WITS END - DVD-rw burning kills comp

[mojiody]

Ok, so I've been working on this for a solid week now and I'm totally at my wits end here. I just built a new PC with the following:

EPOX 5-EPA+ Mobo
1 GB Crucial DDR-400
XFX 6600-GT PCI-E video
Audigy2 Value PCI Audio
120GB SATA drive (WD I think? Cant remember)
NEC 3250A 16X DL DVD-+RW

So, happy am I, as I put together the first computer I've built in two years. I boot up the beast, and she's purring like a kitten. Then I say, "Self, why dont you try and burn a DVD with that slammin DVD burner you just got?" So, I pull my 3+ gig of digital photos onto the hard drive, and go on to popping the disc in and starting to burn. About 3 minutes in, as I'm happily watching the bar go by - I watch in dismay as the screen goes black, I hear the faint pop of my audigy turning off, and the fans sit there spinning away.

So, I take a look. First culprit, the crappy power supply that came with the case. I scrapped that for a Thermaltake Xaser III. Pulled up my diagnostics, the thing is rock solid, 11.98 on the 12V, 3.27 on the 3.3V and 4.98 on the 5V with no sign of fluctuation. So I think, bam, this'll solve it.

No dice. So I say, "well, can I burn anything?" so I burn a full data CD, burns like a champ. So, I take a look, and since it was a bulk drive I decide to upgrade the firmware. Upgrade it and its happier than it was, I can actually change the burn speed when before I was stuck at 4x. Pop the badboy back in, upgrade my copy of Nero, and am all ready to watch the DVD burn.

No dice, again. I'm at my wits end here, now. I don't want to think its the mobo, because that'll just be a PIA to RMA. But I also don't trust that its the burner, because it burns CDs fine.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. I've never really run into this sort of thing before, usually first or second try solves the issue.

AAAAAAAAAAARGH!

Thanks in advance for the help

 

[Zepper]

Try installing or updating your ASPI layer software (DL from Nero if you use that or DL from Adaptec.com - the Adaptec is pretty generic and will work with Nero you just don't want both installed. Adaptec's ASPI software comes with a utility that will tell you if and what ver. of ASPI is installed. I know it says for SCSI, but humor me! Seems to fix strange problems with optical drive operation.

.bh.

 

[Jiggz]

Try the ASPI layer first. But if the problem persists, then you need to monitor the system. It sounds like your problem is resource shortage or CPU hi-temp shutdown. You can monitor your resources using the Task Manager. Look what else is using resources besides Nero when burning DVD. In the bios, check the setting of the auto shut down and alarm temps. In the performance section of the system properties make sure your Processor is aligned for programs while the memory is aligned for system cache.

 

[mojiody]

Well, neither worked.

Wierd thing is, its erratic from a burn time perspective. Sometimes it crashes at 80%done, sometimes its at 10%. So its more than likely not a bad file or something like that.
The environmental settings was a good idea though, as I did forget to optimize those.

Task manager shows that I'm real set from a resource angle. commit charge is 230M out of 3GB, and the processor is sitting at 1% while the burn happens. Nero is the largest process by FAR, the only one that comes close is an instance of svchost that very rarely gets into the process queue before nero.

The system is sitting around 85 degrees. I checked the bios, and the auto-shutoff for temperature was disabled. So that wasnt the culprit either.

Again, all my voltages are sitting pretty, only miniscule (<.02 v) fluctations every 5 mins or so.

I'm going to check the (crappy) epox manual to see if maybe I have something set wrong. I doubt at this point its the burner, because you hear the burner spin down when the blackout occurs, as opposed to other times with burner problems I've had with previous systems where the burn light just stays lit when it crashes.

Help!

Thanks
-p

 

[kobymu]

r u OCing?
/edit
if u do return all the setting into stock and try again

 

[kobymu]

if u'r dvd is ata (not sata) try try changing the master/slave jumper, and while u'r at it change the channel too.
/edit
and make sure the dvd is working alone (without any other in the same channel)
post when done.

if it's sata change the port

 

[kobymu]

i u didnt installed the latest intel chipset drivers (INF Update *and* Application Accelerator), do it.
i u did try going back a version (both intel drivers)

 

[Duvie]

Sounds like windows has an error and the "automatic restart is rebooting the PC instead of of showing a BSOD....I say right click <my computer> ...click properties....advanced tab....start and recovery settings...and uncheck automatic restart....

Then next time it happens you may just see a BSOD....if so then start to check the memory...memtest and one stick at a time may be a good test...

Disable any AV sotfware and see if that helps...

Install windows SP2 if you haven't or try without it if you have...

Edit: spelling fixed...mainly I type to quick and hit an extra key or space to early and last letter goes to next word...

 

[ribbon13]

Great advice Duvie, even if you were too lazy to spell check.

