CD-R erratically detected

S∩∪hw0ζ&fnof · External Since: Oct 19, 2009 Posts: 1

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> In message <hbf8r2$c37$1@tioat.net>, S??hW0?ƒ <snuhwolf DeleteThis @netscape.net>
> writes:
>> Meat Plow wrote:
> []
>>>>> I will try the cleaning disc suggestion, but I do think it's a
>>>>> system configuration funny: as I mentioned earlier, when burn4free
>>>>> is told to do a burn, it accesses the floppy drive before getting
>>>>> to the writer.
>>>> Then you need to g00gle up the website for that app and look for a
>>>> support
>>>> section, mate.
>>> Appears he's got some corruption in his system part of the registry.
>
> That is (the sort of thing I) fear, but wouldn't know how ...
>
You're not willing to break things then.
^_^

>> If so tehn he s gotta uninstall it and do surgery on the registyryry
>> to remove all the diseased bits.
>
> ... to do that. (The surgery I mean.)
>
You'd be better off looking at their webpage for a FAQ or support.
Or live with it. Nero did poll the flo0py drive like that...no
biggie...minor annoyance.

Meat Plow · External Since: Oct 19, 2009 Posts: 3

This message is not archived

glee1 · External Since: Dec 15, 2003 Posts: 3749

"Meat Plow" <meat.DeleteThis@petitmorte.net> wrote in message
news:37eult.grg.17.4@news.alt.net...
> On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:39:31 -0600, S??hw0??
> <snuhwolf.DeleteThis@yahoo.com>wrote:
>
>>J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>>> In message <hbf8r2$c37$1@tioat.net>, S??hW0??
>>> <snuhwolf.DeleteThis@netscape.net>
>>> writes:
>>>> Meat Plow wrote:
>>> []
>>>>>>> I will try the cleaning disc suggestion, but I do think it's a
>>>>>>> system configuration funny: as I mentioned earlier, when
>>>>>>> burn4free
>>>>>>> is told to do a burn, it accesses the floppy drive before
>>>>>>> getting
>>>>>>> to the writer.
>>>>>> Then you need to g00gle up the website for that app and look for
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> support
>>>>>> section, mate.
>>>>> Appears he's got some corruption in his system part of the
>>>>> registry.
>>>
>>> That is (the sort of thing I) fear, but wouldn't know how ...
>>>
>>You're not willing to break things then.
>>^_^
>>
>>>> If so tehn he s gotta uninstall it and do surgery on the
>>>> registyryry
>>>> to remove all the diseased bits.
>>>
>>> ... to do that. (The surgery I mean.)
>>>
>>You'd be better off looking at their webpage for a FAQ or support.
>>Or live with it. Nero did poll the flo0py drive like that...no
>>biggie...minor annoyance.
>
> Nero polled the floppy? I don't think I ever noticed that and it
> doesn't seem logical unless Nero had a backup to floppy feature.

I've never seen Nero do it, in 10 years, but I have seen it with some
other apps....can't recall which anymore.
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Oct. 2002 - Sept. 2009
A+
http://dts-l.net/

§nühw¤£f · External Since: Oct 19, 2009 Posts: 1

"glee" <glee29 DeleteThis @spamindspring.com> wrote in news:ug75WkOUKHA.1792
@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl:

> "Meat Plow" <meat DeleteThis @petitmorte.net> wrote in message
> news:37eult.grg.17.4@news.alt.net...
>> On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:39:31 -0600, S??hw0??
>> <snuhwolf DeleteThis @yahoo.com>wrote:
>>
>>>J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>>>> In message <hbf8r2$c37$1@tioat.net>, S??hW0??
>>>> <snuhwolf DeleteThis @netscape.net>
>>>> writes:
>>>>> Meat Plow wrote:
>>>> []
>>>>>>>> I will try the cleaning disc suggestion, but I do think it's a
>>>>>>>> system configuration funny: as I mentioned earlier, when
>>>>>>>> burn4free
>>>>>>>> is told to do a burn, it accesses the floppy drive before
>>>>>>>> getting
>>>>>>>> to the writer.
>>>>>>> Then you need to g00gle up the website for that app and look for
>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>> support
>>>>>>> section, mate.
>>>>>> Appears he's got some corruption in his system part of the
>>>>>> registry.
>>>>
>>>> That is (the sort of thing I) fear, but wouldn't know how ...
>>>>
>>>You're not willing to break things then.
>>>^_^
>>>
>>>>> If so tehn he s gotta uninstall it and do surgery on the
>>>>> registyryry
>>>>> to remove all the diseased bits.
>>>>
>>>> ... to do that. (The surgery I mean.)
>>>>
>>>You'd be better off looking at their webpage for a FAQ or support.
>>>Or live with it. Nero did poll the flo0py drive like that...no
>>>biggie...minor annoyance.
>>
>> Nero polled the floppy? I don't think I ever noticed that and it
>> doesn't seem logical unless Nero had a backup to floppy feature.
>
> I've never seen Nero do it, in 10 years, but I have seen it with some
> other apps....can't recall which anymore.

