Possible CD/DVD hardware failure?

English Hardware
1

As of today, I’ve had a problem attempting to burn a CD iso file, and I am now thinking I may have some sort of hardware failure that just occured. 2 days ago I burned a CD with no problem.

Some CD/DVD burner info:

9: udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/storage_model_CDDVDW_SH_S223Q'
...
  info.vendor = 'TSSTcorp'
...

In the past with this 64-bit openSUSE-11.2 version/install I have burned 100s of CDs and DVDs without problem.

Wrt the problem: The burn will start, and then fail in the middle of burning. While k3b was updated in the mean time since my last successful burn, I also note that I get the same error/problem with cdrecord, and it was not updated (to the best of my knowledge). Hence I don’t think this is a k3b problem:

I’ve burned coasters trying:

  • kde4 version of k3b
  • kde3 version of k3b
  • raw cdrecord command

In all 3 cases similar error.

For example error when attempting a k3b (kde4 version) burn:

Track 01:   63 of  685 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf 100%]   8.0x.
Track 01:   64 of  685 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf 100%]   8.2x.
Track 01:   65 of  685 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf 100%]   8.5x.
Track 01:   66 of  685 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf 100%]   8.2x.
Errno: 5 (Input/output error), write_g1 scsi sendcmd: no error
CDB:  2A 00 00 00 85 15 00 00 1F 00
status: 0x2 (CHECK CONDITION)
Sense Bytes: 70 00 04 00 00 00 00 0A 00 00 00 00 08 03 00 00
Sense Key: 0x4 Hardware Error, Segment 0
Sense Code: 0x08 Qual 0x03 (logical unit communication crc error (ultra-dma/32)) Fru 0x0
Sense flags: Blk 0 (not valid) 
cmd finished after 6.745s timeout 200s
/usr/bin/wodim: A write error occured.
/usr/bin/wodim: Please properly read the error message above.
write track data: error after 69773312 bytes
Writing  time:   97.901s
Average write speed  52.9x.
Min drive buffer fill was 89%
Fixating...
Fixating time:    0.002s
/usr/bin/wodim: fifo had 1163 puts and 1100 gets.
/usr/bin/wodim: fifo was 0 times empty and 1083 times full, min fill was 87%.
BURN-Free was never needed.

cdrecord command:
-----------------------
/usr/bin/wodim -v gracetime=2 dev=/dev/sr0 speed=8 -sao driveropts=burnfree -data -tsize=350720s -

and error when using raw cdrecord command:

