Cannot Burn to DVD-R Disc with Plextor PX-716SA

English Hardware
1

Greetings,

I am unable to burn to DVD-R media using a Plextor PX-716SA SATA drive. I have tried using K3b, Brasero, and Nero Linux.

What happens is that the first 5 to 6 MB (possibly just lead-in) of the data is burned before the burner gives up and remains locked. I cannot remove the disc, the burning software remains frozen (no response after hitting software ‘cancel recording’ button), and the software process stays “uninterruptible” and thus unable to kill. The only way to remove the disc is by rebooting the PC.

The behavior also occurs if I run a test/simulated mode with the aformentioned software, but nevertheless I’ve been using Taiyo Yuden 8x DVD-R media. Successful burns and simulations have occurred with DVD+RW media, CD-R, and CD-RW; I don’t have any DVD+R nor DVD-RW discs to test. Burning on DVD-R has worked excellent in Windows Vista with many software programs.

The latest Plextor firmware has been installed on the drive, which is version 1.11. I am currently running openSUSE 11.2 with kernel version 2.6.31.13.

To investigate this further, I’ve tried burning from the command line using the actual programs the front-ends use to obtain specific error messages, including growisofs, cdrecord (wodim), and cdrskin. No succesful burns. For the following tests, the source data has been an ISO image of openSUSE 11.2. Nonetheless, custom data compilations have also failed, along with other DVD images showing similar error messages.

Here is some detailed info on the drive:

Device location: /dev/sr0
Results of ls -l /dev | grep sr0:

lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root           3 2010-04-14 20:35 cdrom -> sr0
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root           3 2010-04-14 20:35 cdrw -> sr0
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root           3 2010-04-14 20:35 dvd -> sr0
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root           3 2010-04-14 20:35 dvdrw -> sr0
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root           3 2010-04-14 20:35 scd0 -> sr0
brwxrwxr-x+ 1 root cdrom    11,   0 2010-04-14 20:35 sr0

Results of /usr/sbin/hwinfo --cdrom:

 SCSI 300.0: 10602 CD-ROM (DVD)                              
  [Created at block.247]
  UDI: /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/storage_model_DVDR___PX_716A
  Unique ID: KD9E.BOR3hnzff_0
  Parent ID: w7Y8.GZQkopFQ6y6
  SysFS ID: /class/block/sr0
  SysFS BusID: 3:0:0:0
  SysFS Device Link: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.2/host3/target3:0:0/3:0:0:0
  Hardware Class: cdrom
  Model: "PLEXTOR DVDR   PX-716A"
  Vendor: "PLEXTOR"
  Device: "DVDR   PX-716A"
  Revision: "1.11"
  Driver: "ata_piix", "sr"
  Device File: /dev/sr0 (/dev/sg2)
  Device Files: /dev/sr0, /dev/block/11:0, /dev/scd0, /dev/disk/by-path/pci-0000:00:1f.2-scsi-1:0:0:0, /dev/cdrom, /dev/cdrw, /dev/dvd, /dev/dvdrw
  Device Number: block 11:0 (char 21:2)
  Features: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD+DL
  Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
  Attached to: #12 (IDE interface)
  Drive Speed: 94

Using cdrecord (under simulation) with the following command:

sudo cdrecord -v -dummy speed=12 dev=/dev/sr0 openSUSE.iso

Results:

