Blu-Ray drive possibly failing while burning DVD

[zennacko]

I have a LG WH16NS40 blu-ray burner and today I was trying (really trying indeed) to burn an ISO image to a disc.

With other drives, on other days it would've been standard procedure: load file, burn file, verify disc, no errors found, eject disk, use permanent marker to say what the disc is about, store somewhere safe.

 

With this drive I've been trying to burn an ISO and suddenly, after it verifies (or not, most of the times there was an error) the tray will eject, when I insert the disc back, there is NO data! What could possibly be the cause of this? The discs are burnt, it's visible on the discs, yet Windows 8.1 won't recognize them, asking me what do I want to do with the "blank" disc.

 

Steps tried so far:

 

*Uninstalling Cyberlink programs, all of them.

*Updating firmware of the drive

*Uninstalling Daemon Tools

*Burning with Windows built-in tool, after uninstalling every software that uses discs and rebooting

*Reinstalling Daemon

*Reinstalling Cyberlink software

*Trying different blank media (all the 16x DVDs failed at max speed (FIVE of them), 2 DVD-RW 4x speed (burned at 6x) were successful, even on verify but free space would show as 4.3GB and yet it would contain all the files!), and one 8X burned successfully but the verification failed at 50%, however the used space was calculated correctly, unlike the RW ones

 

-> Attached the Daemon screenshots of the capabilities of this drive, so you guys can see if something the drive is missing a feature...

 

Any idea on what that might be or should I just return the drive and take another one, or an Asus/Pioneer burner, or even a refund and wait for a more reliable drive?

[zennacko]

Does anyone know why is this happening? I've spent the whole night on bing/google and couldn't find a definitive answer. And the generic "depends on who manufactured the media and the speed you're burning at" may or may not apply, as different medias DID have results but on older DVD-only drives as long as the media wasn't physically damaged/scratched/etc... it would burn error-free and as fast as possible...

 

I'll test the discs I've burned (and read empty afterwards) on another machine with another drive, and update this post with the results. Couldn't do it earlier because everybody was sleeping and my OCD wouldn't be justifiable when opening someone's door for their dvd drive at 5AM :lol:

 

 

EDIT: Tested the blank DVDs on other drive with other computer hooked in (to make sure it wasn't an OS/software problem) and same results, blank! I'll try burning the same thing with the same media on the other computer to make sure whether it is a bad batch of DVDs or if my BD drive has some issues.

[LabRat]

Alcohol 120%

[zennacko]

I'll try that now as a last resort before embarking on a 50mi journey to return the drive to microcenter...

Because I've burned the same ISO on another drive, with the discs coming from the same spindle where the defective ones came from, using a windows 7 PC and it worked, so it may not be a bad batch of blanks....

[LabRat]

bad drives happen. if you're going to NJ good luck with the drive. LOL

[zennacko]

Well, after installing Alcohol (and the crap of trashware that comes along even if you opt-out) I've got the same result as before, burned discs that read as if they were blank.

 

My thoughts after this:

1. It'll be a long hour or two driving to Boston, at least I'll return it (with some Verbatim LTH BD-Rs I bought before reading further about LTH and why it's cheap) and buy another one on newegg. In case of a defective unit, I have premier and free shipping perks so no more 50mi drives
2. Alcohol reminded me of why people "find a way around" things. A trial version of a paid software installing a new browser and a driver/software updater without your consent? Just "source" your trial somewhere else and all your pain will be gone...

Oh, and thanks a lot for your help!

[LabRat]

I haven't used  (downloaded a new one )  120 in a while. It was really good. Can't believe they stooped to all the add-on BS. Sorry for that.

[zennacko]

I haven't used  (downloaded a new one )  120 in a while. It was really good. Can't believe they stooped to all the add-on BS. Sorry for that.

 

No problem. Looks like they are all trying to make a buck, buying or not the full app. Unfortunately this became a trend, this whole "try this, try that" things while installing, everywhere they are trying to pull this off, especially on freeware. Even worst, there are ones you can't opt out. On Alcohol installation I've opted out of three offers, but they still managed to install a browser (chrome-based that also installs a toolbar and changes the homepage and default search on ALL OTHER browsers you have) and one "tool" to check whether I had outdated software or drivers. Both of them were powerfully uninstalled with iObit few minutes after installation

[LabRat]

maybe it's the site you downloaded off of. some of them want you to install a download app just to get the download. it takes me several tries sometimes to find the stand alone app with no strings attached. yes, it's getting harder. and until we get some legislators that are not stuck 50 years in the past but aware of the 21st century, we're all going to keep being taken advantage of. Unfortunately ISP's and others walk by one of our representatives and "drop' something into their pockets and what's right for the people seems to disappear.