Burned DVD--freeze, (unrecorded?) ring on DVD

[Sondra]

I have an HP Pavilion a1250n, 3800+ 64 x2, with an HP740b burner, 2GB ram, Windows Media Center. The burner had been working fine. After a while Nero reported failed verification every time, but the DVDs still seemed OK.

Then, using Adobe Encore, I started getting freezes and noticed a ring on the bottom of the DVDs that looked the same color as the unrecorded edge, usually, but not always, in the same place. I thought it was Encore's fault, but I got the same resuts with Nero 6 and 7.

I installed the latest firmware and disabled autorun in the registry. At first I got 2-3 good burns. Then it started again. I called HP, who walked me through tests on the burner. It passed all the tests, although the first time through it said something was wrong on one test but didn't give an error code, and it passed the next time.

How can I find the cause?

 

[ScrapSilicon]

what blanks(Nero Info Tool for possible id) and what speed are you selecting? Have you defragmented your harddrive? Even passing tests the 740b drive still might be toast..personally I'd go down to Compusa and grab a NorwoodMicro internal burner(look for,on the outside of box, 1640/1650 ..these are Benq while the 740b is a LG GCA-4166B)..onsale if possible..but if you gotta have lightscribe I'd go either the Samsung(not the open box) or the Liteon SHM-165H6S..gl

 

[imported_nah]

also the discs--go to digitalFAQ.com for the various types of DVD discs which exist--Grades 1 and 2 are good 3 and 4 will almost always produce coasters--download DVDIdentifier--the links are there and see what Grade of DVD-discs u have

 

[clange50]

I just had this happen with sony DVD+Rs from best buy. I got a 100 pack and every single one of them had a defect that caused a line just as you describe. People rail on memorex, but I have yet to end up with a coaster from them (both PRODISC R03 and RITEKF1). So far 50 of the prodisc and about 10 of the ritek (burned at 12%) with no problems.

So yeah, try some other dvds.

 

[MuddyG]

Were they 'Made In Taiwan' or 'Made In Japan' Sony? I've had great luck with 'Made in Japan'.

 

[clange50]

Sony D21? I dont have the packaging, but thats what DVD identifier says.

 

[Sondra]

Hmmm, I got my Verbatims at Best Buy, but the brand is supposed to be good. I've gotten the rings on those and Velocity--my testing DVDs, since I go through so many.

I wonder if there are other tests for the burner, since my warranty is up soon, and I'd like HP to send me a new one, if that will solf the problem.

 

[oynaz]

It sounds like the burner is damaged. I would RMA it.

 

[Sondra]

I did want to send it back to them, but they have to approve it, so I burned another Verbatim at the slowest speed Encore would let me--and there weren't any rings. I'll do another one to make sure.