 

[kobymu]

Originally posted by: Duvie
Install windows SP2 if you haven't or try without it if you have...

the problem seems to be hw/drv(rebooting), Installing windows SP1 should be left as a last option. and unless the a/v is seriously bugged it's not problem either. :thumbsdown:

checking the memory though is a good move :thumbsup:

/edit
which remind me i forgot to ask which apps r running in the background?

 

[mojiody]

hey guys, thanks so far for the advice -

I updated the inf files, but not the app accelerator yet.

I have no A/V on there yet because I didnt want it to interfere with my initial setup like they commonly have issues with.

good call on the memory, I'll check that out -

right now the dvd-rw is pata and is primary master - the HD is sata plugged in to channel 1 - I do have a secondary dvd drive, but unplugging didnt make a difference.

I'll also check out the automatic restart.

thanks for the advice, i'll keep you posted

-p

edit - btw I'm not overclocking -

 

[mojiody]

the only programs I have in the b/g is the creative sound manager and the nvidia settings manager.

 

[imported_Phil]

Originally posted by: mojiody
The system is sitting around 85 degrees. I checked the bios, and the auto-shutoff for temperature was disabled. So that wasnt the culprit either.

Wait wait wait. 85 degrees Celcius? :Q

 

[mojiody]

yeah, 85 degrees celcius - I actually fry eggs on it when I'm not using it to play half-life 2 or attempt to burn dvds.

Can a computer even GET to 85 deg celcius without going over the processor heat curve?

lol - just bustin - I can never do the celcius calc in my head. 85F.

 

[Rock Hydra]

Are you trying to burn Track at Once? I've had weird problems writing Track at Once. I always write Disc at Once with Nero.

 

[mojiody]

ok, so now the polt thickens:

I go and install the very latest (4-18-2005) 915P drivers from off of Intel's site. I left the computer for a number of hours and when I came back, guess who's monitor was blank and the keyboard non-responsive? So, I reboot the machine, figuring that it may have been the fact that I left it so long waiting to reboot. But nooooooooo, I attempt to burn and boom, right back down again. As I reboot, the system comes up and then comes back down. Now its back up, but I'm wondering when its going to go down again.

Here's the kicker - nothing, NOTHING in the event or app log. I would think if its a software issue that you'd see something in there, at least saying that something did not complete due to a failure.

BTW - I did take off the automatic restart thing in the recovery settings, it still does the same thing - just blank screen to system freeze, no BSOD. Hell, at least with a BSOD I could see what driver the culprit was.

So, it doesnt look like its strictly a dvd problem anymore. I do recall this happening once playing half-life as well last week when I first played the game, but just attributed it to the incredibly demanding needs of HL2 -

This is a particular PITA - I've built over 20 pcs for family and friends and this is the first problem I've had thats so godforsaken stubborn. I'm not even sure if its software or hardware anymore. Any takers?

 

[mojiody]

P.S. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped out and given suggestions so far. I know that having like 6 posts makes me seem like a n00b - its a pain being the one at the top of the IT food chain in your group of family and friends - and since everyone asks me their questions in my circle, when I get stumped, like Tim Robbins, "I HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO!" So I appreciate all the help you all have already given in such a short amount of time. Its a testament to all of you that you are all so helpful. I'm running memtest right now overall, if it finds errors I'm going to run it on each stick - Again, my sincerest thanks.

-p

 

[wisdomtooth]

Hmm... How about trying that drive in another computer? If you get the same symptoms on another computer, maybe the drive is fubared.

 

[kobymu]

Originally posted by: mojiody
... its a pain being the one at the top of the IT food chain in your group of family and friends - and since everyone asks me their questions in my circle,
-p

i am SO feeling U

one more question: is u'r bios at defult settings?

EDIT

one more question: did u try with a different burner (other then nero)?

 

[Blain]

Get an NEC burner... they smash Plextors. :shocked:
Plus... they're cheap, and they're... well cheap.

 

[mojiody]

Blain:

I've got an NEC burner - its really tasty now.

Yes, all, with you're wonderful help, I have indeed SOLVED THE PROBLEM!!!!!

And the winner is....




wait for it.....


Duvie for his excellent memory checking suggestion!!!!

And the beat down goes to......


EPOX For their misleading manual!!!!!!


So yeah, I was stupid this time, and seeing as I never touched dual channel ddr before, went by the idiot manufacturer's SUGGESTION to, if I was going to use dual channel, but I really shouldnt because its not optimized or some bullshit like that, put the memory in DDR Channel 1 Slot 0 and DDR Channel 2 slot 1. I thought it was a pretty stupid idea, and I never EVER have put it that way previously, but hell, this is my first dive into dual channel, and so I'll give it a shot.

Wellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll.....you all know the rest of the story, and can assume once I put it in channel 1 slot 0 AND channel 2 slot 0, which seemed the most logical at the time but I must have been on too much weed to realize NEVER TRUST THE F'ING MANUAL, now Beast is purring like a kitten and burning like a pyromaniac highschooler with ADHD and a butane lighter.

Thanks to all for the help -- Cheers!

-p