On Tue, 04 Nov 2008 03:00:17 -0000, PhattyMo wrote:
Chris F. wrote:
This may be slightly off-topic, but this seemed to be the best place I
could find.
I'm wondering if I need to replace the LG DVD-RW drive on my PC. The drive
appears to read CDs and DVDs just fine, but the trouble occurs when I try to
burn video DVDs (haven't tried any data DVDs yet). The write process will
appear to have been successful, but when I go to play the disc back (on
various players), only the first 5 minutes or so is playable - after that,
the video goes jerky and/or freezes. I've tried burning several discs with
different content, and with different levels of compression, and have noted
something odd. The problem seems to occur at a certain physical place on the
disc, regardless of the content. For example, if I burn a disc at 100%
quality, the video cuts out about five minutes in. If I burn the same
content at 50% quality, the video goes about ten minutes before it cuts out.
Examining the disc itself showed something else very odd. The first 1/4" of
the written area (from the center) has a darker appearance than the rest of
the disc. Previously burned discs that turned out OK do not show this
symptom - the entire surface of the disc (the written area anyway) is the
same color. All have been recorded with the same media, hardware, software,
and settings.
At this point I suspect that the laser is crapping out after it warms up -
would I be right? This drive has (successfully) burned hundreds of CD's and
DVD's in it's two-year lifetime, so failure would not surprise me. But I'd
still like to make sure before I shell out $50 for a new one.
Back in the early days of consumer CD-RW drives I had a drive that
"mysteriously" started doing a similar thing. I would start to burn a
disc,and then it would lock up at about 33%,everytime. I had to
physically power-cycle the PC to regain control.
I later learned that this was caused by my switch from Adaptec
software,to Nero. Apparently they have different drivers,and if one
isn't installed over the other correctly(blah,blah,blah)it will hose the
firmware in the drive! OOPS! I was not happy when I read that.
$300 drive toasted. Grr.
Many years later I lucked out,and got a brand new 52x drive for $15.
(and it is still working fine in the server.)
I just rendered Windows Vista 64 bit unbootable by installing Roxio.
--
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A bloke on his way home from work comes to a dead halt in traffic and thinks to himself, "Wow, this traffic seems worse than usual. Nothing's moving."
He notices a police officer walking back and forth between the lines of cars so he rolls down his window and asks: "Officer what's the hold up?"
The officer replies: "It's a Man Utd fan, he's just so depressed about losing the premiership to Arsenal last season and again to Chelsea this season, being knocked out of Europe and the prospect of winning **** all after gobbing off all season, selling out to a yank, he's threatening to douse himself in petrol and set himself on fire. He says his family hates him, his mates are all laughing at him and he has never had a job. I'm walking around taking a collection for him."
"Oh really?" says the bloke. "How much have you collected so far?".
"Only about 1/2 a litre, but a lot of people are still siphoning."