PC Problems? Fix 'Em Yourself

CD and DVD Burners

Symptom: Disc burning hangs or quits halfway through.

Minor: An overtaxed system can result in failed disc burns. Use Windows XP's built-in CPU Usage monitor (on the Performance tab of Task Manager, which opens with Ctrl-Alt-Delete) to see whether CPU utilization spikes during burns. You can streamline the process by closing applications, including such background utilities as antivirus and IM software.

Moderate: Unfortunately, incompatibilities between CD/DVD writers and different models of discs are common. A drive may work fine with TDK 4X DVD media, but fail repeatedly with Fujifilm or Philips discs. Trial and error is a time-consuming way to find out which discs work best with your drive, so consult the vendor's documentation for media recommendations, or peruse forums like those at DVDRhelp.com for user reviews of DVD- and CD-based writable media.

Dire: If burning issues persist, use our September 2002 Step-By-Step guide to IDE configuration to check the IDE settings of your CD/DVD writer and primary hard disk. Each of those two drives should be set as the master drive on its IDE channel. Drives set as slaves have lower priority and may fail to receive the bandwidth they need during burns.

Symptom: I can't read discs that I burn successfully.

Minor: Does Windows Explorer note that there is used capacity on the disc, but fail to see any files? If so, you may not have closed the disc properly. You must finalize DVD-R and CD-R discs if you want them to play on other PCs or devices. Be sure to check that box before you burn. Also, try lowering the burn speed in software--you may be able to avoid errors by slowing the rate of rotation.

Moderate: Even if you properly close your discs, you may still see occasional corrupt-file messages or other errors on playback. You can recover information from troubled discs with a utility like IsoBuster that scans balky optical discs and can rebuild lost files on your hard drive. You may be able to resolve persistent issues by downloading a file that upgrades the firmware on your CD or DVD writer; check with the drive vendor for the latest firmware version.

Dire: Some combinations of drives, burning software, and disc media may never get along. Try new media first, and look for a firmware upgrade if you continue to have problems. Ongoing difficulties may force you to experiment with another software package or to purchase a more reliable drive.