oldcpu@hal2009:~/data/linux> cdrecord -scanbus
scsibus0:                                     
        0,0,0     0) *                        
        0,1,0     1) 'TSSTcorp' 'CDDVDW SH-S223Q ' 'SB03' Removable CD-ROM
        0,2,0     2) *                                                    
        0,3,0     3) *                                                    
        0,4,0     4) *                                                    
        0,5,0     5) *                                                    
        0,6,0     6) *                                                    
        0,7,0     7) *                                                    
scsibus1:                                                                 
        1,0,0   100) 'TSSTcorp' 'DVD-ROM SH-D163B' 'SB02' Removable CD-ROM
        1,1,0   101) *                                                    
        1,2,0   102) *                                                    
        1,3,0   103) *                                                    
        1,4,0   104) *                                                    
        1,5,0   105) *                                                    
        1,6,0   106) *                                                    
        1,7,0   107) *                                                    
oldcpu@hal2009:~/data/linux> cdrecord -v -pad speed=1 dev=0,1,0 openSUSE-KDE-LiveCD-i686-Build0625-Media.iso 
wodim: No write mode specified.                                                                              
wodim: Asuming -tao mode.                                                                                    
wodim: Future versions of wodim may have different drive dependent defaults.                                 
TOC Type: 1 = CD-ROM                                                                                         
wodim: Operation not permitted. Warning: Cannot raise RLIMIT_MEMLOCK limits.scsidev: '0,1,0'                 
scsibus: 0 target: 1 lun: 0                                                                                  
WARNING: the deprecated pseudo SCSI syntax found as device specification.                                    
Support for that may cease in the future versions of wodim. For now,                                         
the device will be mapped to a block device file where possible.                                             
Run "wodim --devices" for details.                                                                           
Linux sg driver version: 3.5.27                                                                              
Wodim version: 1.1.9                                                                                         
SCSI buffer size: 64512                                                                                      
Device type    : Removable CD-ROM                                                                            
Version        : 5                                                                                           
Response Format: 2                                                                                           
Capabilities   :                                                                                             
Vendor_info    : 'TSSTcorp'                                                                                  
Identification : 'CDDVDW SH-S223Q '                                                                          
Revision       : 'SB03'                                                                                      
Device seems to be: Generic mmc2 DVD-R/DVD-RW.                                                               
Current: 0x0009 (CD-R)                                                                                       
Profile: 0x0015 (DVD-R/DL sequential recording)                                                              
Profile: 0x0016 (DVD-R/DL layer jump recording)                                                              
Profile: 0x0017 (Reserved/Unknown)                                                                           
Profile: 0x002B (DVD+R/DL)                                                                                   
Profile: 0x001B (DVD+R)                                                                                      
Profile: 0x001A (DVD+RW)                                                                                     
Profile: 0x0014 (DVD-RW sequential recording)                                                                
Profile: 0x0013 (DVD-RW restricted overwrite)                                                                
Profile: 0x0012 (DVD-RAM)                                                                                    
Profile: 0x0011 (DVD-R sequential recording)                                                                 
Profile: 0x0010 (DVD-ROM)                                                                                    
Profile: 0x000A (CD-RW)                                                                                      
Profile: 0x0009 (CD-R) (current)                                                                             
Profile: 0x0008 (CD-ROM)                                                                                     
Profile: 0x0002 (Removable disk)                                                                             
Using generic SCSI-3/mmc   CD-R/CD-RW driver (mmc_cdr).                                                      
Driver flags   : MMC-3 SWABAUDIO BURNFREE                                                                    
Supported modes: TAO PACKET SAO SAO/R96P SAO/R96R RAW/R16 RAW/R96P RAW/R96R                                  
Drive buf size : 1962752 = 1916 KB                                                                           
Beginning DMA speed test. Set CDR_NODMATEST environment variable if device                                   
communication breaks or freezes immediately after that.                                                      
FIFO size      : 4194304 = 4096 KB                                                                           
Track 01: data   685 MB         padsize:   30 KB                                                             
Total size:      786 MB (77:56.49) = 350737 sectors                                                          
Lout start:      787 MB (77:58/37) = 350737 sectors                                                          
Current Secsize: 2048                                                                                        
ATIP info from disk:                                                                                         
  Indicated writing power: 5                                                                                 
  Is not unrestricted                                                                                        
  Is not erasable                                                                                            
  Disk sub type: Medium Type B, low Beta category (B-) (4)                                                   
  ATIP start of lead in:  -12369 (97:17/06)                                                                  
  ATIP start of lead out: 359849 (79:59/74)                                                                  
Disk type:    Short strategy type (Phthalocyanine or similar)                                                
Manuf. index: 69                                                                                             
Manufacturer: Moser Baer India Limited                                                                       
Manufacturer is guessed because of the orange forum embargo.                                                 
The orange forum likes to get money for recent information.                                                  
The information for this media may not be correct.                                                           
Blocks total: 359849 Blocks current: 359849 Blocks remaining: 9112                                           
Speed set to 1412 KB/s                                                                                       
Starting to write CD/DVD at speed   8.0 in real TAO mode for single session.                                 
Last chance to quit, starting real write in    0 seconds. Operation starts.                                  
Waiting for reader process to fill input buffer ... input buffer ready.                                      
Performing OPC...                                                                                            
Starting new track at sector: 0                                                                              
Track 01:  236 of  685 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf 100%]   8.4x.Errno: 5 (Input/output error), write_g1 scsi sendcmd: no error                                                                                                                            
CDB:  2A 00 00 01 D9 D7 00 00 1F 00                                                                                          
status: 0x2 (CHECK CONDITION)                                                                                                
Sense Bytes: 70 00 04 00 00 00 00 0A 00 00 00 00 08 03 00 00                                                                 
Sense Key: 0x4 Hardware Error, Segment 0                                                                                     
Sense Code: 0x08 Qual 0x03 (logical unit communication crc error (ultra-dma/32)) Fru 0x0                                     
Sense flags: Blk 0 (not valid)                                                                                               
cmd finished after 0.942s timeout 40s

write track data: error after 248428544 bytes
wodim: A write error occured.
wodim: Please properly read the error message above.
Writing  time:  217.022s
Average write speed  22.5x.
Min drive buffer fill was 100%
Fixating...
Errno: 5 (Input/output error), close track/session scsi sendcmd: no error
CDB:  5B 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
status: 0x2 (CHECK CONDITION)
Sense Bytes: 70 00 05 00 00 00 00 0A 00 00 00 00 72 03 00 00
Sense Key: 0x5 Illegal Request, Segment 0
Sense Code: 0x72 Qual 0x03 (session fixation error - incomplete track in session) Fru 0x0
Sense flags: Blk 0 (not valid)
cmd finished after 1.725s timeout 480s
cmd finished after 1.725s timeout 480s
wodim: Cannot fixate disk.
Fixating time:    1.727s
BURN-Free was never needed.
wodim: fifo had 3977 puts and 3914 gets.
wodim: fifo was 0 times empty and 3892 times full, min fill was 81%.
oldcpu@hal2009:~/data/linux>

…
before I jump to the conclusion that this is a hardware error, I thought I would check if anyone else is experiencing the same right now ?

2 
Errno: 5 (Input/output error)

That is a typical output for a malfunctioning CD/DVD-drive, often caused by dirty lenses, but also generally by the limited lifecycle of a drive (and you seem to have burned quite a lot with it). I’d say it is definitely not the systems fault.