The version I had did. Came bundeled with an external CD/RW drive.
w98 to Win2000

"J. P. Gilliver · External Since: Feb 08, 2009 Posts: 44

In message <hbhtn3$ak$5@news.eternal-september.org>,
=?UTF-8?B?U+KIqeKIqmh3MM62xpI=?= <snuhwolf.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> writes:
[]
>You'd be better off looking at their webpage for a FAQ or support.

I fear there isn't much support; fair enough, it's free software.

>Or live with it. Nero did poll the flo0py drive like that...no
>biggie...minor annoyance.
>
Interesting! No, the floppy access is indeed only a minor annoyance: I
just wasn't sure it had been doing it before, and wondered if it might
be related.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

"Bother," said Pooh, as he tasted the bacon in his sandwich.

Meat Plow · External Since: Oct 19, 2009 Posts: 3

This message is not archived

PCR · External Since: Jun 21, 2004 Posts: 5941

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> On an elderly PC I help a friend with, where he's copying a lot of his
> old LPs to CD, we use burn4free (though I think the problem is not
> with burn4free itself).
>
> More often than not, when hitting the "burn" button, it says "please
> insert a disc" - even if there's one in. When, by fiddling, ejecting,
> closing and reopening b4f, and so on, it finally decides that there
> _is_ a blank disc in, it does the burn fine.
>
> While looking, it rattles the floppy drive before it "finds" the
> writer (from within b4f, that is).

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216752
Floppy Disk Drive Is Active When Opening or Saving Files
.............Quote..................
To resolve this issue, change the command line reference in the
Properties of the shortcut, or delete the shortcut:

(1) Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
(2) In the Named box, type *.lnk, click the location you want
to search in the Look In box, and then click Find Now.
(3) Right-click a shortcut on the list of found files, click Properties,
and then click the Program tab.
(4) Delete any reference to drive A or drive B on the Command
box or Working section, and then click OK. For example,
if the command line reads a:\edit.com, change the line to read
edit.com.
(5) Repeat steps 3-4, performing these steps on the next shortcut
on the list of found files until you have corrected all the
shortcuts,
and then quit the Find tool.
..........EOQ.................

Sort the Find box by folder. Look especially at .lnk's & .pif's in
folder(s) that pertain to burn4free & any in "C:\Windows\Recent". You
may add a search for .pif's by adding ".pif" in the Named box, separated
by a comma from ".lnk".. Look in their Program tab. Delete any .pif's in
"C:\Windows\PIF".

> It isn't the _drive_ that's not being detected - that always shows up
> in explorer; it's only the fact that there's a blank disc in it that
> is so often missed.
>
> Any ideas what's causing it, and what will improve it?

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp RemoveThis @netzero.net

"J. P. Gilliver · External Since: Feb 08, 2009 Posts: 44

In message <37gv60.o48.19.5.RemoveThis@news.alt.net>, Meat Plow
<meat.RemoveThis@petitmorte.net> writes:
>On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:21:08 -0400, "glee"
><glee29.RemoveThis@spamindspring.com>wrote:
>
>>"Meat Plow" <meat.RemoveThis@petitmorte.net> wrote in message
>>news:37eult.grg.17.4@news.alt.net...
[]
>>> Nero polled the floppy? I don't think I ever noticed that and it
>>> doesn't seem logical unless Nero had a backup to floppy feature.
>>
>>I've never seen Nero do it, in 10 years, but I have seen it with some
>>other apps....can't recall which anymore.
>
>Can you at least recall if they were cd recording apps? It just
>doesn't make sense for an app that records in ISO9660 to bother
>polling a floppy controller.

