About two weeks ago, Alcohol started acting strangely. I've been using it for years and haven't ever had an error with it up until then. When I am copying a cd or dvd, if I switch to another program when Alcohol is reading the cd/dvd, Alcohol fails and quits reading the cd/dvd and asks me if I want to delete the image files. I haven't tried switching programs during write cause I'm not a fan of coasters. It just randomly started happening. No damage to my hardware, very few changes in what software I had installed.

What I've tried already:
1) New writer (I was due for an upgrade anyway)
2) Clean uninstall/reinstall of Alcohol.
3) Remove all other cd/dvd writing tools such as Nero, MagicISO, etc. so Alcohol is the only cd/dvd writing software on my computer.

This is the retail version. I posted to the Alcohol-Soft forums when it started happening and didn't get much of a response.

Any ideas? Thanks for any help.

Could you post the link to the thread in the Alcohol forums as I cannot seem to find it thanks.

Can you also post a complete system report to. Cheers.

Seems to not be there anymore, I can't find it either...

What do you need to know?

Click View > System Info

Copy and Paste all the info generated in here. Cheers.

########################### System Information ###########################
Windows XP Professional 5.1 Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
Processor info: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz x 2 (2800MHz)
Memory Available to Windows: 2,096,620 KB

############################ Program Information ###########################
File Name: C:\Program Files\Alcohol Soft\Alcohol 120\Alcohol.exe
Company Name: Alcohol Soft Development Team
Description: Alcohol 120%
Original: alcohol.exe
Product: Alcohol 120%
Trademarks: Alcohol Soft Development Team
Copyright: Copyright(C) 2002-2006 Alcohol Soft Development Team
Version: 1.9.5 ( Build 3823 )
Date: 2006/02/25
Size: 4212608 Bytes
Hash: 939d07699e32292793fd53864192cdfe
Hash(1): d1a71e666418a79704239459955e5f7b04682e1e678a9fc039a2f1f051c114ee0
Hash(2): 3adec0640ff54f03724abfefccce017b35fe4928ebd85d7c7ffa029c9edf36de8
File Name: C:\Program Files\Alcohol Soft\Alcohol 120\alcoholx.dll
Company Name: Alcohol Soft Co., Ltd.
Description: Alcohol virtual device control library
Original: alcoholx.dll
Product: Alcohol
Copyright: Copyright (C) 2000-2006
Version: 4.3.0 ( Build 0 )
Date: 2006/01/25
Size: 403352 Bytes
Hash: 8c1efe717203eed1b9f91da81083ba1c
File Name: C:\Program Files\Alcohol Soft\Alcohol 120\devsupp.dll
Company Name: Alcohol Soft Development Team
Description: Alcohol Software Device Capability Library
Original: devsupp.dll
Product: Alcohol Software Device Capability Library
Copyright: Copyright(C) 2002-2006 Alcohol Soft Development Team
Version: 2.5.0 ( Build 1421 )
Date: 2006/02/21
Size: 46080 Bytes
Hash: c38831c1e1f37d6e198cdd9fe8a9a926

########################### Options Setting ###########################
Devices control interface: Default Driver Control Interface
CPU Priority Level: High
Memory Buffer Size (MB): 128
Examine the accuracy of data read from physical device: Yes
Turn off "Auto-Select best write speed" function if possible: No
Overburn disc(s): No
Fill memory buffer before recording discs: Yes
Ignore Media Type: Yes
RMPS (Recordable Media Physical Signature) Emulation: No
BAD Sectors Emulation: No
Sub-Channel Data Fixed & Emulation: No
Laserlock Emulation: No
Current Language: English

############################ Device(s) List ############################
(E LITE-ON DVDRW SHW-160P6S (atapi, Port 0, Bus 0, Target 0, Lun 0)