Hang on, I’ll give it a try with KDE4s K3B… burningDVD

…finished without any errors.

3

I have burned 100s of CDs and DVDs without problem.

Maybe this says some too.
You just burned it out!

4

I am not familiar with the errors, but the behaviour leads me to also think this. I burned 4 coasters out of 5 attempts, all at random positions in the burn. This is more coasters than I have ever burned with this burner since I have owned it for just over a year.

I’m thinking this too.

The burner is just over 1 year old, and I give it really heavy use. It may even still be under some sort of limited warantee because it is not “that” old. I’ll check the original purchase paperwork tomorrow morning, and possibly take the burner in to our local PC shop (from whence I purchased it) tomorrow. …

5

error 5 according to scsi CD/DVD rom standards is refusal of device to read data upon request. Typically, this is an inability to read from the disc due to dirt, or failed lazer receptor, or failed target lazer. You see, if the target lazer doesn’t send the lazer light or the disc doesn’t reflect anything back to the receptor, the error is issued. It is also issued if the receptor isn’t working.

Advice. First try and clean the drive with a cleaner disc. If that fails pay the $20 to $45 for a new drive.

6

Thanks. I’m thinking of that. When I went to research this, I ended up reading various articles with a massive divergence of opinion expressed about how to clean a CD/DVD drive on a PC.

Some stated compressed air should be used as it would not scratch the lens. Other stated compressed air was useless as it would just push the dirt into crevices and only compress the dirt further.

Some stated a cleaner disk was easiest, but I note there are many models of this. And then other articles noted such a cleaner disk was only for stand alone CD/audio players and not for computers, where the risk was such a cleaner would scratch the lens of a computer CD/DVD device which was supposed more risk on a computer (possibly scratch after one or more repeated cleanings ?? ) . …

I’m a bit puzzled by this divergence of opinion.

But I also note some of those were for “routine maintenance” which I do NOT do with my CD/DVDs in my PC. When they fail - they fail :slight_smile: … Hence I may go for the CD cleaner disk, as I am already looking at the unit not functioning so the risk of scratching the lens in a one time cleaning is not a big concern on my part.

My PC came with a 2 year warranty, and so I think the Samsung SH-S223Q is still under some sort of warranty.

The price is not an issue with the CD/DVD burner, but rather finding one that I am happy is Linux compatible is an issue. I also want light scribe capability. Our local shop now has only this model: LG GH22LS50 SATA and my research has indicated its Linux compatibility may not be so good. Hence if I need to purchase a new DVD burner, I may need to go further afield than our local PC shop.

7

Appart from dirt issue, CD/DVD drives also fail from head alignment issues, however this is more common on laptop drives. Local university experienced technical fellow considers laptop drives as ‘consumables’ due to this problem. [Cost of new drive versus man hour cost to find and rectify failure] Head alignment would give random failure point errors in time during burning. (So no consistent point of failure)

8

The time required to investigate was also my wife’s main point, and she talked me out of trying to “clean” the drive.

So this morning I removed the Samsung DVD burner from my PC and took it in to the local PC shop. They accepted it, but they told me it will take a few weeks for them to send it in and get a replacement, while it would have been quicker, with my warranty, to have just called Samsung, and a Samsung representative would have showed up at my apartment in 3 working days, and would have repaired/replaced the drive on site. Except my wife also noted (which I agreed) that would have been more expensive for us, as one of us would have been required to take time off work to wait for a service repair man to show up. It was far cheaper for us to take the device to the computer shop, and then wait a few weeks for a repair to show up that way.

So for now my main PC does not have a DVD burner.

9

As an old tech I can offer the following: Abrasive disc’s are the worst for the drive. There are those that are soft surface disc’s intended for a alcohol type solvent. Ideally, you want an isoprophile (rubbing alcohol solution) with a rating of 70 to 90% but most places require a license to purchase. The reason for a minimum of 70% is so there is no residue left behind. I have in the past used a long Que tip to clean the lenses. Do not use canned air! they are great for cleaning/dislodging dirt but for the delicate floppy disk and CD/DVD heads, the air can change the asmyth (alignment) of the head.
As for the statement that a CD/DVD cleaner disc is for audio/video playback units is cr**! The same drives are uaed in both computers and home entertainment products.

My PC came with a 2 year warranty, and so I think the Samsung SH-S223Q is still under some sort of warranty.

The price is not an issue with the CD/DVD burner, but rather finding one that I am happy is Linux compatible is an issue. I also want light scribe capability. Our local shop now has only this model: LG GH22LS50 SATA and my research has indicated its Linux compatibility may not be so good. Hence if I need to purchase a new DVD burner, I may need to go further afield than our local PC shop.

The biggest problem with SATA is motherboards not designed to utilize SATA features correctly. Since your SATA CD/DVD drive works with Linux on your current hardware choosing a replacement drive needs only to be closely similar to the one being replaced.