I am now on my second DVD writer in a year which, like the previous one, after
producing more and more write errors has now always fails when writing to
DVD. I was using some cheaper DVD-R disks so as a final test bought some
good Phillips DVD+R disks (growisofs seems to be happier with DVD+R). These
fail in the same way so I need some advice.
In the command that failed I tried to write a disk image (I'd given up writing
directly from K3b which always failed. I also found found that writing
slowly worked when -speed=8 failed):
====================
>growisofs -dvd-compat -speed=4 -Z /dev/hdc=070113_Backup
:-( unable to TEST UNIT READY: Input/output error
Executing 'builtin_dd if=070113_Backup of=/dev/hdc obs=32k seek=0'
/dev/hdc: "Current Write Speed" is 6.1x1385KBps.
1605632/3414702080 ( 0.0%) @0.0x, remaining 247:59
1605632/3414702080 ( 0.0%) @0.0x, remaining 354:17
:-? the LUN appears to be stuck writing LBA=310h, retry in 94ms
1605632/3414702080 ( 0.0%) @0.0x, remaining 460:34
1605632/3414702080 ( 0.0%) @0.0x, remaining 602:16
1605632/3414702080 ( 0.0%) @0.0x, remaining 708:34
:-? the LUN appears to be stuck writing LBA=310h, retry in 94ms
:-[ WRITE@LBA=c60h failed with SK=4h/ASC=08h/ACQ=03h]: Input/output error
builtin_dd: 3168*2KB out @ average 0.2x1385KBps
:-( write failed: Input/output error
/dev/hdc: flushing cache
/dev/hdc: closing track
/dev/hdc: closing disc
===================
Useful output:
===================
From dmesg
dc: packet command error: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
hdc: packet command error: error=0x50 { LastFailedSense=0x05 }
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdc: packet command error: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
hdc: packet command error: error=0x50 { LastFailedSense=0x05 }
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
>growisofs --version
* growisofs by <appro@???>, version 5.21,
front-ending to mkisofs: mkisofs 2.01 (x86_64-suse-linux)
/var/log/messages gives much the same as dmesg:
.....
Jan 13 13:57:59 fram kernel: hdc: packet command error: status=0x51
{ DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Jan 13 13:57:59 fram kernel: hdc: packet command error: error=0x50
{ LastFailedSense=0x05 }
Jan 13 13:57:59 fram kernel: ide: failed opcode was: unknown
.....
Jan 13 14:10:14 fram kernel: hdc: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51
{ DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Jan 13 14:10:14 fram kernel: hdc: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x40
{ LastFailedSense=0x04 }
Jan 13 14:10:14 fram kernel: ide: failed opcode was: unknown
.....
===================
What seems to have happened this time is that the file structure has been
written plus a few of the actual files (so I can mount and read parts of the
dvd). Sometimes in the past growisofs has failed before writing anything.
I have tried to google the problem and found one similar but unanswered
posting. So:
1. Can anyone give me a clue as to the type of error (i.e the meaning of the
error codes). Is it is pure write error, is it a software timing error (i.e.
the 'stuck writing' messages), are the x64 versions of the program/routines
suspect etc.
2. The computer is kept in a bedroom/office. Could dust be affecting the
write head (CDs seem to be written OK). If so, is there a way to ensure the
head is clean.
3. I am using an ASUS a8n-sli premium board which is now about a year old. I
don't really want to touch the cables but could there be some interference?
The DVD writer bought in the hope that it would be compatible with the board
is a ASUS DRW-1608P3S. I use the DVD mainly for backups so it has only been
used 10-20 times.
4. Anything else I should know (before I go an buy another one).
Thanks for any help.
David Webb.
p.s. I did see some queries about x64 systems on this mailing list a few
months ago. My experience is that the system (based on an AMD 3800 X2) is
very very fast and that overall the software is very good but not perfect.
The linux, gnu, firefox, acrobat etc parts of the system are excellent and
very robust. Open Office is good but the graphics is still 32 bit so for
example it can have rounding errors with incremental vectors. There are one
or two subsystems, for example this and the database part of the Yast printer
utility which are more flaky. The X11 part of the kdm startup sequence also
fails 50% of the time when I start the computer. With an Intel cpu the
software may be better. With the exception of the DVD, the system also seems
to have become more stable over the year - I presume as upgrades have been
posted to SuSE 10.0 but it may just be that I bypass the bad bits.