##################### Installed Device Drivers List #####################
1394BUS.SYS ACPI.sys afd.sys agp440.sys amon.sys
arp1394.sys aspi32.sys ATMFD.DLL audstub.sys Beep.SYS
BOOTVID.dll Cdfs.SYS cdrom.sys CLASSPNP.SYS cpuidlep.SYS
ctac32k.sys ctaud2k.sys ctgame.sys ctoss2k.sys ctprxy2k.sys
ctsfm2k.sys Defrag32.SYS Defrag32b.sys disk.sys dmio.sys
dmload.sys drmk.sys dtscsi.sys dump_atapi.sys dump_WMILIB.SYS
Dxapi.sys dxg.sys dxgthk.sys emupia2k.sys Fastfat.SYS
fdc.sys Fips.SYS flpydisk.sys fltmgr.sys Fs_Rec.SYS
ftdisk.sys GEARAspiWDM.sys ha10kx2k.sys hal.dll hap16v2k.sys
HIDCLASS.SYS HIDPARSE.SYS hidusb.sys HTTP.sys iaStor.sys
ikhfile.sys ikhlayer.sys imapi.sys intelppm.sys ipnat.sys
ipsec.sys isapnp.sys kbdclass.sys kbdhid.sys KDCOM.DLL
KID_LIB.sys KID_SYS.sys kmixer.sys ks.sys KSecDD.sys
LHidFlt2.Sys LHidUsb.Sys LMouFlt2.Sys mbmiodrvr.sys mnmdd.SYS
mouclass.sys mouhid.sys MountMgr.sys mrxdav.sys mrxsmb.sys
Msfs.SYS msgpc.sys mssmbios.sys Mup.sys NDIS.SYS
ndistapi.sys ndisuio.sys ndiswan.sys NDProxy.SYS netbios.sys
netbt.sys nic1394.sys Npfs.SYS ntdll.dll Ntfs.sys
ntoskrnl.exe ntxpusb.sys Null.SYS nv4_disp.dll nv4_mini.sys
ohci1394.sys parport.sys PartMgr.sys ParVdm.SYS pci.sys
pciide.sys PCIIDEX.SYS Pcouffin.sys pfc.sys PfModNT.sys
portcls.sys psched.sys ptilink.sys PxHelp20.sys rasacd.sys
rasl2tp.sys raspppoe.sys raspptp.sys raspti.sys rdbss.sys
RDPCDD.sys rdpdr.sys redbook.sys Rtlnic51.sys SaiH8000.sys
sbp2port.sys SCDEmu.SYS SCSIPORT.SYS serenum.sys serial.sys
SMBios.sys sptd.sys SPTD4605.SYS srv.sys SSI.SYS
swenum.sys sysaudio.sys tcpip.sys TDI.SYS termdd.sys
Udfs.SYS update.sys usbccgp.sys USBD.SYS usbehci.sys
usbhub.sys USBPORT.SYS usbuhci.sys Vax347b.sys Vax347s.sys
vaxscsi.sys vga.sys VIDEOPRT.SYS VolSnap.sys wanarp.sys
watchdog.sys wdmaud.sys Wibukey.sys win32k.sys WMILIB.SYS
ws2ifsl.sys

################## Detailed Information of Device(s) ##################

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
(E LITE-ON DVDRW SHW-160P6S(0:0) detail information.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Vendor Identification: LITE-ON
Product Identification: DVDRW SHW-160P6S
Production Revision Level: PS09
Location: atapi, Port 0, Bus 0, Target 0, Lun 0
Support recording method: DAO, RAW SAO, RAW SAO+SUB, RAW DAO(96), TAO, DVD DAO
BURN-Free Technology: SMART-BURN
Auto-Select best write speed: SMART-BURN
-* Note: This information below is provided by the unit, it might be inaccurate. *-
-* This software does not use this information! *-
Removable media: Yes
Version: ATAPI (INF-8090i/INF-8020i/INF-8028i)
Response Data Format: 02h
CD-R Read/Write: Yes/Yes
CD-RW Read/Write: Yes/Yes
Read CD-R Fixed Packet: Yes
Test Write: Yes
DVD-ROM Read: Yes
DVD-R Read/Write: Yes/Yes
DVD-RAM Read/Write: No/No
Audio Play: Yes
Composite Audio and Video Data Stream: No
Digital output (IEC958) on port 1 Supported: Yes
Digital output (IEC958) on port 2 Supported: No
Mode 1 Form 2: Yes
Mode 2 Form 2: Yes
Multi-Session: Yes
BUF: Yes
CD-DA Commands supported: Yes
CD-DA Stream is Accurate: Yes
R-W Supported: No
R-W De-interleaved and Corrected: No
C2 Pointers Support: Yes
ISRC Supported: Yes
UPC Supported: Yes
Read Bar Code: No
Lock media into the drive: Yes
Currently drive Lock state: Unlocked
Prevent Jumper: No
Eject Command: Yes
Separate volume levels: Yes
Separate channel mute: Yes
Changer Supports Disc Present: No
Software slot selection: No
Side change capable: No
P through W in Lead-In: Yes

#######################################################################

Removed any registration info... thanks!

It might help if you use a legal version of Alcohol instead of a pirated version.

Software support relies on the support of individuals purchasing the software. Perhaps that is why you never got a reply previously.

Illegal version of alcohol in use. Thread closed accordingly.