges from keeping some settings alive. After a few minutes power back up and let WinXP sort it out before adding any new software or drivers.

Also, check your computer setup (usually F1 at boot) and make sure those settings are correct. And see if there's a firmware update available (from the manufacturer, not from Dell) for your drive. And make sure DMA is enabled (it almost certainly is, but that's one area that can cause problems).

Have you installed anything that might interfere since it last worked correctly?

Yes I got a real BSOD with Windows XP...my first!

Initially with the BSOD I got a reference to tfsnifs.sys.

Then the next crash when I rebooted and reported the problem to Microsoft I was sent to a page that discussed the following error:
Error Message: STOP 0x000000EA THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER (Q293078) Although I never saw that error on my screen.

The last crash, Microsoft sent me to an Iomega Update...basically each crash generates something new. I did do a virus scan and all is well.

I finally found an interesting thread on the web that suggested unchecking the DLA for Sonic and that stopped the BSOD, but still unable to burn.

No new installs except windows updates...but I haven't burned from the drive in quite a while. Usually burn to my external drive, but after the move I haven't hooked it up so I tried the internal one.

There weren't any driver updates, but I did find a firmware. Updated it, but no changes. The drive plays DVD and CD roms fine. The recording media should be compatible, Imation CD-R 80 min 700 MB disc. Also note that the hardware manager says there is no trouble with the device.

I am in a useless email game with Dell at the moment. They keep sending me computer generated suggestions that really don't have anything to do with the problem. Also in my search on the web, this particular DVD+RW and Dell came up a lot, but no solutions...just frustrations.

Dell's latest suggestion is to clear the NVRAM. This requires me opening up the computer and doing something to my jumper to set the computer in maintenance mode, but so far I haven't really found the info on how to go about this. (Dell XPS Generation 2)

For grins I will try your suggestion of deleting the drive and a complete power down.

The manufacturer has no updates or help...their reply was that it was a custom-made drive for Dell, for which Dell does the support 100% and to contact Dell for all support issues.

As for the computer set-up...what settings would I be checking and what is DMA? I can handle software issues, but hardware and computer techy things usually require some hand holding.

~T

The clearing of the NVRAM isn't a bad idea. The problem with company support (and it's every company that I know of) is that they have to walk you through every single identical step, no matter what your problem is. It works, but it can be infuriating. At least Gateway will actually hang on the phone while you do it all. But it's still frustrating when you call about one problem and they tell you to adjust entirely different areas (they're just reading from a script). Next they'll tell you to unseat and reseat all your cards and memory (I hate to admit it, but this actually solved one of my problems).

I wouldn't worry too much about the DMA, I doubt it would cause a BSOD, and the OS defaults to ON anyway. BSOD usually means hardware problems, at least with WinXP.

Well I hope clearing of the NVRAM will work...once I figureout how to do it. I found out it requires to jumper the system board to Maintenance Mode...just don't know how to set the jumpers to do this yet. All I found in my system manual was a jumper setting to clear the passwords. I sent Dell and email asking for a bit more instruction on how to go about clearing the NVRAM and will hope for the best. While I am in the computer I will probably double check the cables and such since I did just move. My question is the drive works when playing, just not burning...so wouldn't that mean it is hooked up fine and more likely a drive problem or a bad DVD+RW?

Clearing the NVRAM just resets it to factory default, which is probably exactly where it is now.

Is this (http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/format.aspx?releaseid=R77686&c=us&l=en&s=gen&cs=) the firmware update you found?

Edit: whoops, I just read you'd tried this already.

No technical help, but perhaps some morale support (http://news.com.com/Why+does+PC+support+stink+Ask+Symantec/2010-7350_3-5593437.html?part=rss&tag=5587315) (based on the assumption that misery loves company)

Grin: Thanks for the morale support!

This requires me opening up the computer and doing something to my jumper to set the computer in maintenance mode

you do know about the jumpers on the rear of the dvd drive eh ?
Isn't one of those for maintainence ? little tiny jumper in case you don't know.
I feel for you... actually thats what I do.... feel my way through as you seem to be doing.
good luck

RonDon,

Still trying to find out about the whole jumper thing...still waiting to hear from Dell too.....

As for feeling your way through it...that's what I do. Read and search the web and hope I can find an answer.

Still no helpful answer from Dell...just a lot of bad English emails not really answering anything (I imagine just cutting and pasting steps from their manual).

"Thanking for contacting Dell Technical Online Support."


"I certainly understand your concern and feel for the same and assure you to address the issue to your satisfaction."

Doug warned me that they would go step by step in their manual, but it's still frustrating! For example, I emailed that my DVD+RW will not burn and that I have uninstalled and reinstalled the recording software....they emailed troubleshoot your DVD+RW by uninstalling and reinstalling the recording software.

Can you phone them for free? Quite time-consuming, but at least if they hang on the phone while you're working you'll know they at least are aware of the last steps you've taken.

They are aware of the steps....ongoing email with each step and suggestion...getting longer.


Tried the phone thing, and can't seem to find the "right" tech people to talk to and just don't want to do the 1 hour wait for nothing tonight. Perhaps tomorrow night.

