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WinXP HE Sp1 w/IE6 Sp1
All updates & patches.
Nero 5.5.10.15a latest version
InCD not installed
DirectCD v5.3.4.2.1a
TDK VeloCD 24/10/40X

Every time I try to make an .ISO or .ISO/UDF CDr, I get the errors;

Could not perform fixation

I just want to make file backups of my downloads, e.g. WInPX servicepacks, update patches, etc...no long file names.

Checking the CDR latter via Medium Info says that the CD is empty.
I've tried different settings but nothing helps. Updated to latest version, tried this 5 times with same results. I'm dragging & dropping folders with files in them and just files, no joy. I don't get this with my W2K Pro Sp3 box. Same set up.

I've used different settings, all No Multisessions. It doesn't matter what settings I use. I still get the same errors. Should I use an older version? Please advise.

Do you get the same error if you just burn a regular data or audio compilation?

cfitz

I haven't burned any audio, just DATA.
I finally got a successul burn. I used ISO level 2, mode 1 with ISO restrictions checked, 1st 2 boxes, ISO 9660, Joliet.
It was probably a problem with file names/.ext's.
I was getting the following errors on the last test:

current program area empty
burn process failed at 40x
could not perform fixation

I updated to v5.5.10.15a, lowered the burn speed to 32x, checked ISO level 2. Success!

Plextor PW-X401240x CDRW
W2K Pro Sp3

now I'll test the same thing with WinXP and the TDK VeloCD.
I'll use the same settings and I'll post results.

My thinking was that you might be having some conflict with the contents of that .iso file, which is why I asked if you had problems with fixation on regular data and audio compilations. What you report seems to lend some support to this theory. Let us know what you find on the XP box.

cfitz

What I don't understand is that I was trying to burn just the XP service pack files. I still got the error. i will do some testing on the XP box today.
Is that normal S.O.P to use ISO level 2 to burn "regular" data files?
What ISO settings do you use that work for you in Nero5?

I normally use the following for data discs:

File/Directory name length = ISO Level 1
Format = Mode 1
Character Set = ISO 9660
Joliet = checked
Relax ISO Restrictions = Allow pathdepth of more than 8 directories and Allow more than 255 characters in path both checked

I never really concerned myself too much with the ISO level, since all the systems in which I use the CDs make use of the Joliet extensions for displaying the filenames.

What are you using as the source of the files?

cfitz

What do you mean by "source of the files"?
I'm burning the files in their folders from a partition on my HDD via Neros' UI for ISO.

OK, I tried the test that worked for W2K on XP and I got even more errors. Lowering the speed didn't help. I'll try ISO level 1 now with just files, no folders. Sheesh, I'm going thru CDr's like crazy!
Thanks for your input. Its much appreciated.

EEG161 wrote:What do you mean by "source of the files"?

I was wondering whether you were copying simple files from your hard disc, from an original Windows CD, or trying to burn a pre-built image.

I'm not having any good ideas for you. I'm now less inclined to believe that the ISO settings are the source of your issue, even though you reported success once by changing them. I suppose it is possible that you are suffering from an intermittent problem problem with the drive.

One way to check to see if something about the original filenames/directory structure is causing an issue would be to zip up all the files and folders into a single zip file (no compression required) with a simple 8.3 filename and burn just that one file to the CD-R.

Can you correlate the onset of this problem with anything you did on your system (for example, upgrading Nero)? You said that were thinking about this, making me wonder if you did see the problem when you upgraded. Do you have a source for an earlier version of Nero?

cfitz

it's not very clear what you're trying to do

EEG161 wrote:Every time I try to make an .ISO or .ISO/UDF CDr

same goes for cfitz:

cfitz wrote:I was wondering whether you were copying simple files from your hard disc, from an original Windows CD, or trying to burn a pre-built image.

are you tring to burn an image file (a .iso file) to a CD, or trying to create a data CD, a standard data CD (= ISO 9660 data CD)?

i'm thinking the latter.
please clarify.

for me, on my winXP and Plex 40x, the following works without a hitch:

ISO tab:

