suddenly can't backup to DVDs

[jlittle]

I've been doing backups to DVD for about a year now. I was running a backup session a couple days ago, and the disk write portion was finished, verify was in progress, and everything was fine. Suddenly I started getting all these "fail" messages. Out of about 4000 files, 900+ failed to verify.

I tried to run a session with my other backup set, and when it got to the disk write portion, it stalled: The AISBackup buffer usage bar filled most of the way up, then, after a wait (too long) the "write progress" bar said "writing lead-out" (it had never even written the data) and the "time remaining" counter began increasing. I waited over 5 minutes, and the counter continued to increase, with no data being written. Finally, I just aborted.

I tried other functions with the DVD writer. It could play CDs and DVDs but wouldn't write anything; when I tried to copy files from hard disk to CD, it didn't recognize the disk.

Finally, I uninstalled and reinstalled the disk writer driver in the Windows device manager. After that, I could copy files to CDs and I copied some movie files to a DVD, so everything seemed fine. But when I tried another backup with AISB, it did the same thing as before-- wouldn't even write the data. And afterward, I was once again unable to write anything until I reinstalled the driver.

I went back to my previous version of AISB, and still had the same problems. Finally, I uninstalled AISB and reinstalled it, and I was able to do a backup to CD. But when I tried to backup to a DVD, it once again failed and just sat there in "writing lead-out" mode. (And, after doing this, the DVD that was in the drive is unrecognizable.)

By the way, the DVD I mentioned in the beginning, that had all the files that "failed" to verify? I went back to it and did a "Validate (Test) Backup" with Test Read, and all the files that failed before passed.

I'm using version 2.2.0.271, WindowsXP SP2, with a Lite-On 1633S writer, the same one I've always used.

To recap: The drive works fine with everything except AISBackup, but it was right in the middle of a backup session when things got hosed up, so I don't see how the software could have gotten corrupted. (And the files that were being written at the time test good.) On the other hand, after trying to write a DVD with AISB, the device driver is apparently corrupted and has to be reinstalled before any other applications can use the DVD writer.

Help!

[Barry]

AISBackup would not have altered the device driver, although it does use an interface called ASPI. We usually recommend using the Binary Magic’s ASPI driver when running on Windows XP (especially SP2). Check this using the Tools / Program Settings and Options / Troubleshoot CD / DVD writer faults.

If possible see if you can borrow another DVD writer. I think that the drive may be becoming faulty or perhaps the media is not entirely compatible. I cannot be sure that’s why I suggest trying another DVD writer, especially as AISBackup was working fine for a year previously.

Barry

[jlittle]

Hi, Barry.
I "borrowed" a new drive from Office Depot for $60 and everything seems to work fine now. Very strange, because my original drive still does everything else, it just won't write backups!

I have a question that I don't think is related, but I'm not sure, so I'll ask it here. On the main AISB window and in the Disk Writer Interface window, just before disk writing starts, it says, "Speed Set: 99999." I never noticed that before, if it was there before. What is that? (While writing, it says it's actually writing at the maximum speed of the specific disk.)

Thanks
John

[Barry]

Set speed 99999 is how maximum speed is set internally, we should change the program to display Speed Set: Maximum if 99999.

You may find the old writer can make backup CD's. I think the laser beam uses different intensities and other technical ‘stuff’ for CD and DVD and definately between reading and writing – actually I did not mention trying a cleaning disc just in case there was dust on the lens.

Barry