Depends at what level it is written; I could imagine a prog. written at
a higher level just going through all drive letters and mapping the ones
that respond as a writer.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

Lewis: ... d'you think there's a god?
Morse: ... There are times when I wish to god there was one. (Inspector Morse.)

"J. P. Gilliver · External Since: Feb 08, 2009 Posts: 44

In message <eEkBlveUKHA.220 RemoveThis @TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl>, PCR
<pcrrcp RemoveThis @netzero.net> writes:
>J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
[]
>> While looking, it rattles the floppy drive before it "finds" the
>> writer (from within b4f, that is).
>
>http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216752
>Floppy Disk Drive Is Active When Opening or Saving Files
>............Quote..................
>To resolve this issue, change the command line reference in the
>Properties of the shortcut, or delete the shortcut:
>
>(1) Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.

Assuming this means the shortcut via which we start Burn4free, I know
where that is, as it's on the desktop.
[]
>(4) Delete any reference to drive A or drive B on the Command
> box or Working section, and then click OK. For example,
> if the command line reads a:\edit.com, change the line to read
>edit.com.
[]
>Sort the Find box by folder. Look especially at .lnk's & .pif's in
>folder(s) that pertain to burn4free & any in "C:\Windows\Recent". You

I don't think there will be any such reference, but I will certainly
look; thanks for the tip.

>may add a search for .pif's by adding ".pif" in the Named box, separated
>by a comma from ".lnk".. Look in their Program tab. Delete any .pif's in
>"C:\Windows\PIF".

I hadn't thought of .pifs either. (Aren't they just for DOS prog.s?) Why
delete the ones in ..\PIF; sounds like a good place for them!
>
>> It isn't the _drive_ that's not being detected - that always shows up
>> in explorer; it's only the fact that there's a blank disc in it that
>> is so often missed.
>>
>> Any ideas what's causing it, and what will improve it?
>
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

Lewis: ... d'you think there's a god?
Morse: ... There are times when I wish to god there was one. (Inspector Morse.)

Meat Plow · External Since: Oct 19, 2009 Posts: 3

This message is not archived

PCR · External Since: Jun 21, 2004 Posts: 5941

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> In message <eEkBlveUKHA.220 RemoveThis @TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl>, PCR
> <pcrrcp RemoveThis @netzero.net> writes:
>>J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> []
>>> While looking, it rattles the floppy drive before it "finds" the
>>> writer (from within b4f, that is).
>>
>>http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216752
>>Floppy Disk Drive Is Active When Opening or Saving Files
>>............Quote..................
>>To resolve this issue, change the command line reference in the
>>Properties of the shortcut, or delete the shortcut:
>>
>>(1) Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
>
> Assuming this means the shortcut via which we start Burn4free, I know
> where that is, as it's on the desktop.

Yea, look in that one & also in any in the folder(s) mentioned in its
Target field or any folders to do with the app..

> []
>>(4) Delete any reference to drive A or drive B on the Command
>> box or Working section, and then click OK. For example,
>> if the command line reads a:\edit.com, change the line to read
>>edit.com.
> []
>>Sort the Find box by folder. Look especially at .lnk's & .pif's in
>>folder(s) that pertain to burn4free & any in "C:\Windows\Recent". You
>
> I don't think there will be any such reference, but I will certainly
> look; thanks for the tip.

You are welcome.

>
>>may add a search for .pif's by adding ".pif" in the Named box,
>>separated by a comma from ".lnk".. Look in their Program tab. Delete
>>any .pif's in "C:\Windows\PIF".
>
> I hadn't thought of .pifs either. (Aren't they just for DOS prog.s?)
> Why delete the ones in ..\PIF; sounds like a good place for them!

All right. Maybe don't delete them all, just any mentioning A:\ or
B:\ -- & inform us of any others. (I have none in there.)

A complex Windows app may have DOS commands & .pif's in its folder(s).
(I don't have or know Burn4Free.)

C:\Windows\PIF\ is used to hold .pif's that Windows creates when they
cannot be put anywhere else. A .pif (shortcut to a DOS command) is
created when a DOS command is clicked to execute. Normally, the .pif
will be put into the folder of the command that is clicked. I suppose if
one is clicked on a write-protected A:\drive, Windows might put the .pif
into
C:\Windows\PIF\.

>>
>>> It isn't the _drive_ that's not being detected - that always shows
>>> up in explorer; it's only the fact that there's a blank disc in it
>>> that is so often missed.
>>>
>>> Any ideas what's causing it, and what will improve it?