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
scsidev: '/dev/sr0'
devname: '/dev/sr0'
scsibus: -2 target: -2 lun: -2
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    : 'PLEXTOR '
Identification : 'DVDR   PX-716A  '
Revision       : '1.11'
Device seems to be: Generic mmc2 DVD-R/DVD-RW.
Current: 0x0011 (DVD-R sequential recording)
Profile: 0x002B (DVD+R/DL) 
Profile: 0x001B (DVD+R) 
Profile: 0x001A (DVD+RW) 
Profile: 0x0015 (DVD-R/DL sequential recording) 
Profile: 0x0014 (DVD-RW sequential recording) 
Profile: 0x0013 (DVD-RW restricted overwrite) 
Profile: 0x0011 (DVD-R sequential recording) (current)
Profile: 0x0010 (DVD-ROM) 
Profile: 0x000A (CD-RW) 
Profile: 0x0009 (CD-R) 
Profile: 0x0008 (CD-ROM) 
Using generic SCSI-3/mmc DVD-R(W) driver (mmc_mdvd).
Driver flags   : SWABAUDIO BURNFREE 
Supported modes: PACKET SAO
Drive buf size : 6291456 = 6144 KB
Beginning DMA speed test. Set CDR_NODMATEST environment variable if device
communication breaks or freezes immediately after that.
Drive DMA Speed: 44800 kB/s 254x CD 32x DVD
FIFO size      : 4194304 = 4096 KB
Track 01: data  4289 MB        
Total size:     4926 MB (488:01.86) = 2196140 sectors
Lout start:     4926 MB (488:03/65) = 2196140 sectors
Current Secsize: 2048
HINT: use dvd+rw-mediainfo from dvd+rw-tools for information extraction.
Blocks total: 2298496 Blocks current: 2298496 Blocks remaining: 102356
Speed set to 16620 KB/s
Starting to write CD/DVD at speed  13.0 in dummy unknown mode for single session.
Last chance to quit, starting dummy write in    0 seconds. Operation starts.
Waiting for reader process to fill input buffer ... input buffer ready.
Starting new track at sector: 0
Track 01:    6 of 4289 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  98%]   6.1x.wodim: faio_wait_on_buffer for writer timed out.

Relevant results of /var/log/messages:

...COMMAND=/usr/bin/cdrecord -v -dummy speed=12 dev=/dev/sr0 openSUSE.iso
Apr 14 21:27:22 Winston sudo: pam_env(sudo:setcred): non-alphanumeric key 'alias aumix=padsp aumix' in /etc/environment', ignoring
Apr 14 21:27:22 Winston sudo: pam_env(sudo:setcred): non-alphanumeric key 'alias sox=padsp sox' in /etc/environment', ignoring
Apr 14 21:27:22 Winston sudo: pam_env(sudo:setcred): non-alphanumeric key 'alias timidity=timidity -Oe' in /etc/environment', ignoring
Apr 14 21:30:51 Winston udevd[415]: worker [3504] unexpectedly returned with status 0x0100
Apr 14 21:30:51 Winston udevd[415]: worker [3504] failed while handling '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.2/host3/target3:0:0/3:0:0:0/block/sr0'
Apr 14 21:31:20 Winston kernel:  3360.534040] INFO: task hald-addon-stor:1937 blocked for more than 120 seconds.
Apr 14 21:31:20 Winston kernel:  3360.534057] "echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs" disables this message.
Apr 14 21:31:20 Winston kernel:  3360.534071] hald-addon-st D c0204750     0  1937   1883 0x00000000
Apr 14 21:31:20 Winston kernel:  3360.534092]  f3c11b04 00000082 f3616000 c0204750 c09f2080 eecec33c c09f2080 c09f2080
Apr 14 21:31:20 Winston kernel:  3360.534120]  d56fb01d 000002de c09f2080 c09f2080 eecec33c 00000000 000002de c09f2080
Apr 14 21:31:20 Winston kernel:  3360.534148]  f518bd80 eecec0b0 ed2b8099 00000000 7fffffff f3c11bc0 f3c11b60 c06945d5...

Although the speed was set at 12x, it didn’t matter as the same result was produced with 4x speed and 8x speed. (Although the Taiyo Yuden Disc is rated at 8x, burns in Windows set at 16x have been successful, burning at max 11.1x).

Here are some additional actual burn tests, first using cdrskin at 4x speed:

cdrskin -v dev=/dev/sr0 speed=4 fs=8m -dao -eject padsize=300k openSUSE.iso

Results:

cdrskin 0.4.0 : limited cdrecord compatibility wrapper for libburn
cdrskin: verbosity level : 1
cdrskin: NOTE : greying out all drives besides given dev='/dev/sr0'
cdrskin: scanning for devices ...
cdrskin: ... scanning for devices done
cdrskin: beginning to burn disc
cdrskin: status 1 burn_disc_blank "The drive holds a blank disc"
Current: DVD-R sequential recording
Track 01: data  4289 MB         padsize:  300 KB
Total size:     4289 MB (488:05.86) = 2196290 sectors
Lout start:     4289 MB (488:07/86) = 2196290 sectors
Starting to write CD/DVD at speed 4 in real SAO 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.
Starting new track at sector: 0
Track 01:    5 of 4289 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  97%]   0.3x.     
faio_wait_on_buffer for writer timed out.

