Burning DVD's under Windows 7 (if that's possible that is)

[MrAl]

Hello there,

Anyone try burning a DVD disk (+R type in particular) under Windows 7?

I tried several different techniques all which produced coasters.

One time when i burned one directory of files to the disk it read back ok, so i burned another directory to same disk and then the disk became unreadable.

Another time i burned four directories at once, but only the last directory in the list was readable. Then after i ejected the disk NON of the directories were readable. Before ejecting i got a message that Windows had to add something to the disk to make it readable on any computer system. What a joke.

From what i can see, it may be that the Windows software can not deal with a drive that will not burn at the full speed (16x) and so it writes garbage to the disk. This is just a guess though. So i tried reducing the speed to 8x and it did not help. The lowest speed is 2x but that's just ridiculous as it is a 16x burner.

With better software it burns from about 6x up to 15x as it shows the true burn speed. But it's only sometimes at 6x for a little while near the start of the burn.

Any ideas or experience with this?

Thanks...

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I've never had a problem, but I always use Nero for writing DVD's or CD's.

 

[MrAl]

Hi Nigel,

Oh ok, well that is nice to know. I dont have a problem either with better software, but it just bothers me that Windows 7 seems to be 'broken' when it comes to burning a DVD with the built in software. It should work shouldnt it?
I can not understand after all these years why Windows 7 isnt the best of all time. Instead, it's partly broken and graphics settings are minimal. Doesnt make sense to me at all. It's like they ignore all those other versions when they make a new version.

Any ideas?

 

[killivolt]

Hi Nigel,

Oh ok, well that is nice to know. I dont have a problem either with better software, but it just bothers me that Windows 7 seems to be 'broken' when it comes to burning a DVD with the built in software. It should work shouldnt it?
I can not understand after all these years why Windows 7 isnt the best of all time. Instead, it's partly broken and graphics settings are minimal. Doesnt make sense to me at all. It's like they ignore all those other versions when they make a new version.

Any ideas?

I've alway's felt Microsoft has always relied on the Client to do the beta testing, your output is necessary to correct it, and it isn't alway's passed on in the next Gen of software. It's alway's been my beef with it all.

Microsoft could really be a leader, but choses to pay the Corporate Junkies their profit rather than put it back in to the business and making a better product. If I'm not correct, their would be no Mac or Lenox. They would rather wait till another product is released, from a competitor to be creative.

They just follow the "Pipers" rather than being the "Piper"

 

[killivolt]

I've never had a problem, but I always use Nero for writing DVD's or CD's.

That's what I had to use.

I wouldn't know or wouldn't doubt it is owned or subject to Microsoft in some way.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

My $ 0.02

1. the burner drive MUST support the disk type. DVD+R, DVD-R (first and foremost)
2. I've personally had an issue with Sony media only. All other proper media worked.

It was not a PC at the time, but the issues are still valid.

 

[MrAl]

Hi again,

killivolt:
Thanks for the info. Im starting to think there is just something up with MS that they are not telling us. It's just plain stupid. I am wondering if a class action suite is possible since it affects so many people's machines.

KeepItSimple:
Well we know or at least should know that the burner and disk have to be compatible, that's not been a question. The burner/disk works with better software as i already pointed out.
The main issue is using Windows 7 built in software to burn a DVD disk. It is clearly Windows 7 but may be other versions of Windows too like Vista. I had a little experience with Vista once though and i was able to burn with it, but it changed all the dates on ALL of the files to the date they were burned rather than maintain their original dates. I dont remember too much else about it except i brought the whole machine back because Vista was just terrible and i wasnt going to accept that.

So the issue really is Windows 7. For one thing, the burner settings do not allow setting the burn speed to 'variable' like the better software allows. This allows for disks that are not perfect from inside to outside edge, which is probably every disk made. If the burn does not work at 16x it down shifts to 15x, then 14x, etc, until it works ok. But Windows 7 only has settings for 2x, 4x, 6x, up to 16x i think but there is no way to get that variable speed, so i am suspecting (although not tested yet because i already wasted 4 disks for nothing) that if the recorder was set to 2x it might actually work. I think it thinks that if you set it to 16x that it can happily burn away from inside to outside at 16x without ever changing speed. So maybe 2x would work but it would be very slow to burn an entire 4.7GB DVD disk.

My burners do many different kinds of disks, including -R, +R, various RW, etc. +R is the better type because it has better error correction. Maybe Windows 7 doesnt like +R disks, who knows.

But the biggest beef is that after all these friggin' years (Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and various service packs) you would think that a software company like MS could get it right.

In order to not sound completely negative, i do have to add that they did seem to improve some things. USB mounting and unmounting is faster, boot is faster, unboot is faster (shutdown ha ha), hibernate is faster, etc. So i do see several improvements. It's just too bad they didnt do anything about the DVD burner software.

Anyone ever see Jackass The Movie? It's like the software version of that movie

I wonder if they will come out with a service pack soon?

 

[jpanhalt]

I just tried burning a DVD in Win 7 and it worked for me. Disk was Verbatim DVD+R. Drives are "Light Scribe" and are about 3 years old.

Recorded in Drive F, removed, and read in Drive G. Interface is a bit slow and clunky. Not smooth like Nero (on my other machine). I guess you just have to do it the MS way. I do not like having to find things and operate using "Computer" rather than Windows Explorer.

John

 

[eTech]

Hi MrAl

I feel your pain...

I've used all the OS's you mentioned, and a few more. My experience over the years is that MS can't be relied upon for built in device support on ANY Microsoft OS. It's always better to invest in software to support the device.

Manufactures avoid this situation by supplying their own drivers and software.

Btw, I use NERO and have for years...good software.

eT

 

[MrAl]

Hi,

Ok since John got his to work then it must be an issue where Windows 7 does not support the drive. It's funny too because both drives i tried are quite new. And i looked for a hardware compatibility list for Windows 7 but they dont seem to show it, they only show a list for Windows 8.

 

[BroncoDave]

What do you guys expect from a guy that named his company after his penis. "MICRO-SOFT"

 

[MrAl]

Hi,

Ha ha, that's funny.