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp RemoveThis @netzero.net

"J. P. Gilliver · External Since: Feb 08, 2009 Posts: 44

In message <eje9yVrUKHA.5004.RemoveThis@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl>, PCR
<pcrrcp.RemoveThis@netzero.net> writes:
>J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>> In message <eEkBlveUKHA.220.RemoveThis@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl>, PCR
>> <pcrrcp.RemoveThis@netzero.net> writes:
>>>J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>> []
>>>> While looking, it rattles the floppy drive before it "finds" the
>>>> writer (from within b4f, that is).
>>>
>>>http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216752
>>>Floppy Disk Drive Is Active When Opening or Saving Files
>>>............Quote..................
>>>To resolve this issue, change the command line reference in the
>>>Properties of the shortcut, or delete the shortcut:
>>>
>>>(1) Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
>>
>> Assuming this means the shortcut via which we start Burn4free, I know
>> where that is, as it's on the desktop.
>
>Yea, look in that one & also in any in the folder(s) mentioned in its
>Target field or any folders to do with the app..

Followup for general interest: There was no mention of A: or B: in the
properties of the desktop shortcut we used to get to burn4free ...
[]
>>>may add a search for .pif's by adding ".pif" in the Named box,
>>>separated by a comma from ".lnk".. Look in their Program tab. Delete
>>>any .pif's in "C:\Windows\PIF".

.... and Windows\PIF existed, but was completely empty.
[]
However, we've decided to upgrade to a different PC (still '98SElite);
the one this was on has had intermittent and infuriatingly untraceable
problems for a year or two. I already rebuilt it once (formatting the
HD) sometime in (I think) the last year. Could be software (though a
format and reinstall suggests not!), or hardware, but if so it's a rare
fault: could be PSU not up to it for brief instants, or HD throwing
brief funnies, or RAM, or mobo - basically it's too much to try
replacing on an investigative basis, and it's not as if I'm exactly
short of '98 systems! The only reason I've held out this long is that I
didn't want to make such a big change for the elderly chap who uses it;
however, this evening he agreed with me (after burn4free had shown its
decidedly erratic behaviour again actually detecting the presence of the
CD-R blank, despite actually writing two perfectly OK audio discs when
fiddling did actually make it accept there was a disc there, the first
one done at maximum speed).
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

Mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe. -Galileo
Galilei, physicist and astronomer (1564-1642)

PCR · External Since: Jun 21, 2004 Posts: 5941

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> In message <eje9yVrUKHA.5004.RemoveThis@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl>, PCR
> <pcrrcp.RemoveThis@netzero.net> writes:
>>J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>>> In message <eEkBlveUKHA.220.RemoveThis@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl>, PCR
>>> <pcrrcp.RemoveThis@netzero.net> writes:
>>>>J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>>> []
>>>>> While looking, it rattles the floppy drive before it "finds" the
>>>>> writer (from within b4f, that is).
>>>>
>>>>http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216752
>>>>Floppy Disk Drive Is Active When Opening or Saving Files
>>>>............Quote..................
>>>>To resolve this issue, change the command line reference in the
>>>>Properties of the shortcut, or delete the shortcut:
>>>>
>>>>(1) Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
>>>
>>> Assuming this means the shortcut via which we start Burn4free, I
>>> know where that is, as it's on the desktop.
>>
>>Yea, look in that one & also in any in the folder(s) mentioned in its
>>Target field or any folders to do with the app..
>
> Followup for general interest: There was no mention of A: or B: in the
> properties of the desktop shortcut we used to get to burn4free ...

OK. I presume you've looked through Burn4Free's docs & FAQs & menus for
any mention of an option to use the floppy. I guess it's possible the
product is looking for something to burn to, since it has trouble
finding the CD. But I really have nothing left to recommend. Maybe post
the machine's Config.sys & Autoexec.bat from "START, Run, SysEdit" to
see whether any shenanigan is going on their that could cause a
confusion between the floppy & CD-ROM.

> []
>>>>may add a search for .pif's by adding ".pif" in the Named box,
>>>>separated by a comma from ".lnk".. Look in their Program tab. Delete
>>>>any .pif's in "C:\Windows\PIF".
>
> ... and Windows\PIF existed, but was completely empty.

OK. That's normal.

