I'm using SlySoft CloneCD 5.3.0.1 with AnyDVD 6.1.0.1 .
I'm doing an on-the-fly 1:1 backup from a dual layer movie to a DVD+R DL.
My source drive is a Sony DRU-700A . My target is a Plextor PX-750A.
Each are Master on dedicated IDE channels.
When I attempt a backup, about 15 seconds into the process, CloneCD says it's writing the session 1 lead-in. And then the whole computer hangs. The mouse won't move anymore, there is no keyboard response whatsoever. The only way out is the computer's reset button.
This only happens with DVD+R DL.
If I backup a single-layer DVD to DVD+R, everything goes fine.
Same for CD.

Other software is able to burn DVD+R DL to the Plextor successfully - Imgburn and Nero .

Since my Sony is also DVD +R DL capable, I tried to reverse the source and target drives. I didn't get a hang this time - the backup completed. But it was much too slow, since the Sony only does 2.4x DVD +R DL and the Plextor does 8x DVD +R DL.

No other program is able to completely hang my computer like CloneCD does here.

I'm running WinXP Pro SP2 .
FYI I have dual Athlon MP 2800+ CPUs, 768 MB PC2100 ECC DDR, Asus A7M266-D motherboard. The two DVD drives are on the 2 built-in IDE channels from the motherboard. Hard drives are all Ultra160 SCSI on a Symbios 53C1010 64-bit 66 MHz PCI controller.

Note: the hang is completely repeatable at will. Nothing actually gets written to the DL media when it occurs, so it doesn't cost me anything but time to try. I tried both with RICOHJPN-D01-02 8x DL media and Verbatim MKM001 2.4x DL media. In both cases CloneCD hangs the computer without writing anything.

How big is your psu? Have you checked your voltages?

400W . I don't know how to check my voltages. But I doubt this is the problem. The machine has been working fine for years - only this operation in this particular software with one burner triggers the problem. Other burning software with the same burner works fine. The type of hang I see is more likely software related than hardware.

Are you using the latest firmware for your burner?
Take a look at Plextor's website for your region . . .

The PX-750A only has a 2mb buffer. I wouldn't recommend attempting on the fly burning with this drive, because there's a good chance you will engaging this (and doing so, generally, doesn't create the greatest burns):

"Buffer underrun proof

The buffer underrun proof technologies offer a solution to prevent writing failures during the burning process for CD and DVD by pausing the burn if the data to the drive write buffer is slowed or stopped. The drive resumes the burn process after the drive write buffer is refilled."

Pausing the burn does not create great quality backups, imo. In general, I really try to avoid making my burner use this feature.

Also if your reader happens to be on the same channel as your burner--or if your reader is a slave to any other drive, then burning on the fly is also not the best idea.

The last good (real) Plextor drive that contained a decent sized buffer was the PX-716 (8 mb). The PX-750 is really a Teac DV-W516E or a Benq DQ60 drive (based on the Panasonic or Matsushita chipset--as opposed, to in my opinion, the better Philips chipset based burners sold by Benq).

Lastly, I would be sending a Clonecd log and asking for some help from Slysoft's email support.

Yes, I'm using the latest firmware for my burner which is 1.03 .
The burner is on a dedicated IDE channel, as master.
I tried doing a regular burn from a hard disk image. I got the dead machine hang as well.
Where would the CloneCD log be ?

It appears the CloneCD email support requires a license already. I'm in the evaluation period ... sigh. I guess I'm out of luck.

What other software can I use to do on-the-fly DL burns ?

you may want to try CloneDVD2 also made by slysoft for an exact backup copy. They also offer a free trial so you have nothing to lose seeing if this does the trick.
You have an option to make a 1 to 1 clone DL to Dl with Clone DVD2 or you can even compess it to fit a standard size DVD

Although it is a grrrrrreat program, CloneDVD2 does not make a true 1:1 copy, as the original layer break is not retained, nor does it support on the fly burning.

There's a new version of Anydvd available as well:

http://www.slysoft.com/en/download.html

Taken from the Clonecd help file (run clonecd; click "help"; select "log window" . . .


"The Log Window offers detailed information about all CloneCD operations. To open the Log Window, choose Tools - Log.

To work with CloneCD, it is not necessary to have the Log Window open, as all important information will be displayed in dialogue boxes or status lines.

The Log Window may be helpful, however, when errors occur to chase back what exactly happened.



The log is recorded anyway, whether the Log Window is open or not.

