Hi. I have this problem with my MSI CR52-A2 cdrw. At clone cd RAW-DAO it can write at 16x only. At nero it writes 52x, no problem. AT clone cd only 16x. DMA is ok and checked. At clonecd if I choose in writer settings SAO it writes at 52x. Is my recorder's problem, or am I missing something?

also noticed that clonecd doesn't support msi recorders...

Hi gdp77, welcome to our forum

It can sometimes happen that a CD-RW drive is limited in write speed when recording in DAO-RAW mode. The same thing happens with the Plextor PX-W4012TA drive (which was limited to 24x in DAO-RAW recording). I can't say for sure that your MSI drive has the same issues but it could very well be, especially since the drive does record at 52x when using Nero.

Also, are you sure that Nero is actually recording at 52x? What's the write time when recording at this speed? Nero normally just reports the write speed that you selected rather than the actual wite speed. CloneCD report the actual write speed. Nero can also report the actual write speed when you use this registry hack.

Please report back!

I have already done the registry hack and the actual speed in nero is 52x. After all it burns 750MB in less than 3 minutes. And in clone cd I can get 48x (with 48x disks right now) but only when using SAO. It is definitely a problem which occurs only in DAO-RAW. I have contacted MSI asking them if this is due to a physical limitation of the recorder or not. I am waiting for an answer. I have also contacted Elaborate Bytes asking them if this happens because MSI recorders are not officialy supported from clonecd. I am also waiting for an answer. When I figure out what is the couse I will also report back. In the mean time any suggestions will be apreciated.

thanks and please excuse my bad english

Hi gdp77,

most of the latest CD writers are very well supported by CloneCD, even they are not on the ELBY list (i.e. latest TEAC).
Not to be listed there means, that we don't get samples, to test them with CCD; or for a few very old drives: no support from CCD because those drives are a "pain".
The writing speed of CloneCD depents on the CD writer itsself, if you don't get 52x speed , it may be that your CD writer don't like the inserted media. Please look at MSI for a supported media list.
The other reason might be a 'brake' by the drive itsself, (-> ask MSI)

Regards, sven

media is not the problem because with the same disks I can write full speed at nero and clonecd SAO mode.

I have asked MSI whether there are limitations of the drive in DAO -RAW mode and waiting for an answer. If there are, I hope their next firmware release accelarates the d*mn thing a little.

UPDATE:
ok. MSI support answered and they say that they don't officialy support Clonecd but the device should write at 52x at DAO-RAW. Which leaves us 2 possibilities:

1) They are not telling the truth
2) It is a clonecd's issue

I was wondering if there is any other app that I could use to test my drive's DAO-RAW capabilities?

Any more ideas, anyone?

What does Nero do if you select DAO/96?

great point alexnoe. Just test it and found out that nero at Track at Once writes 52x, DAO writes 52x but DAO/96 writes 16x!

Any ideas?

At least now I can nail these @ssholes at MSI support telling me that "we only support nero".

Watch out, push them too hard and they'll come back with the party line:

"We don't support writing in DAO/96 at all because it's commonly used to pirate software blah blah blah."

Happens a lot. Lots of drive manufacturers have had DAO/96 disabled in the BIOS and have had to be leaned on.

- Gurm

1) but my writer can write at these modes. the problem is that writes only at 16x
2) since they answered me that my writer "should write at 52x DAO-RAW", this pirate stuff isn't valid any more.

Maybe it's a firmware bug.

For example, my Plextor Premium writes only at 40x RAW-DAO in Nero and cdrecord, but 52x RAW-DAO in CloneCD.

what makes me extremely angry is the arrogance and ignorance of MSI support. I resend them email telling them about DAO/96 issue too. See if they will admit now there is actually a problem with the drive.

Is there any possibility there is something wrong with my rig?