That's important info that I didn't grasp with the first message. I seriously doubt that it's anything to do with connections or firmware. Buy a few quality RW media and try them. Betcha it'll work. There is a ton of low-quality media on the market. Even a lot of the major-brand stuff is actually made by companies that are known for poor quality. You might scan through these forums to see what media seems to be working for people with your burner.

There really isn't much within the burner or its support software that is unique to RW media. Chances are that it's a media problem.