• File/Directory name length = ISO Level 2
• Format = Mode 1
• Character Set = ISO 9660
• Joliet = checked
• Relax ISO Restrictions - Allow pathdepth of more than 8 directories = checked
• Relax ISO Restrictions - Allow more than 255 characters in path both checked = checked

cfitz's suggestion is a good one - i do it all the time to work around the filename length limitation. create one big .zip (or .rar) of all the files you want to backup, something like backup.zip (if you want 8.3) or backup_20030321.rar (if longer names work for you, as they should), and burn just one file.
also be sure to:

Multisession tab:

• Multisession = No Multisession

Burn tab:

• Action - Write = checked
• Action - Finalize CD = checked
• Write Method = Disc-At-Once

dodecahedron wrote:it's not very clear what you're trying to do

EEG161 wrote:Every time I try to make an .ISO or .ISO/UDF CDr

same goes for cfitz:

cfitz wrote:I was wondering whether you were copying simple files from your hard disc, from an original Windows CD, or trying to burn a pre-built image.

It wasn't clear to me either at first. The bit about "make an .ISO CDr" threw me off. That made me think that perhaps he had an image of the XP service pack stored on his hard drive as one large .iso file, e.g. xpservicepack.iso, and he was trying to burn a CD using that .iso file as an image describing the final CD-R contents (which is not the same thing as burning a .iso file to a CD). But that started to make less sense as I read more of his replies, and that's why I asked about the source of his files.

To me it now seems clear that he just has a bunch of plain old files stored in a bunch of plain old directories on his hard drive, and he wants to copy these files, as is, directly to a normal ISO 9660 format data CD-R. For example, he has file1.txt, file2.exe and file3.doc on his hard drive and he is attempting to burn a physical CD-R that will also contain the files file1.txt, file2.exe and file3.doc when he is done. There is no image file (.iso) involved anywhere.

EEG161: yes or no?

cfitz

Yes, you are correct. Plain old files, .exe, .zip, etc...in plain old directories on a FAT32 HDD. Anyway, problem has been solved! Are you ready for this, it was a dirty CDrw lens. After using a CD Lens Cleaner on the TDK VeloCD, all was fixed. I can now burn at any speed, any Cdr brand that I tried, with any .ISO settings for the type of files being burned. IOW, everything is working as designed. A dirty lens. Of all things.
Thank you all for sticking by on this one.

How about that? I tend to be (perhaps overly?) skeptical about things like lens cleaners, worrying that they will do more harm than good and never having personally needed to use such products. But here is an actual example of where it was just the ticket. Thanks for reporting back, EEG161.

cfitz

I never use those Lens cleaners either. I also used one of those Air Blaster cans. it could've been some dust on the lens as well.
God knows how many problems out there can probably be solved just by using an Air can/Lens Cleaner. The CD recorder was a bit old at 3 years.

EEG161 wrote: After using a CD Lens Cleaner on the TDK VeloCD, all was fixed. I can now burn at any speed, any Cdr brand that I tried, with any .ISO settings for the type of files being burned. IOW, everything is working as designed. A dirty lens. Of all things.

Wow, what a surprise. I've been told its not a good idea, but if it worked, it worked.
Btw, what does IOW mean?

A dirty laser lens and/or rails are probably the most common cause of burner (CD-ROM, DVD-ROM) failure if the mechanical parts still spin.

Although a lens cleaner might work, I agree with cfitz that it is a risky hit or miss operation that could cause problems or be ineffective. A good shot of air blown over the laser is still preferable. Many ATAPI devices have been brought back to life with a thorough cleaning.

Here are a couple of links with cleaning instructions that are generally applicable:

Simple Recorder Maintenance - Lens Cleaning and Lubrication

Clean Your CD-RW

inertia;
thanks for the links, but the 2nd one doesn't work.

I agree, I would go with the Air canister as a first remedy.
I'll check out the cleaning info.


Wedge maniac FYI: IOW means= in other words.

The 2nd link works for me. It may have been temporarily down.

I'm using a Hosts file and other url block lists.
I thiink its being blocked by IESpyAd.
I'll check it out, thanks again.
I also found this.. http://www.cdrfaq.org/faq03.html#S3-30