Buffer Underrun Problem on Plextor 16/10/40A

[blackmage]

I just bought a Plextor 16/10/40A EIDE writer. I can burn perfectly with 12x, but when I switch to 16x, the buffer underrun problem occurs. I'm using Nero v5.0.4.8 with burn proof. If I disable burn proof and burn cds in 16x, they are all failed after 20sec of burning. I tried to defrag and closed all applications before burning but it was no use..... So can someone plz help!!

My system is
K7 800mhz
160 SDram
abit KT7 Raid
Maxtor 20gig HD (connect to ATA-100 Controller)

[Wayniac]

You could try a program called MemTurbo.

But before you go down this path, what brand of cd media are you using? Your writer seems fine at 12x, but not at 16x..this seems to tell me you could have a media problem. I use verbatim 16x and have never had a dud; but you can experiment as some brands always work best with your own particular writer.

MemTurbo will optimise your Windows Disc cache, and allow you to examine different settings for different purposes i.e. power user, cd-writer, games machine etc.

Basically MemTurbo goes a little further than what you can do manually, without the aggro of editing files etc.

But if you do decide to use your own manual settings, there's a couple of things you can try:

1) Make sure you use a permanent sawp file: generally 2.5x your system RAM. Ideally just after you've formatted your drive as this will allow a continous and unfragmented amount of swap file.

2) Edit you windows disc cache. Your need to run sysedit.exe and find the field called "Vcache" in the System.ini file. For 128MB (what I have), I use these settings:

[vcache]
MinFileCache=4096
MaxFileCache=16384 or 32768

Basically MemTurbo does all this for you, but it's nice to know what's going on behind the scenes so to speak.

Hope this helps ya out a bit.

[blackmage]

Thanx, Wayniac

I just tried your method, but it doesn't seem to be working either. The "recorder buffer level" still goes to 4% while "used buffer level" stays in 99% and fails after 15 seconds.
I've also e-mailed many times to plextor, and they told me to change the IDE device drive to default Microsoft's standard IDE driver. I did that too, but also no help.
Please HELP!!
Thx..

blackmage

[Wayniac]

Your welcome.

OK, so this doesn't work. Let's now rule these out:

1) Does your version of Nero supoort your writer - at the allocated speed?
After writing, save the log file and have a looka at what's been going on with your hardware (you may have done this)

2) You're not burning MP3 files to audio are you? If this is the case, you will get this error after a certain point, beacuse your CPU has to decompress and burn at the same time. My Cyrix 333+ can only do this at 4x.

3) You're not using disc-to-disc copying; youre building an image files first.

4) Does the simulation work?

5) Have you #####ed with aspichk.exe, whether or not you have the latest ASPI drivers? I use version 4.6. I had a bit of trouble upgrading to this version, as the Adaptec-certified drivers insist that your previous ASPI drivers are adaptec-only.

6) You're using Win98 and not Win 2000/NT. Some folks have trouble with certain cd-r software unless it's running on Win98.

7) Do you have any other cd-r programs, (ie Adaptec EZCD Creator) installed?

8) Your hardware setup as far as your drives are concerned is:

Primary IDE port: master = HDD
slave = free or secondary HDD

Secondary IDE port: master = cd-rom
slave = cd-writer

This is the most common and recommded setup.

Hope these extra points may make the path a little clearer!

Speak soon,

~~Wayniac~~

[blackmage]

^0^
Yes, I #####ed the compatiblilty table in Nero's official website. It is compatible.

No. I'm burning image files or data files directly from HD.

No. the simulation does not work after 15seconds, but the when I enable burn proof (simulation does not allow burn proof), I could burn cds. It's just that plex 16x keeps writing blank sectors when buffer underruns. So using 16x, I could burn a 700mb cd in 7min which is the same time I burn using 12x.

Where can you ##### the ASPI driver info?

I'm using WinME.

Yes, I have clone CD, cdrwin, and nero 5.0.4.8 installed in my system. But, I also tried to uninstall all and just have nero left, still useless.

I have my plex 16x install in secondary master, and DVDrom in secondary slave, and I leave primary IDE port open.

My Hard drive is connected to ATA-100 Raid controller.

Thx again

blackmage

[Wayniac]

The first thing I'd be suspicous of is your IDE connection to your writer. I'd swap them round so you get:

Secondary master = DVD
Secondary slave = CD-Writer

I don't know whether burn-proof would play havoc with a setup like yours with the writer as master. What's the manual recommend?

Just double-##### your jumper settings on both drives and you're away. WIndows will sort the rest out when you switch on.

Iv'e got Win98 on my system - don't know if WinME is completely bug-free at the moment, so this could be the reason why you're not hitting 16x. I'm surprised that no one else has had similar problems, then they could shed some further light.

Since your're writing ok at 12x I'd be inclined to rule out an ASPI problem.

Will Speak soon!

Wayne~

[SirRAIN]

the abit kt7 a nice mobo but not for ...

i got the abit kt7 raid and even the plex161040 and no probs here my tricks:

install via4in1
install the ide package 580_2150.EXE
make sure plex is running in dma mode- use the dmatool utility- if no device is shown in there, the drivers aren´t installed

don´t tell me u did all that- if u would ....

have phun!

[Wayniac]

So it could be related to an IDE driver installation problem?

I think this message board may have come down with a virus - some of the words Iv'e typed and subsequently re-typed have screwed up.

Get the doctor!

Bye~~

[packer]

Can you use Clonecd or doesn't that workeither?

[blackmage]

thanx u guyz again..

hey SirRain, I just installed via4in1 V.4.29 driver. but I don't know why no device is shown in DMAtool utility. Should I install DMA utility or just open it directly under the folder of via4in1 driver?
is your primary master HD hooked on to the raid controller?

nope, CloneCD doesn't work for me either under 16x, but fine in 12x.

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