System log of concern:

Apr 12 19:53:20 Winston udevd[372]: worker [3445] unexpectedly returned with status 0x0100
Apr 12 19:53:20 Winston udevd[372]: worker [3445] failed while handling '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.2/host3/target3:0:0/3:0:0:0/block/sr0'

And finally using growisofs:

growisofs -dvd-compat -Z /dev/sr0=openSUSE.iso

These are the results:

Executing 'builtin_dd if=openSUSE.iso of=/dev/sr0 obs=32k seek=0'
/dev/sr0: "Current Write Speed" is 16.4x1352KBps.
    6127616/4497694720 ( 0.1%) @1.3x, remaining 73:18 RBU 100.0% UBU   9.4%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.2x, remaining 96:30 RBU 100.0% UBU  97.9%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 128:40 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 171:34 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 203:44 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 235:54 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 278:48 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 310:58 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 343:09 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 386:02 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 418:12 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 450:23 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 493:16 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 525:26 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 557:37 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 600:30 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
    6979584/4497694720 ( 0.2%) @0.0x, remaining 632:41 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%

The lines above will keep repeating, with remaining time increasing. System log output:

Apr 12 17:24:31 Winston kernel: [14282.302843] warning: `growisofs' uses 32-bit capabilities (legacy support in use)
Apr 12 17:27:06 Winston smartd[2965]: Device: /dev/sda [SAT], SMART Usage Attribute: 194 Temperature_Celsius changed from 115 to 113
Apr 12 17:27:37 Winston gnomesu-pam-backend: The gnome keyring socket is not owned with the same credentials as the user login: /tmp/keyring-396ICB/socket
Apr 12 17:27:37 Winston gnomesu-pam-backend: gkr-pam: couldn't unlock 'login' keyring: 255
Apr 12 17:27:37 Winston gnomesu-pam-backend: pam_env(gnomesu-pam:setcred): non-alphanumeric key 'alias aumix=padsp aumix' in /etc/environment', ignoring
Apr 12 17:27:37 Winston gnomesu-pam-backend: pam_env(gnomesu-pam:setcred): non-alphanumeric key 'alias sox=padsp sox' in /etc/environment', ignoring
Apr 12 17:27:37 Winston gnomesu-pam-backend: pam_env(gnomesu-pam:setcred): non-alphanumeric key 'alias timidity=timidity -Oe' in /etc/environment', ignoring
Apr 12 17:27:51 Winston udevd[390]: worker [3821] unexpectedly returned with status 0x0100
Apr 12 17:27:51 Winston udevd[390]: worker [3821] failed while handling '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.2/host3/target3:0:0/3:0:0:0/block/sr0'

Modifying the growisofs command slightly for force DAO recording:

growisofs -dvd-compat -use-the-force-luke=dao -Z /dev/sr0=openSUSE.iso

The result becomes:

:- TEST UNIT READY failed with SK=2h/LOGICAL UNIT NOT READY, LONG WRITE IN PROGRESS]: Resource temporarily unavailable

So it seems no options would work. The simulation test I put first was last resort after having produced too many coasters (should have thought of this before!).

I have searched plenty of forums with no fixes to this problem. There have been several issues posted involving Linux and Plextor drives but these posts are old with old kernel versions. As far as SATA is concerned, this Linux installation is on a 250GB SATA drive that has not exhibited problems of any kind.

Your help in solving this problem would be greatly appreciated.

2

9 out of 10 this is a hardware problem. Can you try another burner in your system? Can you test your burner in another system?

