# CD writing problems

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-writing-problems/278442>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 6, 2004, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-writing-problems/278442 "2004-12-06T23:40:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-writing-problems/278442/1 "2004-12-06T23:40:23Z")

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I’ve been getting errors when trying to burn CDs, which are unsirprisingly meaningless. But they’re consistent, so I’m suspecting I need a new drive, but I’d like a second opinion first. Attempting to burn the same image got “_WRITER ERROR (MEDIUM ERROR (POWER CALIBRATION IS FULL))"_” from DeepBurner, and "_Could not perform EndTrack_ from Nero.

All suggestions welcome…

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-writing-problems/278442/2 "2004-12-06T23:53:29Z")

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Different branded media or the same brand?

Used to be this might be due to low CPU resources, but since burnproof & it’s variants came along, it usually signals a hardware issue with the drive assuming the media is OK. Might be worth running a CD lens cleaner before you trash the drive.

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**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-writing-problems/278442/3 "2004-12-07T00:01:46Z")

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You 'll probably need a new CD drive, but they are cheaper than dirt nowadays.

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**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-writing-problems/278442/4 "2004-12-07T00:03:41Z")

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Try lowerng your write speed. Ive had buffer underruns give strange errors before.

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**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-writing-problems/278442/5 "2004-12-07T06:40:51Z")

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You also might try cleaning the old one, using one of the CD cleaning disks available.

(Normally, I don’t recommend them, I feel they put additional wear on the CD-writer. But it’s something to try before replacing the CD-writer,)

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Roscoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Captain\_Roscoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Roscoe)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-writing-problems/278442/6 "2004-12-07T12:39:20Z")

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> [@CynicalGabe](#):
>
> Try lowerng your write speed. Ive had buffer underruns give strange errors before.

I’ve been getting this error, and this has worked for me. Yeah, we’ll both need a new writer in the long-run, but try this first.