The Log Window has its own Menu. The Menu Item File gives you the option to save the Log to a file ("Save Log", "Save Log As...") and to load and erase ("Clear Log") previously saved Logs ("Open Log")

Through the Menu Item Settings you can enable ("Log enables") or disable the Log and the Auto Scroll ("Auto Scroll"). Even a double-click in the Log Window stops and starts the Auto Scrolling. This is very useful if you like to read different passages of the Log Text again, no matter if they are at the beginning of the Log Window.

If you click on the Menu Item Help, Online Help opens."

I'm pretty sure you can email support at slysoft.com and just mention you're evaluating the product and can't get it to work with your burner.

1) At what speed are you trying to burn the Verbatim on your Plextor drive?

2) Is an updated ATA/IDE and SCSI driver available for your computer?

Webslinger,

Thanks for your answers !

1) My Plextor drive burns the Verbatim MKM001 2.4x media at 4x . This is the preset in the drive for that media code. It is technically overspeeding, but has always worked fine (good burns).

2) I haven't looked for updated ATA/IDE drivers.
I just checked and the IDE controller is using an MS driver from XP. I ran the update driver feature and there is no update.

DMA is enabled for both channels. The Sony is running with UDMA 2 as master (and lone device) on channel 1; the Plextor is running as UDMA 4 as master (and lone device) on channel 2.

Both drives are burning all types of discs fine with Imgburn. The only failure is with CloneCd burning DL discs in the Plextor.

I do see that there are some IDE drivers from AMD. I am going to give them a try. I also have to reinstall CloneCD since I had removed it due to the problem.

For my SCSI driver, it is also built into Windows, and there is no separate one available from LSI Logic. But that couldn't be the problem as it only controls my hard drives.

I don't think AnyDVD could be the problem - as I understand, that's only used for reading, and I didn't have any problem with that. So I will just reinstall CloneCD alone.

I switched to the AMD-768 IDE drivers version 8.2.2 from 7/1/2003 - the latest available for my hardware - instead of the MS ones. Now I can burn DL successfully with CloneCD !

I did an 8.4GB on-the-fly DL burn in 23 minutes 44 seconds with the cheap $1 Windata DL 8x media from Microcenter.

Thanks for the tip - switching driver worked. I am considering registering CloneCD and AnyDVD now.

I don't see a verification option in CloneCD . Does it not have one ?

I see you have it solved, good work.

Yeah, except I'm using crap media so the disk was no good
So there is really no verification option in this program ? What a shame.

Just push play works best for me.

Constantly updating Anydvd is a good idea--as this is what's removing the css protection so that Clonecd (anydvd also removes other stuff) can backup the movies. Anydvd offers free lifetime upgrades and upgrading generally doesn't take very long.

I really don't recommend on the fly burning with burners that have small 2 meg buffers, and I especially don't recommend using anything other than Verbatim +R DL discs when backing up movies with Anydvd and Clonecd.

If you're going to use single layer discs, Clonedvd2 is the preferred Slysoft solution.

I'm glad it's working for you now.

I'm not positive, but I don't believe so.

this really isn't "on the fly" as clonecd is writing it back onto the hdd first and then it ejects when it is finished, then you have to click the write button before it will burn onto blank media. even when using two drives.

There's an actual "copy on the fly" setting in Clonecd. When that setting is checked and you have both a reader and a burner in your system, writing begins immediately. Clonecd isn't creating an image file; the "browse" button that's associated with providing the location for the image file becomes greyed out.

I recommend unchecking the "copy on the fly" setting in Clonecd when burning at fast speeds or when using burners with small buffer sizes.

When the "copy on the fly setting" is unchecked, the image is read to the hard drive first, and then the image is written from the hard drive to the burner.

yes, i knew that and it still copies to the hdd before burning like clonedvd2 does.

There is no copy on the fly setting in Clonedvd2. The process is completely different. In Clonedvd2 files are processed to the hard drive first; everything is read first. And after the reading is finished, writing begins.

When I copy on the fly in Clonecd, writing begins immediately. There isn't a huge pause while I'm waiting for the entire original disc to be read to the hard drive first.

What ejects first?

I have to click what exactly at this point?

When "copy on the fly" in Clonecd is selected, writing begins immediately. I do not have to wait for the end of the reading process before writing begins

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying.

You have both a reader and a burner in your system (two drives), correct?

yep clonedvd2 was a bad example....and i forgot about the "copy on the fly" in clonecd....was thinking about clonedvd2...
sorry, my mind is playing tricks on me well the beer and
like i said ain't my first mistake and won't be my last...

Heh, no problem, sir. Hope you have a good weekend!

thanks, i'm trying to....and you do the same.

it does, i've done it to try it out, 3rd option, vob files and browse to your dvd-rom/rw.

it was only a test and i've never used it again

edit, i should add that it was a backup that i tested it with, so no compression (SL)