3

You must experience many troubles as me when you encounter your favorite flashes,audio or video files.I am so happy to find a powerful flv converter software to convert flv to ipod, convert flv to iphone, convert flv to psp, convert flv to xbox360, convert flv to blackberry etc.

4

On the surface, this would seem like an isolated hardware problem but DVD-Rs burn perfectly fine with this burner in Windows. Nevertheless, your interesting suggestion of trying another burner in my system led me pull out my Toshiba SD-R5112 IDE burner from my other (much older) desktop running Ubuntu 9.10 and installed on the machine with the openSUSE 11.2 installation.

There were no problems with this burner and openSUSE. Note that it only burns DVD-R/RWs, and not the ‘+’ variants. There were no problems burning the ISO file with Brasero or K3b.

I cannot test the SATA Plextor burner on my other (Ubuntu) desktop since its motherboard does not have SATA connectors. It is a legacy motherboard with a Pentium III 933 MHz processor and 512 MB (maxed) RAM.

5

Test your burner with QPxTool.

6

I tried to perform a write test using QPxTool 0.7.1 (GUI) using a DVD-R disc, resulting in the same aforementioned behavior as when trying to conventionally burn to a DVD-R disc: the drive eventually locks up forcing me to reboot the PC to remove the disc (the write test stayed at 0%). This also occurred in a simulated test. There were no error messages produced.

FYI, when the drive locks, the red LED on my rig that flashes when seeking my hard drive flashes really quick, as if undergoing continous HD seek. The burner’s orange LED that usually flashes when data is being written to a disc doesn’t light up. Only the burner’s green LED is solidly lit, merely indicating that a disc is present in the drive. Consequently, the drive is unavailable to mount. Trying to open applications that read drive info (e.g., Boot Loader through YaST, Partitioner) freeze up upon loading. The computer must be restarted. Other than that, I can access files on my HD and perform routine tasks without issues.

The burner has no problem reading DVD-Rs that have data written to it. In fact, openSUSE was installed on this machine with a DVD-R disc.

On a side note, I got hold of two DVD+R discs. The burner had no problem writing to them at 16x (max) speed. So this confirms that the problem is tied specifically to DVD-Rs (though I have not tried DVD-RW discs; it is not of importance for me to use these but I will have to make use of a 100-disc spindle of 8x Taiyo Yuden DVD-Rs…).

Do DVD burners employ a specific technique for recording to DVD-R that is different to DVD+R? If so, then this could help isolate the problem…

7

I’d still try the drive in another systems (a friends, pehaps?) to see if the DVD-RW writing freeze persists. Multi-write drives have different pickup lens for each type of disk (although I think it’s the same for + and -RW), also the burning control hardware is different, one may be working and the other not.

I’d say that EVERY problem like yours I ever had were only solved, after much trying and testing, with a drive change.

You could try in a windows system and, if the problem is still there, see if the drive is still under warranty.

8

Here is an update. I tested the drive on two computers with SATA ports: one running windows XP at work and a friend’s Vista box–the burner worked without problems, burning the openSUSE 11.2 ISO image on a DVD-R disc (this time using cheap TDK ones) perfectly. So burning DVD-Rs Windows is OK.

I also installed and updated Ubuntu 9.10 on my computer as part of a triple-boot system with openSUSE 11.2 and Windows Vista. Burning on Ubuntu caused the same problem I’ve experienced: burning initialized until the drive locked, forcing a reboot to remove the coaster.

So the problem is Linux-related as DVD-R burning failed in both openSUSE and Ubuntu. I wouldn’t dismiss this as a hardware problem since the drive has worked in various Windows systems. I suspect this could be a driver problem…

9

Possibly. Also, I’ve read recently some criticizing about wodim, the underlying burning app used in opensuse. Could you try burning with something else?

Your problem seems to be rare, thus the speculation on hardware failure. Sorry I can’t help more.

10

After performing openSUSE update to version 11.3, this problem is no longer existent. Burning openSUSE 11.3 DVD image to a Taiyo Yuden 8x DVD-R disc using Brasero works flawlessly. Perhaps due to the version of the kernel. Thank you openSUSE team. Consider this problem SOLVED.