Going to try a few things on my own tomorrow, then ask a favor of a computer friend of mine.

this may sound like a stupid question but do you have two different burning programs installed on your machine?(i.e. nero and sonic) speaking from experience I know that this can cause major problems with dvd burners.

I had this experience recently with my DVD burner. I tried everything you have attempted and all that is being suggested. The burner was one of the first when they became available so it was a little over a year old.

In the end I took it from my system and installed it on someone else's system that was running the same brand burner without problems. The outcome....

It's in the garbage bin.

A lot of the very early burners (Especially the DVD+ burners - they weren't fully standardized) had issues with the laser head and even the slightest bump would throw them out. I weighed up the cost of repairs as opposed to a new, faster, dual layer burner and the new burner won. Australian dollars it cost me $120

Paris

[COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]hi!

try this it may actually wer for yah...Ü

disable Sonic's DLA:


"My Computer" -> right click on the DVD+RW device then choose
"Properties" -> on the "Drive Properties" screen, click on the DLA tab
-> remove the check mark from "Enable DLA on your drives" -> click "OK"
-> Reboot

Thanks for the suggestion. That's one of the solutions I tried in the beginning, but it still didn't fix my problem, although it is known to help in many cases.

~T

Hi,
I have this same drive on my dell computer.My problem with the drive was that it would totally freeze my computer up every time i put any type of blank media in the drive to do some recording.I tried many different things including disabling the Sonic DLA but nothing helped.In the end I finally deleted every Sonic program that was on the computer and the teac dvd+rw drive works great now.Have no problems with it now that all the Sonic programs are gone.You may want to try this and see if it helps.

That's what I hear you need to do. I thought I had deleted everything, but perhaps not. What all did you do?

Hi T,

if you have used uninstall to remove the programs from your PC, it is quite probable that you still have remnants of those programmes still in your systems registry. Uninstall programs leave these fragments there, in case you want to re-install the programme at a later date (as if).

In order to remove the last remnants, you'll either have to adjust your systems registry by hand (not advised as you can really muck things up if you don't know what you're doing) or use a registry cleaner.

There are a few of these about (I use one called Reg Scrub XP, that is freeware, and has'nt done any harm to my PC although I have used it quite a few times).

Before using one, always make a back up of your registry. Easiest way to do this is by creating a restore point. (presuming you're using XP). Either that or export your registry to a folder. (To restore you just double click on the Registry copy.)

This may not help your original problem, but it's worth considering.

Thanks Gary. After I removed Record Now/Sonic, I did run Registry Mechanic. I loaded a blank media into the drive and it still hangs up. So I also did a file search for SONIC last night and found several entries. I crossed my fingers and deleted them (although they still reside in the recycle bin). I loaded the blank media into the drive and it still hangs up. Although I think I got a bit closer. I let the drive run for a while and eventually a copy widow appeared (took way to long to appear though). I tried copying a file, but it ended up not responding, and any time I use my computer to access the blank media it immediately goes into not responding. The odd thing is that is only happens with blank media.

I also ran the IDE Hard Drive Diagnostic and my hard drive failed with a Return Code: 7...don't know what that means. Hope it doesn't mean my drive is failing. I ran some other diagnostic utilities and they all say that the hard drive is fine.

Dell is telling me to format and reinstall XP and all should be resolved. That sounds like a painful process so I'm waiting a bit and researching before I take that step.

Can you play DVDs, or is it just recording. Is it the same with DVDRs and DVDRWs. Sometimes DVDRWs can be tempremental. DVDRs are more reliable.

I agree with you totally about not re-formatting your hard drive unless absolutely everything else has been tried.

I can play a DVD, CD ect. Both drives read and play all types of files without any trouble. My next check is going to try different media...perhaps it's the particular CD that is causing the trouble...although according to the specs it should be okay.

Still wondering about the IDE Hard Drive Diagnostic.....

If it plays OK, its not a laser or tracking problem. You haven't got an Audio version of your DVD by chance have you, these have a different run in to Data DVDs. (Just grasping for straws here).

Don't suppose you can get hold of a similar drive and plug in to see if problem persists, that at least would determine whether its a software or hardware problem.

Is the drive on the same IDE cable as the Hard drive? If it's on the same cable, check that the jumpers on the back of the drive are set to slave and not master or C/S . If it is on it's own cable (second IDE channel) try uninstalling the IDE controler through Device manager (Start>Control Panel>System>Hardware>Device Manager) Right click on second IDE controler and uninstall, then Reboot. If you post the exact error and any codes it gives you, I should be able to pinpoint the problem from that ;)

Sorry, should have opened my eyes as you have posted details. From what I've found this can be caused be Ccleaner software. Not sure if you use this, but the site below may help.
http://www.thegreenbutton.com/community/shwmessage.aspx?ForumID=52&MessageID=94590

Hi,
I ended up deleting 3 programs from my computer to fix the problem.They were Sonic Record Now,a Sonic dvd program(I think it was the one dell had installed for the computer to play dvd's),and the Sonic DLA program.I think i was able to delete all of these by using the add/remove programs from the control panel.I didn't mess with the registry because the drive works fine after deleting these 3 programs.It sounds to me like you might have part of a Sonic program left on your computer somewhere.