FIXED! Nero/Lite-On 24x10x40 Running Real SLOW

[Hideous_Hog]

I don't know when this started, but burning stuff is much slower than it used to be. I know I am not getting 24X anymore, and Nero is hogging all the system resources. I can't do anything while burning, and the Nero stats bars update only every 10 seconds or so. Additionally, the buffer now jumps from 30% to 90% continuously. Burning a 15 track music CD now takes over 6 minutes. The Lite-On red LED alternates red and yellow while burning data, although it's red when burning the lead-in/lead-out. I tried burning at 8X, and the red light stays on continuously, and system resources are not as fully consumed.

I have tried different versions of Nero (from 5 to 6), I have checked for other applications running at the same time, and have tried different settings for the IDE channel. Nothing has worked. I am using WInXP Pro on an Athlon 1700+ system. WIN Task Manager shows Nero consuming every resource in sight. I have noted a few other posts in the last 2 months with the identical problem (but no solution).

Any ideas anyone? I am totally stumped.

 

[Hideous_Hog]

I did some more research on google and unfortunately have come up dry for a solution. There are numerous posts about the same symptoms burning that I have. I read some speculation that it may be a problem with data transfer speed on the IDE bus. I have tried various combinations of PIO and DMA settings. My burner and CD-ROM are on primary IDE channels, my HD's are using ATA 100. Me thinks that some screwy driver may be the problem, but I have no clue as to what to try. aHead tech support has not been recommended either for answers.

Arggg...

 

[waitman]

I have an external 16/10/40 had an identical problem. I had been changing a lot of files and moving stuff around, deleting. A good defrag fixed the problem as it had been a year and a half since I did one. It got so bad that i left while I was burning a cd and came back 2 hours later and it was almost done. after that I did the defrag and it ran for about 7 hours before it finished. anyways no problems in several months, but probably about time to do that defrag again. hope this helps, good luck!

 

[yoda291]

update your IDE drivers possibly

 

[Hideous_Hog]

GOT THE FIX!!!

This problem was one of the most time-consuming computer issues I have faced in a long time.

First, the whole issue here was the burner running in PIO mode in WinXP instead of DMA. As i learned, PIO mode uses the processor to handle all the i/o functions. DMA uses the system bus for direct i/o and does not hog the operating system. I did defrag the HD (it really needed it), and solved a problem with the ASPI driver, but the symptoms were still there- slow burning, operating system freezing while burning, and the burning buffer going crazy the whole time.

The issue centers around WinXP deciding to assign PIO mode to the burner. Why did it happen? This I don't know, but the Microsoft documentation states that 6 CRC errors will cause WinXP to automatically switch the IDE channel from DMA to PIO. This switch is permanent! What a bunch of crap...

The solution is to remove the CD-RW and the associated IDE channel from Device Manager, reboot, and let WinXP reinstall it. I lucked into the solution from a google search that led me to a post in an obscure hardware forum. I am now running great, burning at a true 24X, and the computer doesn't freeze up. For those with the same problem, go to control panel, system, hardware, device manager, then uninstall the burner and the IDE channel it is attached to (mine was the primary) under "IDE/ATA/ATAPI controller".

I expect to have to do this again since I don't know why the burner screwed up in the first place. WinXP should not permanently switch from DMA.

Also, if you ever read that PIO mode isn't bad, it doesn't even suck with today's hardware. Slows down all i/o associated with the device, and hogs the processor big time.