> []
> However, we've decided to upgrade to a different PC (still '98SElite);
> the one this was on has had intermittent and infuriatingly untraceable
> problems for a year or two. I already rebuilt it once (formatting the
> HD) sometime in (I think) the last year. Could be software (though a
> format and reinstall suggests not!), or hardware, but if so it's a
> rare fault: could be PSU not up to it for brief instants, or HD
> throwing brief funnies, or RAM, or mobo - basically it's too much to
> try replacing on an investigative basis, and it's not as if I'm
> exactly short of '98 systems! The only reason I've held out this long
> is that I didn't want to make such a big change for the elderly chap
> who uses it; however, this evening he agreed with me (after burn4free
> had shown its decidedly erratic behaviour again actually detecting
> the presence of the CD-R blank, despite actually writing two
> perfectly OK audio discs when fiddling did actually make it accept
> there was a disc there, the first one done at maximum speed).

That may be best, if there are a lot of intermittent problems that a
fresh install hasn't cured. You could test the hard drive with its
manufacturer's utility first, if you suspect that. Get it from the WEB
site. To test RAM...

http://www.simmtester.com/PAGE/products/doc/docinfo.asp RAM tester
http://www.memtest86.com/ RAM tester
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp RAM tester

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp.RemoveThis@netzero.net

"J. P. Gilliver · External Since: Feb 08, 2009 Posts: 44

In message <uxjePVpVKHA.1792 RemoveThis @TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl>, PCR
<pcrrcp RemoveThis @netzero.net> writes:
[]
>OK. I presume you've looked through Burn4Free's docs & FAQs & menus for
>any mention of an option to use the floppy. I guess it's possible the

I don't _think_ it had such an option - it's a CD-writer prog., really.

>product is looking for something to burn to, since it has trouble
>finding the CD. But I really have nothing left to recommend. Maybe post
>the machine's Config.sys & Autoexec.bat from "START, Run, SysEdit" to
>see whether any shenanigan is going on their that could cause a
>confusion between the floppy & CD-ROM.

I'm half-way through transferring the user to another PC ATM ... (-:
[]
>That may be best, if there are a lot of intermittent problems that a
>fresh install hasn't cured. You could test the hard drive with its
>manufacturer's utility first, if you suspect that. Get it from the WEB
>site. To test RAM...
>
>http://www.simmtester.com/PAGE/products/doc/docinfo.asp RAM tester
>http://www.memtest86.com/ RAM tester
>http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp RAM tester
>
>
Thanks, I knew about simmtester and memtest86 at least, not sure about
the last one. But probably not going to bother - as I said, this PC had
been a little grumpy for some years, and I'm part way through
transferring to another machine anyway.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

"Purgamentum init, exit purgamentum." Translation: "Garbage in, garbage out."

PCR · External Since: Jun 21, 2004 Posts: 5941

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> In message <uxjePVpVKHA.1792.DeleteThis@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl>, PCR
> <pcrrcp.DeleteThis@netzero.net> writes:
> []
>>OK. I presume you've looked through Burn4Free's docs & FAQs & menus
>>for any mention of an option to use the floppy. I guess it's possible
>>the
>
> I don't _think_ it had such an option - it's a CD-writer prog.,
> really.
>
>>product is looking for something to burn to, since it has trouble
>>finding the CD. But I really have nothing left to recommend. Maybe
>>post the machine's Config.sys & Autoexec.bat from "START, Run,
>>SysEdit" to see whether any shenanigan is going on their that could
>>cause a confusion between the floppy & CD-ROM.
>
> I'm half-way through transferring the user to another PC ATM ... (-:

All right. Chances are the solution wasn't there, anyhow.

> []
>>That may be best, if there are a lot of intermittent problems that a
>>fresh install hasn't cured. You could test the hard drive with its
>>manufacturer's utility first, if you suspect that. Get it from the WEB
>>site. To test RAM...
>>
>>http://www.simmtester.com/PAGE/products/doc/docinfo.asp RAM tester
>>http://www.memtest86.com/ RAM tester
>>http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp RAM tester
>>
>>
> Thanks, I knew about simmtester and memtest86 at least, not sure about
> the last one. But probably not going to bother - as I said, this PC
> had been a little grumpy for some years, and I'm part way through
> transferring to another machine anyway.

OK. Maybe that's best. Keep us informed.

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp.DeleteThis@netzero.net